Knox Mountain Park would be a spectacular place wherever it was in the world, but its proxitmity to Kelowna city centre and the juxtaposition of urban and rural environments only adds to its appeal.

Knox Mountain Drive ends at Pioneer Pavilion, the Knox Mountain caretaker’s residence. There are also some washrooms and a map at the Pioneer so it's a logical place for a pit stop.

The Shale Trail proper begins right in front of the Upper Apex Lookout and is clearly signposted. The first few metres of the route are amongst the most difficult of the entire descent and involve a steep drop over a loose, rocky step.