A popular provincial park that’s home to one of British Columbia’s most unique natural attractions is open for the first time in 33 months.
On Monday, BC Parks partially reopened Coquihalla Canyon Park, just east of Hope, which is home to the Othello Tunnels.
The provincial park was shut down in November 2021 when the region was slammed by multiple atmospheric rivers that produced historic rainfall.
According to the Province, more than 30 sites throughout the park suffered severe damage from the flooding, including the Othello Tunnels.
The flood damage from November 2021 hampered all five of the historic Othello Tunnels, built in 1914, and impacted bridge foundations and the stability of canyon slopes.
Crews began work to repair infrastructure in the park earlier in 2024 and anticipated to have the park open in mid-July after the first of two phases of construction.
Although they didn’t quite meet the target, the first phase is now complete and the park has partially reopened with a few weeks still left in summer.
“Visitors can enter the park from the main parking lot, accessed from Hwy 5, and explore the KVR trail up to Tunnel 2,” the BC Parks website explains.
“The KVR Trail between Tunnel 2 and the Hope Nicola Trail will remain closed to allow for further rock works and a bridge replacement.”
The Province has previously said that the entire provincial park is expected to be open to the public at some point in 2025.
Once a part of the route for the historic Kettle Valley Railway, construction of the Othello Tunnels over a century ago was a massive engineering feat to create a route through the canyon.
Coquihalla Canyon Park preserves an important piece of BC’s railroad history, one that the municipality of Hope depends greatly on for tourism.
"The park is located right in our backyard and generates tens of thousands of visitors every year to our area. It played a huge role in the movie First Blood, which was shot in Hope in 1981," said Brian McKinney, team lead at the Hope, Cascades and Canyons Visitor Centre and Museum.
"Whether you are a fan of John Rambo, a Kettle Valley Railway history buff or just B.C.'s beauty in general, this park has it all.”
When the restoration work was announced in March, the Province estimated the cost at $4.5 million and noted that it was largely supported by the federal government’s Disaster Financial Assistance Fund.
