Keremeos

Keremeos is a village of about 1,500 people (2016) in the Similkameen region of British Columbia. Fruit stands are also a major component of the local economy, making it the self-titled "fruit stand capital of Canada." All sorts of soft fruits, apples, cherries, peaches, and vegetables are grown in the South Similkameen's dry warm climate, and vineyards and wineries are quickly being added as the valley's wine-growing potential is being recognized.

Understand


Keremeos is on the western boundary of Canada’s Sonoran Desert and is the western gateway to interior wine country. According to local legend, Keremeos means "the meeting of the winds".

Nearly one-third of its area is occupied by orchards. The economy of the area has been based on agriculture since the first European settlers arrived in the mid-19th century. Abundant sunshine and a vast, replenishing aquifer make the lower Similkameen Valley one of Canada's most productive farmlands.

Keremeos' main industries are horticulture, agriculture, ranching, and wine making, among others.

History
With K Mountain as a backdrop, Keremeos is a community whose "Wild West" looks date back to 1909 when the postmaster of the now-abandoned community of Upper Keremeos, Mr. George Kirby, purchased land alongside the Similkameen River in anticipation of the V.V. & E. Railway passing through the area. Eventually the Great Northern Railway from the US built a branch line up to Hedley and other businesses soon followed. Keremeos was incorporated in 1956.

Climate
Keremeos has a semi-arid climate with cool but short winters and hot, dry summers.

The area has a mild, dry climate with temperatures in the 30-32 °C range in the summer and 1-7 °C in the winter. More than 2600 annual hours of sunshine, annual rainfall is 268mm, and annual snowfall is 50 cm. Elevation is 416m. Frost free period averages 181 days with last freeze occurring around April 18th, first freeze around October 17th.

By car

 * The Village of Keremeos is in the south-west corner of British Columbia 340 km east of the Greater Vancouver metropolitan area. Access to Keremeos is via Highway 3 from the Fraser Valley, Highway 5A from the Thompson Valley and via Highways 3 and 3A from the Okanagan Valley.

See
The landscape surrounding Keremeos is semi-arid and contains hundreds of plant and animal species found only in this region. Steep, rocky mountain sides and long slides of fine material give the Keremeos area a look found nowhere else in British Columbia. Californian Big Horn Sheep and Mountain Goats can be seen frequently on mountainsides.





Nearby
Hedley is about 30 km west of Keremeos along Highway 3.



Do

 * Fishing: excellent fishing in area lakes and rivers

Nearby
Hedley is about 30 km west of Keremeos along Highway 3.



Buy
The most common thing to buy in Keremeos during the summer and early fall is fruit at the various fruits stands on Highway 3 at the western end of Keremeos, featuring fruit from the local area. Examples of fruit include apples, grapes, nectarines, and peaches. Any of the fruit stands will also sell pure apple juice and other fruit juices, which taste different than concentrated juices normally found in grocery stores. If you're heading from Vancouver, these will be the first fruit stands that you encounter. There are more of these fruit stands around Oliver and Osoyoos.

Go next
Cathedral Provincial Park, southwest of town, has excellent hiking and wonderful views.