The McAbee Fossil Beds site is located east of Cache Creek, and west of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. The area is part of an ancient lake bed dating back 50 million years. It is considered the most diverse fossil bed in British Columbia and is known for its fossilized plants, insects, and fish from the Eocene Epoch.
Bluenose Mountain is located on the outskirts of the small community of Lavington in the spectacular Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. The mountain can be seen for miles around and is about a 25-minute drive from the nearby city of Vernon. It provides hikers with sweeping views of the Okanagan Backcountry wilderness.
This beautiful 3km Okanagan hiking trail is situated in the picturesque golfing village of Predator Ridge, which is around a 15-minute drive from the city of Vernon, British Columbia, and sits atop a small mountain range overlooking world-renowned Okanagan Lake in the heart of BC’s wine country.
Kenna Cartwright Park is a popular attraction and is the largest municipal park in the province of British Columbia. It is located on the outskirts of the city of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada and features an extensive system of over 40 km of combined hiking trails and 800 hectares of the region’s typical desert-like terrain. The park also has some of the most breathtaking views in the Thompson/Okanagan region. The lookout spots offer splendid views of the city as well as the Thompson Valley, Kamloops Lake, and Overlander Park, where the North and South Thompson Rivers collide.
The Grey Canal Trail in Okanagan Valley, British Columbia was created in 1905 to make running water throughout the valley a reality for the inhabitants who needed to water the crops of the local farms, orchards, and vineyards. By 1970 modern technology took over and it was no longer useful and it was decommissioned by the city of Vernon.
If you think the name Pincushion Mountain sounds strange, well there is a perfectly good explanation for the unique moniker. This gorgeous Okanagan Lake lookout got its name when it was scorched by a wildfire in the early 19th century leaving the trees looking like they were pins sticking out of a pincushion. The mountain is situated high above the lovely beach resort town of Peachland, British Columbia which is around 20 minutes from the Okanagan Valley’s biggest metropolitan area, the city of Kelowna.
Spion Kop isn’t the largest mountain in the North Okanagan but it could compete for one the best views, which include views of Wood Lake, Okanagan Lake, and Ellison Lake. It is situated in the beautiful community known as Lake Country, British Columbia. There are several ways to enter the including entry points at Carr’s Landing and Oyama along the scenic Pelmewash Parkway, where you will hike right under the highway through a gigantic culvert.
The Enderby Cliffs is a massively steep cliff of volcanic origins that towers high above the Shuswap River and gives hikers spectacular views of the Okanagan Valley and the Shuswap regions of British Columbia. While on top of the cliffs hikers can enjoy watching the soaring predatory birds while they float in the ever-present updrafts created by the wind hitting the steep cliffs and shooting upwards. The park itself, known as Enderby Cliffs Provincial Park is 2,299 hectares of Okanagan wilderness which has been conveniently set aside for the public’s enjoyment.
Lochview Trail in Kelowna, British Columbia offers stunning views and takes you along the edge of gorgeous Okanagan Lake. The trail has plenty of ups and downs and there are many sets of stairs to climb, which provides an excellent workout. There is also a staircase leading down to a small beach along the way and if you continue on the trail it will connect you to Paul’s Tomb on Knox Mountain, where there are also hiking trails and a beautiful beach.
Middleton Mountain is not really a mountain at all, but more of a hill that is located smack dab in the middle of the city of Vernon, British Columbia. Though this hike doesn’t take you to the top of some alpine mountain terrain, it provides an excellent trek through the arid cactus riddled grasslands that are native to the Okanagan Valley and provides a great 360 view of Kalamalka Lake and Swan Lake. Kalamalka Lake looks stunning from the top, especially in the summer months when the calcite in the water causes it to practically glow with a vibrant turquoise hew. The trail is a moderate 3.2 km loop that is great for families, as long as you watch out for the prickly pear cactus.
