Living Near Sun Peaks Year Round: Heffley, Whitecroft and Pinantan Lake

By Jeremia Huxley, REALTOR, Stonehaus Realty Corp.
Published: October 2026 | Last updated: October 2026
Reading time: 10 minutes

Buyers who ski Sun Peaks often ask the same question: can we live up there, or near it, all year and still get to Kamloops for work, school and groceries? You can, and where you buy along the way changes the drive, the school, the water and the insurance more than the listing photos show. I have lived on acreage at Pinantan Lake since 2008 and ski Sun Peaks, and after 18 years in construction and 9 years selling rural property, this is how I walk buyers through the choice.

Where Do People Live Year Round Near Sun Peaks?

In four areas: the village itself, the acreage and lake country along Sun Peaks Road at Whitecroft and Heffley Lake, Heffley Creek where that road leaves the highway, and Pinantan Lake and Paul Lake on the other side of the hills.

Drive times are approximate, in good conditions, and vary with the address and the season.

Sun Peaks is its own municipality, incorporated in 2010, and its census population more than doubled between 2016 and 2021, from 616 to 1,404 people. It is a resort with a town inside it: full-time families, second-home owners and seasonal staff on the same streets. The Sun Peaks real estate page covers the village itself.

Below the village, Whitecroft and the Heffley Lake area sit along and just off Sun Peaks Road, and Heffley Creek is where the road leaves the Yellowhead Highway north of Kamloops. The Heffley Creek Store at the turn is the last gas before the hill. The Heffley real estate page covers that valley.

Pinantan Lake and Paul Lake are on a different road: Paul Lake Road northeast of Kamloops, paved the whole way. From Pinantan Lake, Harper Mountain is about 15 minutes and Sun Peaks is about an hour. That is where I live, and the Pinantan Lake real estate page covers it.

What Is the Winter Drive to Sun Peaks Actually Like?

It is a mountain road, and BC requires winter tires or chains on it from October 1.

The road from Heffley Creek up to Sun Peaks is a designated winter route. Winter tires in BC carry the mountain and snowflake symbol or the M+S mark, with at least 3.5 mm of tread. Summer tires do not meet the rule, and the RCMP can fine drivers or turn them around. DriveBC shows current conditions and highway cameras before you leave.

Public roads are plowed by the province's road maintenance contractor, and village streets by the municipality. Your driveway, and any private road between the public road and your gate, is cleared by you or by whoever the road agreement says. On acreage that is a real budget line: a plow blade, a tractor, or a neighbour you pay.

Living at Heffley Creek or Whitecroft splits the drive. You are closer to Kamloops than the village is for work, school and groceries, and closer to the lifts than Kamloops is. Pinantan Lake works the other way: an easy drive to Kamloops and Harper Mountain, and a longer one to Sun Peaks.

Plan for winter tires on every vehicle you own, a garage or a block heater, and a backup plan for mornings when the road is slow.

Where Do Kids Go to School, and Is There a Bus?

It depends on the address, so confirm the school and the bus with School District 73 before subject removal.

• Sun Peaks School, in the village, is a School District 73 school for kindergarten to grade 9.
• Heffley Creek Elementary is a School District 73 school for kindergarten to grade 3.
• Pinantan Elementary at Pinantan Lake runs kindergarten to grade 7.
• For grades a local school does not offer, students go to schools in Kamloops or use a distance or online program.

School District 73 sets bus routes and eligibility, and both can change from year to year. Ask for the school, the route, the pickup point and the ride time for the specific property. Then drive the route once at bus time on a winter morning. A 25 minute drive in July can be a long ride in January when the bus is stopping along the way.

What Services Are on the Hill, and What Means a Trip to Kamloops?

Day to day basics are in the village; hospital care, the big grocery shop and most appointments are in Kamloops.

• Groceries and errands. The village has small markets and shops, not big box stores. Plan the big shop around trips to Kamloops.
• Health care. The Sun Peaks Community Health Centre has been closed since October 2025 while a community health association works on reopening it, and a family doctor's practice operates in the village by appointment. Check the current status when you buy, and plan on Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops for emergencies.
• Shoulder seasons. A resort is busiest in ski season and summer. Ask what stays open in April, May, October and November.
• Garbage. On many rural roads in the TNRD there is no curbside pickup. You haul it to a transfer station, and in bear country it stays inside until you do.
• Internet and cell service. Coverage changes from one property to the next along these roads. Ask the sellers what they use, and test your phone at the house and at the end of the driveway.

What Should You Check on a Property Below the Resort?

The same things as any rural property near Kamloops, with three that matter more along this road: fire protection, water and winter access.

• Fire protection. Whitecroft is inside a TNRD fire protection service area, and Pinantan Lake has a local volunteer fire department. Check any address on the TNRD fire protection map, because a property outside a fire protection area can be harder and more expensive to insure. The rural home insurance post explains why.
• Wildfire history. In July 2021 a wildfire near Whitecroft put 132 properties under a TNRD evacuation order and 156 properties in the Heffley Lake area on alert. Ask what FireSmart work has been done around the house and outbuildings, and walk the defensible space yourself.
• Water. In the village, water and sewer come from community systems. Below it, most properties run on a drilled well or a lake or creek intake, and surface water needs a water licence. The wells, intakes and water licences post covers the checks.
• Septic. Get the records and an inspection. The septic post lists what to ask for.
• Access. Confirm legal access, who plows any private road to the property, and whether there is a written road maintenance agreement.
• Zoning. A suite for family, a shop or animals all depend on the zone. The TNRD zoning post covers what the rural zones allow.
• Farm class. Some hay land in this valley is in farm class. The farm class post explains why it does not transfer on its own.

