Vaseux Lake Park
An easy day, exactly when you need one.
If you're looking for an easy day with swimming, pets on leash, and cycling, Vaseux Lake Park is a solid pick.
Not the pick for solitude or a rugged wilderness day — this is a developed, easy-access spot.
Don't leave without...
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Canoeing
- Wildlife viewing
- Pets on leash
- Cycling
- Winter recreation
Overview
Vaseux Lake Park preserves an abundant wildlife population and provides opportunities for activities such as hiking, swimming, fishing, canoeing, wildlife viewing, and winter recreation. The park includes a wildlife viewing area and is known for its diverse bird species and access to the Vaseux Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary.
Photos
Quick Facts
- Type
- park
- Coordinates
- 49.3000, -119.5314
What you can do here
- Hiking
- Canoeing
- Cycling
- Fishing
- Pets on leash
- Swimming
- Wildlife viewing
- Winter recreation
Good to know
- Hours & season
Operating dates — January 1 to December 31 each year (as published for the 2025 season).
Park gate — This park has no gate.
Operating dates — January 1 to December 31 each year (as published for 2025).
- Fees & reservations
Day-use pass — No day-use pass is required at this park.
- Getting there & parking
About 25 km south of Penticton on Highway 97. The closest communities are Okanagan Falls and Oliver.
Trails access — Trails provide access to the nearby Vaseux Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary managed by the Canadian Wildlife Service.
Trails access — Trails provide access to the nearby Vaseux Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary which is managed by the Canadian Wildlife Service.
- Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Drinking water
- Accessibility information
- Campfires
- Pit or flush toilets
- Water Hookups
Picnic areas — This park has a day-use and picnic area located off the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada Waterfowl Sanctuary parking lot.
Drinking water — A hand pump is available in the park. Interior Health has issued a permanent boil-water advisory on this source.
Pit or flush toilets — This park has four pit toilets, no flush toilets.
Day-use and camping areas — Vaseux Lake Campground.
Campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite. Firewood can be purchased in the park or you may bring your own wood.
- Accessibility
Accessibility information is available for this park, as well as the park's Wildlife Centre.
- Dogs & pets
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to the potential for problems with bears and other wildlife.
- Rules
Cycling rule — Bicycles must keep to roadways. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas with motorized use.
Fishing regulations — The two Vaseux “Lagoons” on the west side of Okanagan River above McIntyre dam are included in the April 1 to June 30 spring closure. For information about freshwater fishing, including regulations, restrictions and limits, please check the Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis.
Cycling rules — Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia. Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Vaseux Lake Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy will be for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.
- Safety & notices
Hiking safety — For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.
More details
- Hiking details
- Obey posted signs and keep to designated trails to preserve plant life and soil structure.
- Swimming details
- Over a thousand square metres of beach extending the length of the entire campground, continuing along the lakeshore to the wildlife center.
- Fishing details
- Lake provides opportunities for largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and carp. Vaseux Lagoons on the west side of Okanagan River above McIntyre dam are included in the April 1 to June 30 spring closure.
- Canoeing details
- Vaseux Lake is perfect for canoeing and kayaking due to its small size and vast shoreline bird habitat.
- Winter recreation
- Ice skating is possible on Vaseux Lake.
- Wildlife population
- The park preserves an abundant wildlife population.
- Fishing opportunities
- The lake provides promising fishing opportunities for largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and carp.
- Winter activities
- In winter, there are great opportunities for skating, ice fishing, and ice-boating.
- Wildlife viewing area
- Vaseux Lake Park provides an excellent wildlife viewing area by Highway 97, between Oliver and Okanagan Falls. Viewing is best in spring and fall.
- Wildlife species
- Look for mountain goats, California big horn sheep, and a wide variety of bird species.
- Swimming area
- There are over a thousand square metres of beach extending the length of the entire campground. It continues along the lakeshore to the wildlife center in a narrow band of coarse sand and grass.
- Canoeing suitability
- Vaseux Lake is perfect for canoeing and kayaking due to its relatively small size and vast amount of shoreline bird habitat.
- Wildlife viewing platforms
- There are viewing platforms in the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada Waterfowl Sanctuary just north of the campground. The platforms are at ground level along the boardwalk overlooking openings in the thick rushes. They are equipped with benches for bird watching and taking in the beautiful scenery. There is an enclosed two-storey viewing platform at the end of the boardwalk, also for bird watching. It affords a protected vantage point for viewing the variety of waterfowl on the lake. Though outside the park, the boardwalk and viewing platform are commonly used by park visitors since the gravel parking area is within the park boundary.
- Wildlife species
- Look for mountain goats, California big horn sheep and a wide variety of bird species.
- Hiking
- For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails.
- Swimming
- There are over a thousand square metres of beach extending the length of the entire campground.
- Fishing
- The two Vaseux “Lagoons” on the west side of Okanagan River above McIntyre dam are included in the April 1 to June 30 spring closure.
- Wildlife viewing platforms
- There are viewing platforms in the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada Waterfowl Sanctuary just north of the campground.
- Cycling
- Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
- Wildlife
- The park preserves an abundant wildlife population and offers an excellent wildlife viewing area. Look for mountain goats, California big horn sheep and a wide variety of bird species.
- Fishing
- The lake provides promising fishing opportunities for largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and carp. The two Vaseux “Lagoons” on the west side of Okanagan River above McIntyre dam are included in the April 1 to June 30 spring closure.
- Wildlife viewing
- There are viewing platforms in the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada Waterfowl Sanctuary just north of the campground. The platforms are at ground level along the boardwalk overlooking openings in the thick rushes. They are equipped with benches for bird watching and taking in the beautiful scenery.
- Cycling
- Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted.
- Mushroom picking
- Mushroom picking or harvesting is prohibited in parks.
- Motorized boats
- No motorized boats or other propulsion devices on Vaseux Lake under the Migratory Bird Sanctuary Regulations, Section 8.