Paddling the Okanagan

British Columbia's Okanagan region is a paddler's paradise with an abundance of lakes and rivers that offer a variety of experiences and sights for both novices and experts. Whether paddlers are looking to participate in one of the many dragon boat festivals or solo across a quiet lake, there are endless opportunities to enjoy this relaxing and athletic pastime.

Shuswap Lake 1

The Okanagan's lakes range from intimate little lakes hidden from busy centres to large, popular tourist destinations. The region also offers a handful of rivers that are ideal for both kayaking and canoeing. These rivers offer a mix of slow, meandering stretches as well as challenging white water. While the paddling season starts as soon as there is open water and ends when the water freezes over again, most people paddle in the area between May and September.

PADDLING THE OKANAGAN LAKES

What follows is a selection of popular lakes situated in north, central and south Okanagan areas. Worthwhile for both canoeists and kayakers, many of the lakes are also open to motorized boaters (exercise caution and care during busy times) and offer access to excellent day- and overnight-use facilities.

North Okanagan

Shuswap Lake
Shuswap Lake is a popular tourist destination for water sport enthusiasts and all manner of motorized and non-motorized boating as well as being home to an incredible number of houseboats. This active lake offers beautiful views and over 1000 km (621 mi) of shoreline, several boat accessible campgrounds and 26 marine parks. This lake is best paddled in the early morning or evening to avoid the heaviest traffic.

Mara Lake
Busy with motorized watercraft of all shapes and sizes, the popular Mara Lake features good fishing spots and provincial park facilities. This lake is located south of Sicamous and is best paddled in the early mornings, evenings and off-season. The south end of Mara Lake offers access to the quieter Rosemond Lake, full of numerous bird species such as eagles, osprey, geese, swans, ducks and loons.

	Okanagan Lake 2

Gardom Lake
Located between Enderby and Salmon Arm, this lake is an excellent place to paddle as motorized watercrafts are limited to 10 ph motors. With its crystal clear water, Gardom Lake offers fantastic bird watching opportunities and a good chance of spotting painted turtles. The lake has a provincial day park with outhouses, picnic tables and a sandy beach.

Mabel Lake
The large, windy Mabel Lake offers paddlers an excellent place to play with numerous forest service sites with boat launches, full-service provincial park facilities and several 200 to 400-year-old pictographs to discover on rock surfaces located along the lake. This lake is a favourite for fishing such species as Kokanee, Dolly Varden and rainbow trout as well as salmon during the salmon run in the late summer.

Central Okanagan

Kalamalka Lake
Located on the southeast side of Vernon, Kalamalka Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in the Okanagan with its rich blue and green hues. This lake is a popular spot for water sport enthusiasts, so it is best to paddle here early in the morning or in the evening. There are numerous secluded coves along the shoreline ideal for exploring.

Okanagan Lake
Stretching from the south side of Vernon, through Kelowna and down to Penticton, this enormous lake tends to be choppy in the afternoon, which makes morning the best time for paddlers. There are numerous launch sites located along the lake. Okanagan Lake is popular with all water sport enthusiasts, including large motorized watercraft, so paddlers should be prepared to deal with the traffic and conditions created by it.

South Okanagan

Osoyoos Lake
Located at Osoyoos, the northern tip of the Sonoran Desert, Osoyoos Lake is the warmest fresh water lake in Canada. This busy lake is used by all manner of watercraft, including motorized and sail propelled watercraft. The best time to paddle this lake is in the early morning and evening, particularly during tourist season. There are numerous beaches and parks located along the lake with a variety of amenities available.

A Paddler's View of the Shuswap River3

Smaller Lakes of the Okanagan
For those after a more secluded and serene experience, the Okanagan is speckled with secret spots found off the beaten track.

Located in north Okanagan is Hidden Lake, a small, quiet lake that is rich with wildlife and birds and is a great place to fish. High above Hidden Lake is Baird Lake. This lake is isolated, very small and perfect for paddlers looking to escape the noise and bustle of the busier, larger reservoirs.

A peaceful, little lake located at the north end of Vernon in the central Okanagan, Swan Lake is a gem for both fishing and paddling. Duck Lake and Wood Lake, also located in the central Okanagan, between Vernon and Kelowna, offers excellent paddling and fishing opportunities, while the windy Skaha Lake is located between Penticton and Okanagan Falls in the south Okanagan and features beautiful sandy beaches.

PADDLING THE OKANAGAN RIVERS

The Okanagan's beautiful rivers offer a mix of grades suitable for kayakers and canoeists of varying abilities and constant opportunities to admire the area's lush landscapes and wildlife.

Shuswap River
The most commonly paddled portion of the Shuswap River starts at Mabel Lake and empties into Mara Lake, stretching over approximately 63 km (39 mi). The river starts out fast and turbulent near Mabel Lake at the Skookumchuck Rapids, mellows as it travels through Enderby and ends gently and unhurried at Mara Lake. Most paddlers use the river between March and October, though only expert paddlers should paddle the river during spring runoff.

There are numerous access points along the river which are indicated on both the road and on the river. Many of these access points offer amenities such as washrooms and picnic tables. Birds and animals, including eagles, osprey, cranes, hawks, swans, otters, beavers and turtles, are frequently spotted. This river is also an excellent choice for fishing, particularly during the salmon run in the late summer. It is common for paddlers to pass tubers on several sections of the river during the heat of the summer. Paddlers should also be aware that motorized water vehicles do make use of this river.

Similkameen River
The Similkameen River begins in Manning Park, travels through Princeton and empties into Osoyoos Lake. The best time to paddle this challenging river is during the spring runoff as many sections become too shallow to paddle later in the season. There are difficult sections of rapids and drops throughout which should not be paddled by novices.

Mission Creek
Located in the Mission region of Kelowna, Mission Creek empties into Okanagan Lake. This paddle is best for intermediate kayakers during high waters but can be paddled by novice kayakers and advanced canoe paddlers when waters are at lower levels. Open boats should avoid this paddle during high water.

	Dragon Boaters Paddle Their Fastest4

DRAGON BOAT FESTIVALS

Dragon boat (or dragonboat) racing—a team paddling sport where between 10 and 50 people paddle in a long, narrow canoe-style boat—is an extremely popular sport both to participate in and to watch in the Okanagan. There are in fact numerous dragon boat festivals located throughout the valley over the summer.

July is an exciting month with the Shuswap Dragon Boat Festival located at the Marine Park in Salmon Arm, the Okanagan Super Sprints at Skaha Lake Park in Penticton, and the Greater Vernon Dragon Boat Race and Festival located at Kalamalka Lake Beach in Coldstream (Vernon).

The dragon boat festival season comes to a close in September with the Penticton Dragon Boat Festival at Skaha Lake Park and the enormously popular Kelowna Dragon Boat Festival. This festival showcases over 160 dragon boat teams with over 4,500 competitors and draws thousands of spectators from all over Canada each year.


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1. Shuswap Lake; North Okanagan, BC, Canada
2. Okanagan Lake; Kelowna, Central Okanagan, BC, Canada
3. Jennifer Lark Kent; Shuswap River; Okanagan, BC, Canada
4. Dragon Boat Racing