Othello Tunnels, British Columbia: Carved From Granite for a Railroad Line

Carved from granite for a railroad line, this system of tunnels and bridges — planned by brilliant engineer Andrew McCulloch — pierces the heart of the 300-foot-deep Coquihalla River gorge.

The old railway now leads you on an easy 2-1/2-mile round-trip hike along a flat-gravel path. The four tunnels take their name from the railway's old Othello Station, named by McCulloch, a Shakespeare aficionado.

Hope is where Trans-Canada Highway 1 meets Highways 3 and 5, roughly 35 miles northeast of Chilliwack. The day-use park, open from April through mid-November, is just east of Hope, off Highway 5 (take Exit 183 north). Parking costs about $2.50 (in U.S. dollars) per vehicle.

To learn more, telephone Tourism British Columbia at 1-800-435-5622.