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Highway 5A: Merritt to Kamloops, Nicola Valley, British Columbia
Photo: Kiyoteru Awaji · CC BY 4.0 · cropped

Drives British Columbia The Okanagan, the Kootenays and the BC Interior

Highway 5A: Merritt to Kamloops

BC 5A, Summit Drive, Springhill Drive · Merritt → Kamloops

Leisurely59 mi1 hr 25 min3,100 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,000 ftOne way
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The drive

Highway 5A is the old road between Merritt and Kamloops, running parallel to the Coquihalla Highway but a very different drive. It heads north out of Merritt into the Nicola Valley: rolling hills, cattle ranchland and a chain of lakes, with abandoned barns and pull-offs along the shoulder.

You pass the south end of Nicola Lake, where a rest area lets you walk down to a dock, then the north end of the lake, where a wooden church built in 1979 stands at Douglas Lake Road. Just beyond is the Beaver Ranch Flats wetland, a birdwatching area. After that come Stump Lake, a popular fishing spot, and smaller lakes such as Shumway and Separation before Kamloops.

It is a quieter alternative to the freeway, with light traffic by comparison, and the pace is slower.

Along the way

  1. Merritt
  2. Kamloops
Elevation
3,100 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,000 ft
MerrittKamloops
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
MerrittKamloops
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The road is narrow in places and cyclists use it, with little or no shoulder on the lake stretches.
  • Stump Lake has spilled over the highway during spring snowmelt in the past; check DriveBC in spring.
  • British Columbia requires winter tires on Interior highways from October 1 to March 31, and to April 30 on some routes; signs mark them.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check DriveBC.

Questions about this drive

How long is Highway 5A from Merritt to Kamloops?

Highway 5A from Merritt to Kamloops is 59.4 miles and takes about 1 hr 23 min.

What is the difference between Highway 5A and the Coquihalla?

Highway 5A is the older, slower two-lane road through the Nicola Valley, with lakes and ranchland, while the Coquihalla is the faster freeway between the same towns.

Do you need winter tires on Highway 5A?

Winter tires are required on designated Interior highways in British Columbia from October 1 to March 31, with some routes to April 30. Signs mark the routes, and DriveBC has current rules.

Can Highway 5A flood near Stump Lake?

Stump Lake has spilled over Highway 5A during spring snowmelt, including in 2020. Check DriveBC in spring.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
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Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
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More drives near here

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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Highway 5A: Merritt to Kamloops, from Merritt to Kamloops