Johns Family Nature Conservancy in Kelowna, British Columbia offers up truly inspiring views of Okanagan Lake and the beautiful scenery that surrounds it. This public park got its name when the area was scorched by a massive wildfire and the notable Johns Family decided to donate 323 hectares of land in order to conserve the rest of this pristine wilderness and let the public enjoy it as well. The park was therefore renamed from Cedar Mountain Park to its current title Johns Family Conservancy Regional Park(too long). Nowadays the park is a total of 402.5 hectares.
The Cougar Canyon Ecological Reserve is a 553-hectare park with ample hiking trails and rock climbing spots. It is situated on the east side of the beautiful Kalamalka Lake in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, and is around 13 km south of the city of Vernon. The ecological reserve is right next door to the popular Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park. The reserve has narrow canyons and a chain of six picturesque lakes along with wetland habitats that are perfect for wildlife viewing.
To witness the island of Mallorca, Spain and it’s incredible rugged majesty, check out Mirador Es Colomer. It is one of the island’s best sightseeing, hiking, and viewing spots. It is located up in the dramatic Sierra Tramuntana mountain range near Puerto Pollensa. Mirador Es Colomer features staircases to a lookout that is perched on toe-curling precarious cliffs that are over 300 meters above the crashing sea below.
SARA (Special Activities and Recreation Area) Park is an 1100-acre desert park Located in the beautiful city of Lake Havasu, Arizona. The park has several scenic hiking trails that lead you to amazing views of the lake and the vast expanses of deserts that surround it. The area contains unique and interesting wildlife including the peregrine falcon, coyote, fox, desert bighorn sheep, greater roadrunner, bobcat, cougar, and many kinds of lizards and reptiles.
Dobbin’s Lookout is perched atop Phoenix, Arizona’s famed South Mountain Park, and provides sightseers with a phenomenal view of the city below. There is what could be described as a rock house on Dobbin’s Lookout, where you can take in the spectacular topography at South Mountain’s highest point at 2,330 feet elevation. There is parking on top, so you can choose between hiking from the bottom or driving all the way up. The park itself is a whopping 16,283 acres and is one of the largest urban parks in the world.
Mt. Boucherie is a very popular hiking trail in West Kelowna, British Columbia, where hikers get to scale an ancient volcano. Located across the Kelowna bridge, Mt. Boucherie is easy to spots as it juts up from the ground in the middle of it’s flatter surroundings and you get a sense of how steep it’s cliffs are from the highway as you head south.
Camel’s Hump is a visual icon for the North Okanagan and can be spotted from many miles away while driving along Kalamalka Lake on Highway 97. If your an avid hiker such as myself then this mountain will be sure to draw you in from afar. It is well known for being an ancient extinct volcano and when you lay your eyes on in it you’ll understand why it got the name Camel’s Hump. It is situated in the lush green Creighton Valley, Okanagan, British Columbia on the edge of the vast backcountry wilderness.
Sun Peaks is an alpine ski village located high in the mountaintops of the Thompson/Nicola region of British Columbia, Canada. In the winter months, the population swells, and people flock by the thousands to enjoy the snowy winter weather and ideal skiing and snowboarding conditions. In the summer months, the town is much less busy but has many fun activities to enjoy, including concerts and shows. As such, there is occasionally an influx of visitors it and it can get fairly busy.
Rose Swanson hiking trails are located within the rural farming community of Armstrong, British Columbia, and tucked away in the beautiful Okanagan Valley. It is a moderately difficult hike that takes you through the thick green forest, eventually leading you to a mountaintop clearing with sensational views of the Spallumcheen area, as well as Okanagan Lake and Swan Lake.
Fintry Falls Provincial Park is located on the beautiful Fintry delta along the incredibly beautiful Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada. There is a small community located on one end of the delta and it is known as Fintry. The provincial park itself has campsites and gorgeous beaches located within its boundaries. Shorts Creek, which eventually turns into the falls starts high on top of Terrace Mountain and exits out into the lake.
