Traveling from Bend Or to Burnaby BC and then Penticton

Bendslam, I'm a retired truck driver that ran those routes for years. Forget Hwy 5, long steep pulls and further. Hwy 3 is much more scenic and easier on equipment. Fuel at Costco in Bellingham before crossing the Border before heading into Burnaby. Gas will be expensive in BC. By the way, I ran the Highway Thru Hell 4 or 5 times a week round trip and never new it was called that. Reality TV. Good luck and enjoy your trip. Info, no guns in Canada, and check Customs regs in regard to fruits and veggies.

You have two route choices for this drive -- the decision is made at Hope, BC. You either head northeast on Hwy 5 or east on Hwy 3.



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Hwy 5 (the Coquihalla highway -- made infamous in "Highway Thru Hell") is a fast driving freeway, with a connector to Peachland in the Okanagan. You then head south along the lake to Penticton. This will likely be the faster of the two routes, if that's important.

Hwy 3 (the Hope/Princeton Hwy) has both double and single lane sections and is slower. But the scenery is nicer -- you'll travel through the Hope Slide, the Provincial Manning Park, and the small towns of Princeton, Hedley, and Keremeos, before reaching Penticton. There are many lakes and rivers along the way, including the Similkameen.

Whichever you decide, hope you enjoy it....!

Two ways, either through Merritt, lovely four lane divided highway, long uphill sections, or through Princeton, some two lane sections, a bit more scenic (IMHO). Both have stops along the way if needed. Almost the same amount of time. In July, the easiest would be through Merritt.

However, if your rig is heavily loaded and it's really hot outside, take the route through Princeton. The only way to keep your engine cool is to open the windows, shut off the air conditioning, and if you are really close to boiling over, pull over and give it a rest idling with the cab heater blowing as much hot air as you can to get the heat out of the engine. Tow trucks make a fortune on that road.

It's pretty much Hwy 3 and 3A. Perfectly good provincial highways, with all the amenities you would expect. The towns are not large, but they have stuff.

250 miles? Well, you won't need to stop for gas. Food? You should have a refrigerator full. Misc. stuff? That's part of the adventure.