Major Cities: Kamloops
This city of 84,000 was founded in 1812 by the North West Company, later taken over by the Hudson’s Bay Company. Kamloops is at the junction of the North and south branches of the Thompson River at Kamloops Lake, and now sits where the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) meets the Coquihala (#5). 
The name comes from Shuswap phrase "T'kumlups" for "the meeting of the waters." The area around
the city is rolling hills with forests, grasslands, and hoodoos.
Kamloops Attractions-in townKamloops Art Gallery207 Seymour S 250-828-3543 The gallery shows works by local contemporary artists, including paintings, sculpture, photos, and video art. Open 9a m- 8 pm July & August; Mon-Sat 10 am - 5pm, Sundays 1pm - 5 pm the rest of the year. Admission. 
Kamloops Heritage Railway6-510 Lorne Street Kamloops, BC, V2C 1W3 250-374-2141, Fax: 250-372-5332 Heritiage steam trains take you from the grasslands of the Thompson River Valley to the mountains, lakes and streams of the Salmon River Valley. Highlights include travelling through a 493-foot tunnel and around a unique 1 mile horseshoe curve, and along the 2 mile shoreline of MOnte Lake. The Spirit of Kamloops runs from June 29 – August 27, and leave Kamloops on Mondays 7 pm, Fridays 7 pm Saturdays 11 am & 7 pm. Kamloops Museum & Archives 207 Seymour St 250-828-3576 The museum portrays the area’s history, including Indian culture, a reconstructed Hudson’s Bay fur trading cabin, pioneer artifacts, transportation items, and natural history specimens. 
St Joseph’s Churchwest on Chilcotin Rd, off Mt St Paul Way 250-374-7323 This church was built by Roman Catholic missionaries and the Kamloops Indian Band in the late 1800s and has been meticulously renovated, including its gilded altar and its period artifacts. The church and adjoining cemetery are open to visitors July 1 to Labour Day. Rocky Mountain Rangers Museum and Archives 1221 McGill Rd (JR Vicars Armoury, Box 3250) Kamloops 250-372-7424 Museum of this regiment is located inside the JR Vicars Armoury, a fully operational army reserve regiment. 
Secwepemc Native Heritage Park# 311-355 Yellowhead Highway Kamloops, BC, V2H 1H1 250-828-9781 This museum (pronounced "she-kwe-pem")interprets the history of the Secwepemc or Kamloops people and sits on their reserve on the banks of the South Thompson River. The Kamloops band is one of 17 that make up the Secwepemc Indians, which have occupied the territory between the Rockies and the Fraser for over 4,000 years. There is a museum, a full-scale reconstruction of a traditional Shuswap winter village in five different historical periods, and a 2,400 year old archaeological site. Native song, dance and theatre for part of the visitor experience. Sunmore Ginseng Spa & Factory 925 McGill Rd Kamloops, B.C Visitor Centre - 1-800-662-1994 Spa & Tea Garden - 250-372-2814 Healthtech Ginseng Showroom - 250-374-3017 The climate in Kamloops makes for perfect conditions to grow American Ginseng, thus attracting the Sunmore Ginseng Factory which grows its ginseng on the fertile soils of the Kamloops Valley. Weyerhauser Canada Mission Flats Rd, by airport 250-372-2217 See a working pulp mill and sawmill. Daily tours 10 am from may to early September. Other times by prior arrangement. Ages 12 and up, must wear long sleeves and pants, with close-toed shoes. Attractions-Around Town
Tranquille Marsh10 km west on Tranquille Rd from North Kamloops This is an active waterfowl habitat, particularly during the spring and fall migrations. Over a hundred species including whistling swans, trumpeter swans, Canada geese, snow geese and pelicans, can be seen from the road. From Red Lake Road, you can often see bighorn sheep. Kamloops Waterslide (& RV Park) 15 km east, on Highway 1 250-573-3789 This waterslide has a number of twisters, kiddy slides plus mini golf, hot tubs and a picnic area. Open July & August 10 am - 7 pm; mid May to early June weekends only; and daily 10 am - 5 pm the rest of June. 85 RV sites with full hook-ups. BC Wildlife Park (formerly Kamloops Wildlife Par)k 18 km east on Highway 1 250-573-3242 This children’s zoo has more than 150 species of animals (both native and exotic) in their natural settings. Also with miniature railway rides and a picnic facility. Open 8am - 8 pm in July & August; 8 am - 4:30 the rest of the year. Great Train Robbery site 30 kilometres east, at Monte Creek Bill Miner, the notorious train and stagecoach robber held up a CPR train in 1906 (though only stole $15), and was tracked 80 kilometres before his capture. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in BC but escaped to the US in 1907. This is the subject of the feature film "The Grey Fox." Kamloops Festivals & Events
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