The source of the Tranquille River are the meltwaters of the southern end of the Silwohiakun Plateau.   A dozen streams flow down the slopes below Porcupine Ridge (6000 feet) and end up In Tranquille Lake.   The river really starts at the lake, but the log starts at the longest stream that flows into the lake.

Km 0.0 – Porcupine Meadows

• From the south-facing slops of Porcupine Ridge the streams flow south for 5 km.
• We hiked up the old trail toward the lookout some years ago – Porcupine Ridge
• This is a very remote area which is difficult to get to.   Snowmobilers frequent the area more than anyone else.
• Porcupine Meadows Provincial Park
• Snow falls early and lingers to June most years and the wet meadows above provide run-off to Tranquille Lake all year round.

Km 5.0 Tranquille Lake

• an article I wrote for Gold Country – Tranquille Lake
• The lake sits at 4629 feet.  It is 70 ha in size.   For paddlers, the lakeshore is 3.5 km around.
• Wendego Lodge is located on the northeast side of the lake.
• Kokanee and Kamloops trout are caught in the lake.
• There is a public boat launch/landing part way along the lake road.
• Snowmobile tracks come in from the south and the west and go up the hill to the north
• The outlet is at the west end of the lake.

Km 10 – Truda Lake

• most maps just show a marshy area, but the wetlands were dammed and the lake is now a fishing spot
• a paddle around the lake is 3.5 km
• the lake sits at 1359m (4458m)
• from the outlet the river bears west for 6 km, then south for 4 km where it runs under the Red Lake Road
• Fawn Falls is 2.3 downstream from Truda Lake
• Saul Creek from Strachan Lake and Saul Lake enters from the east
• the river is surrounded by cutblocks  for 9 km

 

Km 20 – Red Lake Road

• Buck and Doe Falls is 700m upstream
• to the west the Tranquille – Criss Creek Road arrives at a junction in 1 km
• at that intersection, the road bearing north goes to Truda and Tranquiile Lake, or north toward the Bonaparte Plateau
• at the same intersection, the road to the west continues for 3 km where it splits again
• from that west intersection, the road to the south goes to Red Lake and beyond to the Carabine Creek Valley (and beyond that to Copper Creek and Savona)
• the road to the north heads to Criss Creek or by branches to Deadman Valley, the Seven Lakes Route, or to the Bonaparte Plateau
• the road to the east follows the Tranquille River on its way down the Canyon to Kamloops Lake
• the river flows west for 7 km to the small community in the Tranquille River Valley

 

Km 27 Tranquille Valley

• a number of homes and small farms lie between the road and the river for 6 km
• the (last) Red Lake School is found near the bottom of the hill; it closed in 2008 and the School District tried to sell it in 2014
• there were a number of schools in the area and interested readers are encouraged to read Mae Semorow’s book, “Then and Now – The Road to Red Lake”
• The Anchor C Ranch sits on the side of the river.   It was a summer camp for Tranquille residents, then went into private ownership.   Back in the 1980’s we brought our school class to the camp for 3 days of riding and outdoor activities.  The Ranch was originally occupied by a homesteader named Syd Knight-Bruce who was a self-styled cowboy

 

Km 37 – Tranquille Crossing

• A bridge crosses the river at this point
• the first bridge here was built by locals in about 1914, but freshet swept away this bridge and others in the next 100 years
• There is a small informal Recreation Site a the crossing and there is another one called Tranquille Meadows 1.6 km upstream on an old homestead.
• There is a small canyon and waterfall under the bridge.
• Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area starts 1.5 km downstream
• Across the road (0.2 km back up the road) is an old track that parallels the river and ends at Watching Creek near the confluence
• There are a few trails near this area, used by hikers and prospectors.
• There were claims here for gold panning and for harvesting apple-green common opals.

Km 37 – 50 – Tranquille Canyon

• on the south and west side is Red Plateau which rises up to 700m above the river
• on the east and north side are a series of hills and mountains which rise 700 m above the river
• From Tranquille Crossing to Watching Creek ( 3 km), the river runs under the slopes of Watching Hill
• on the west side of the river km south of Tranquille Crossing is a side road that goes down to a Recreation Site overlooking the confluence
• this was Paddy Docksteader’s Homestead; he was a horse trader and told tales of his days with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show
• there is a pillar with a large rock in the trees just south of the side road
• from Watching Creek to a point in the canyon 5 km downstream, the river descends under the cliffs of Opax Mountain
• two waterfalls descend to the river from Hanging Valley between Opax and Wheeler Mountains
• a short distance downstream there are two slot canyons (Tranquille Slot Canyons)
• the river runs under the cliffs of Wheeler Mountain for the next 2.5 km
• some eskers can be seen above in the gap between Wheeler and Mara Mountains
• the Guardsmen are found below the west end of Pruden Pass
• the river continues down the canyon below the benchland (Tranquille East Rim) west of the slopes of Mara Mountain for 3.6 km
• the Pimple rises above the river 1.7 km upstream from the mouth of the Canyon (Tranquille Ridge)

 

 

Km 51 – 53 – Tranquille

• the canyon opens up to a flood plain and reaches Cooney Bay on the east end of Kamloops Lake in 2 km
• a hiking trail (Tranquille River Trail) goes upstream for 2.4 km, passing old gold rush channels, Pine Park, a small dam, and rising steep slopes
• the river flows through Tranquille on the Lake property for 1 km, but the public can use the bypass road on the south side of Tranquille to get to a parking area adjacent to Cooney Bay
• Tranquille River flows for about 53 km from Porcupine Meadows to Kamloops Lake.
• Tranquille River, the slopes on either side, and the mountains above collectively have been a corridor of exploration and recreation for 4 decades, part of our outdoors heritage and continuing interest.