Rainbow’s Tribute Trail

I would like to tell you about our horse trails developed by a small group of people in order to hold an endurance ride.  This trail system, named “Ride Over the Rainbow”, is a permanently marked, registered trail system located south of Merritt.  The system includes approximately 85 miles of game and cow trail, old forest road, a minimal amount of old gravel road and a meadow from which the trails loop.

ERABC holds a 100 mile and a 50 mile ride on this system each year on the July long weekend.  I have been the ride manager for “Rainbow” for the past 13 years and have long wished for an easier way to both publicize the system and maintain it thus ensuring its continued existence.  My mother used to knit rainbow sox for me to use as awards at the ride.  When she died in 1997 some members of ERABC thought it would be nice to name a part of the trail after her and put up a plaque in her name. 

From that idea grew the Rainbow Tribute Trail.  Buy a mile of trail for $60 and have a beautiful wooden plaque hung at base camp during the Rainbow ride and a sign posted on the trail marking the mile of your choice! Click here for Order Form (This is not an on-line form, you need to print it for completion and mailing)

The funds raised from the sale of these miles goes to trail maintenance.  ERABC has a trail clearing and marking party each year before the ride.

To date over 20 miles have been sold to remember horses and people who have passed on or who just mean a lot to those purchasers (click HERE for the list). Riders are seeing the added benefit of knowing where they are on the trail by seeing whose mile they have just ridden and the system continues to be maintained by the average trail rider, the Back Country Horsemen and the Endurance Riders Association of BC! 

Barbara Holmes-Balmer

For more information
Contact Grant Balmer at (250) 768-8206
or email Barb Holmes-Balmer at bahoba2@telus.net.