The KVR trail occupies the former railway track of the Kettle Valley Railway. The railway was built over the course of nearly 20 years, and the section between Merritt and Midway opened May 31, 1915. A detailed history of the Kettle Valley Railway, and the accomplishments of its primary engineer, Andrew McCulloch, can be found on Wikipedia.
The KVR trail in the Naramata area is known for the excellent views it offers of the southern end of Okanagan Lake. The KVR is the western boundary of Cottonwood Estate, where Forgotten Hill Bed & Breakfast is located. A sand and gravel road leads down from Forgotten Hill to the KVR, where there is a gate for easy access for pedestrians and cyclists.
The KVR above Naramata is easily accessed either at Smethurst Road, or at Arawana Road. As a former railway bed, the steepest grade of the trail is 2.2% and the section near Naramata is generally less. From Forgotten Hill, a nice walk can be had by heading north on the trail, towards the Little Tunnel, approximately 4 km distant. There, at the south end of the tunnel, views extend to Penticton, and Skaha Lake; while from the north end of the tunnel, views extend to Peachland and Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park.
For cyclists, continuing past the Little Tunnel will eventually take you to the famous 18 trestles of Myra Canyon, south of Kelowna, some 60 km from Naramata. Sixteen of the eighteen trestles burned down during the Okanagan Mountain Fire of 2003, in addition to the more 230 homes that were destroyed in the Mission area of Kelowna. The trestles were re-built and are now useable.
From the Little Tunnel, the Adra Tunnel is 8 kilometers away. The Adra Tunnel, at 490 meters in length, is the longest tunnel on the KVR and loops back on itself. The tunnel is closed because of instability inside and the trail bypasses it from one entrance to the other. The Myra Canyon trestles are another 40 km further on the trail.