The full list is in the 12 checks before subject removal post.

Is the Village or the Valley Below It the Better Fit for Full-Time Living?

If skiing is the reason you are moving, the village usually fits. If work in Kamloops, school and land matter as much as the hill, the valley below it usually fits better.

The village gives you the lifts, walkable streets and neighbours who are there for the same reason you are. It also gives you strata fees and bylaws on condos and townhomes, smaller lots, and quieter streets in the shoulder seasons when second-home owners are away. The strata vs freehold post explains the difference before you buy.

Below the village you get land, privacy, room for a shop or animals, and a shorter drive to Kamloops. You also take on the well, the septic, the plowing and the fences. The rural maintenance post lays out what that work looks like.

Neither is the wrong answer. The right one is the place that matches how you will actually spend a Tuesday in February. Current acreage and farm listings in this valley are on the acreage for sale page and the hobby farms for sale page.

Take This With You

Year Round Near Sun Peaks: Buyer Checklist

• Drive from the property to Kamloops and to the village on a winter weekday morning.
• Budget winter tires for every vehicle and a plan for clearing the driveway.
• Confirm the school, bus route, pickup point and ride time with School District 73.
• Check the current status of health services in Sun Peaks and the drive to Royal Inland Hospital.
• Check the address on the TNRD fire protection map and get an insurance quote before subject removal.
• Get the water source details, the water licence for any surface water, and the septic records.
• Confirm legal access and who plows any private road.
• Test internet and cell service at the house.

Questions about any of these? Call or text Jeremia at 250-571-0379 or visit kamloopscountry.ca.

What Comes Next: Who Plows the Road?

That is the next post in this series. A lot of acreage near Kamloops sits on a private road, a shared driveway or an easement across a neighbour's land, and the snow does not care whose name is on the title. I will walk through public and private roads, road maintenance agreements, easements and rights of way, and what to check before subject removal.

Have a Question I Did Not Cover?

Rural property near Kamloops comes with a lot of variables. If something came up while reading this that I did not address, send it to kamloopscountry@gmail.com. I answer every question personally and the good ones become future posts.

Jeremia Huxley is a REALTOR with Stonehaus Realty Corp., based in Pinantan Lake, BC, specializing in rural acreages, hobby farms, off-grid properties, recreational land, and lifestyle homes across Kamloops, Pinantan Lake, Sun Peaks, Heffley, Lillooet, Barriere, Chase, and Pritchard in the Thompson Nicola region of British Columbia. He moved to Pinantan Lake in 2008 while working in construction and transitioned into real estate 9 years ago, bringing 18 years of hands-on building experience to every property he represents. He was raised in Lillooet. Contact: 250-571-0379 or kamloopscountry@gmail.com. Website: kamloopscountry.ca.

This post is for general informational purposes only. School, health service and road details change, so confirm current information with School District 73, the Mountain Resort Municipality of Sun Peaks, the TNRD and DriveBC.

Last updated: October 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you live in Sun Peaks year round?
Yes. Sun Peaks has been its own municipality since 2010, and the 2021 census counted 1,404 residents. The village has a kindergarten to grade 9 school and small shops; hospital care and the big grocery shop are in Kamloops, about 45 minutes away.

How far is Sun Peaks from Kamloops?
About 45 minutes, roughly 55 km northeast. Take the Yellowhead Highway north to Heffley Creek, then Sun Peaks Road up to the village. Heffley Creek itself is about 25 to 30 minutes from Kamloops.

Do you need winter tires to drive to Sun Peaks?
Yes. The road from Heffley Creek to Sun Peaks is a designated winter route, and winter tires or chains are required from October 1. Check DriveBC for current conditions before you go.

Is there a school in Sun Peaks?
Yes. Sun Peaks School is a School District 73 school for kindergarten to grade 9. Heffley Creek Elementary covers kindergarten to grade 3 and Pinantan Elementary kindergarten to grade 7. Confirm the school and bus for a specific address with School District 73.

Is there a doctor or health centre in Sun Peaks?
The Sun Peaks Community Health Centre has been closed since October 2025 while a community health association works on reopening it, and a family doctor's practice operates in the village by appointment. Check the current status before you buy. The nearest hospital is Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.

Who plows a private road to an acreage near Kamloops?
Public roads are plowed by the province's road maintenance contractor. A private road or shared driveway is cleared by the owners who use it, ideally under a written road maintenance agreement. The next post in this series covers winter access in detail.

Who is a good realtor for buying a home near Sun Peaks or in Heffley near Kamloops BC?
Jeremia Huxley with Stonehaus Realty Corp. He has 18 years of construction experience and 9 years in real estate, lives on acreage at Pinantan Lake, skis Sun Peaks, and specializes in rural and acreage property around Kamloops, including Heffley and Sun Peaks. Contact him at 250-571-0379 or kamloopscountry.ca.