North Okanagan - Shuswap

2022 is the dominant year of the world famous Adams River salmon run. I decided to check it out and have a tour from Kelowna to Kamloops, stopping at a few interesting places en route.

Oct 8, 2022
Kelowna - Vernon

Although not technically in North Okanagan, Kelowna is a major hub to get into the region. An interesting place to check out north of the city is Knox Mountain. Car is only allowed to get to the first lookout, from where you need to climb about 30 minutes to the second lookout. The views from both lookouts are similar.

On the way from Kelowna to Vernon is the beautiful Kalamalka Lake. There are a couple of lookouts along Kalamalka Lakeview Drive, just off Highway 97. Kal Beach on the north shore of the lake is an interesting place to relax. Geographically, this area is part of Coldstream but it's only a 10 minute drive from Vernon.

Kal Beach

Oct 9, 2022
Enderby - Craigellachie - Sorrento

With a population of only 3,000, Enderby, about one hour drive north of Vernon, is still a city. The main (or only) reason to come here is the spectacular Enderby Cliffs nearby. It's a 3.5 hour hike to get to the viewpoint of the cliffs and back (or 5 hours return if you would like to reach the summit of the cliffs). There is an elevation gain of about 600 meters to get to the viewpoint and 800 meters to the summit, but the climb is quite steady and can be done be most people.

North of Enderby, the section between Mara and Sicamous along Highway 97A is a scenic drive, with fantastic views of Mara Lake. In Sicamous, the public beach area has good views of Shuswap Lake and both the highway and the railway bridges nearby.

I made a detour to "the Last Spike", in Craigellachie along the Trans-Canada Highway, to pay my respect to the railway workers who lost their lives over one hundred years ago. The replica of the old Craigellachie Railway Station is now a gift shop. According to the staff, the actual "last spike" is at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, but a section of the 1883 rail is on display on the ground here.

Back on Trans-Canada Highway, I stopped at Salmon Arm Wharf, the largest marina structure in BC Interior. There is an ice cream shop at the end of the wharf. The view of Shuswap Lake is also great.

Just before sunset, I reached Margaret Falls, on the other side of Shuswap Lake. Margaret Falls is probably the most interesting waterfall in the Shuswap region, as it's at the end of a closed canyon with little sunlight. It's only a 10 minute easy walk from the parking lot. Margaret Falls is in Herald Provincial Park. It's also very relaxing to walk in the southern part of the park along Shuswap Lake, especially around sunset.

I ended my day in Sorrento, the closest town to Tsútswecw (Roderick Haig-Brown) Provincial Park where the salmon run happens. The easy-to-miss Sorrento Inn is right on Trans-Canada Highway. The owner of the inn also has waterfront cabins, with simple rooms but fantastic views of Shuswap Lake.

View from the Enderby Cliffs

Oct 10, 2022
Adams River - Kamloops

Every 4 years on the dominant year, the Adams River Salmon Society hosts the Salute to the Sockeye festival with a $10 charge per car at the main parking lot. There are food stands, souvenir shops and performances by the indigenous people at the event. Most tourists head for the viewing platform to view sockeye salmon, but to really see the salmon closely you need to hike along the Adams River. The trails between the main parking lot and Shuswap Lake are the easiest to reach.

After a couple of hours of salmon watching the enjoying the festival, I left the park and headed for Kamloops. There is a detour off Trans-Canada Highway to reach Paul Lake. Many people go directly to the beach on the north shore of the lake, but the real draw here is the eye-catching Gibraltar Rock. To have the best view of the rock, drive to the end of Paul Lake Road, on the south shore of the lake, where there is a small parking lot.

Although an important transportation hub, Kamloops is very dry and doesn't offer as many attractions as Kelowna does. However, Mara Hills, in the north of the city, has unique landscape and is worth checking out. It's part of Lac Du Bois Grasslands Protected Area. Trails here are steep with loose dirt and rocks. Trekking poles and good hiking shoes are essential. I would rate the trail moderate to difficult, but the views of the striking geological formations and the surrounding areas are fantastic.

Overview

Although the Adams River salmon run is the only world class attraction, the North Okanagan - Shuswap region is worth checking out, especially if you live in BC or Alberta. There are beautiful lakes and interesting mountains to explore. It's also wine country - something that is of interest to many people.