Keremeos
Keremeos is a village of about 1,500 people (2016) in the Similkameen region of British Columbia. According to local legend, Keremeos means "the meeting of the winds".
Understand
Nearly one-third of its area is occupied by orchards. The economy of the area has been based on agriculture since the first settlers arrived in the mid-19th century. Abundant sunshine and a vast, replenishing aquifer make the lower Similkameen Valley one of Canada's most productive farmlands.
Keremeos' main industries are horticulture, agriculture, ranching, and wine making, among others. Fruit stands are also a major component of the local economy, making it the self-titled "fruit stand capital of Canada." All sorts of soft fruits, apples, cherries, peaches, etc. and vegetables are grown in the South Similkameen's dry warm climate, and vineyards and wineries are quickly being added as the valley's wine-growing potential is being recognized.
Keremeos is on the western boundary of Canada’s Sonoran Desert and is the western gateway to interior wine country.
History
With K Mountain as a backdrop, Keremeos is a community whose "Wild West" looks date back to 1909 when the postmaster of the now-abandoned community of Upper Keremeos, Mr. George Kirby, purchased land alongside the Similkameen River in anticipation of the V.V. & E. Railway passing through the area. Eventually the Great Northern Railway from the US built a branch line up to Hedley and other businesses soon followed. Keremeos was incorporated in 1956.
Climate
Keremeos has a semi-arid climate with cool but short winters and hot, dry summers.
The area has a mild, dry climate with temperatures in the 30-32 °C range in the summer and 1-7 °C in the winter. More than 2600 annual hours of sunshine, annual rainfall is 268mm, and annual snowfall is 50 cm. Elevation is 416m. Frost free period averages 181 days with last freeze occurring around April 18th, first freeze around October 17th.
Get in
By car
- The Village of Keremeos is in the south-west corner of British Columbia 340 km east of the Greater Vancouver metropolitan area. Access to Keremeos is via Highway 3 from the Fraser Valley, Highway 5a from the Thompson Valley and via Highways 3 and 3a from the Okanagan Valley.
By bus
- Mountain Man Mike's Bus Service, ☏ +1-778-382-7729, [email protected]. Twice per week service between Kaslo and Vancouver with stops in Balfour, Nelson, Castlegar, Christina Lake, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Rock Creek, Osoyoos, Keremeos, Princeton, Manning Provincial Park, Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Langley, and New Westminster. This service provider also offers a weekly route between Kalso and Calgary via Nelson.
Get around
By public transit
- BC Transit (South Okanagan-Similkameen Transit System), toll-free: +1-844-442-2212. Bus route 50 three days per week between Penticton and Princeton with stops in Keremeos. Travel time to Keremos from Penticton is 40 minutes and from Princeton is 55 minutes.
See
The landscape surrounding Keremeos is semi-arid and contains hundreds of plant and animal species found only in this region. Steep, rocky mountain sides and long slides of fine material give the Keremeos area a look found nowhere else in British Columbia. Californian Big Horn Sheep and Mountain Goats can be seen frequently on mountainsides.
- 1 Red Bridge (Ashnola Bridge), Ashnola River Road. A distinctive looking red bridge that crosses the Similkameen River.
- 2 Keremeos Columns Provincial Park. Imagine the similar type of hexagonal rock column formations as Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway, but in an inland forest setting. The columns are not in Keremeos Columns Provincial Park, but there are view points in the park to see the columns. Public access on to the rock formation itself is not permitted. A three hour hike each way is required to reach the view point.
Area attractions include:
- 3 The Grist Mill and Gardens, 2691 Upper Bench Rd, ☏ +1 250-499-2888. The site has a grist mill built in 1877 to convert grain to flour. There are also gardens on site.
- 4 Spotted Lake. A saline alkali lake full of minerals. Most of the water in the lake evaporates over the summer, revealing colorful mineral deposits.
- 5 Mascot Gold Mine Tours, 161 Snaza'ist Dr, Hedley, ☏ +1 250-292-8733. Tour of a former gold mine built on the side of a mountain, 1500 m (5000 ft) above the town of Hedley.
Do
- Fishing: excellent fishing in area lakes and rivers
- Go skiing at Apex Mountain Ski Resort
- 1 Twin Lakes Golf Resort, 79 Twin Lakes Rd (from the Hwy 3 and Hwy 3A intersection, follow Highway 3A north for 21 km, and turn right at Twin Lakes Rd), ☏ +1 250-497-5359, [email protected]. Go golfing.
- 2 Cathedral Provincial Park (via Highway 3: 3 km west of Keremeos, the Ashnola Road leaves the highway and crosses a red covered bridge, 10 km further the pavement ends and the Ashnola Forest Service Road begins and follows the Ashnola River into the park -- this road extends 48 km upstream to the south end of the Ashnola Valley). An expanse of jagged mountain peaks, lakes and alpine meadows that is definitely for the adventurous. Cathedral Park offers fishing, camping, wilderness camping, hiking, and mountaineering. There are three well-defined hiking trails into the park. Hikers will require at least a full day to hike one-way into the core area.
Buy
- Parsons Farm Market, 110 7th Ave. +1 250-499-2312
- Mom & Pop's, 230 7th Ave, ☏ +1 250-499-2986. Bistro and farm market. Like generations of Okanagan farmers, the eponymous mom and pop have been growing, picking and selling fruit and vegetables while raising three children since they moved from the Punjab in 1987.
Eat
- Emmy's Bake Shop, 610 7th Avenue on Highway 3, ☏ +1 250-499-8888. sa-Th 9AM-4PM, F 9AM-5PM. Deli, soups, sandwiches.
- Benja Thai Restaurant, 516 7th Avenue, ☏ +1 250-499-2561. W-M 11AM-3PM, 4:30PM-8:30PM. Thai food made by a family who immigrated from Thailand. Vegetarian friendly. Mains $10-13.
Drink
- Wrong Turn Tavern, 629 7th Ave, Main Street, ☏ +1 250-499-0940. Su-W 11:30AM-10PM, Th-Sa 11:30AM-midnight. Good pub food.
- Branding Iron Bar & Grill, 603 7th Ave, ☏ +1 250-499-2646. Su 4PM-10PM; M-Th Sa 11-10PM; F 11AM-11PM.
Sleep
- Elks Motel, 310 7th Avenue, ☏ +1 250-499-2043, toll-free: +1-888-499-7773, [email protected]. Air conditioning, hot tub, gym/weight room, kitchenettes, full suites, cable TV, continental breakfast, free Wifi, barbecues & picnic area. From $65.
- Alpine Inn, 315 7th Avenue, ☏ +1 250-499-5244. This place had bad reviews in the past, but better ones since 2016 - ask to see the room before paying. From $75.
- Sunset Motel, 1007 Sparks Dr, ☏ +1 250-499-7029.
Nearby
Hedley
- Hedley Mining Museum
- Mascot Mine
Go next
Cathedral Provincial Park, southwest of town, has excellent hiking and wonderful views.
| Routes through Keremeos |
| Hope ← Princeton ← | W  E |
→ Cawston → Osoyoos |
| END ← Penticton ← | N  S |
→ END |