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photo of Vaseux Lake ' Vaseux Lake Provincial Park
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important info, warnings, alerts for park visitors
general overview of park, size, special features safety, park hazards, wildlife information, health risks
park location, parks nearby, how to get to the park history, cultural heritage, conservation, wildlife
maps of park and/or campground, trails, etc. Management Planning
campsite reservations, group and picnic site reservations images of the park
 

vehicle accessible, drive-in campsites wilderness, backcountry, walk-in camping group camping - 15 or more campers picnic, day-use facilities, no camping wheelchair accessiblity drinking water toilets showers sani-stations, sani-dumps firewood, campfires There are no electrical hook-ups in this park interpretive, educational programs
walking, hiking trails playgrounds swimming canoeing, kayaking power boats, boat launch fishing cycling, mountain biking, bicycling horses, horseback riding pets, domestic animals in parks Icon Legend- Green =Available Grey = Unavailable

wildlife viewing
winter recreation, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, toboganning, ice skating scuba, snorkelling windsurfing waterskiing hunting climbing, rock climbing spelunking, caving cabins, yurts, lodges click on green symbols for more information

 

Attention Visitors - Important Notice!

  • The South Okanagan/Penticton Region Health Department has issued a year-round 'boil water' advisory.
  • Mushroom picking or harvesting is prohibited in provincial parks.

Park Info:

This park provides preserves an abundant wildlife population. The lake provides promising fishing opportunities for large mouth bass, rainbow trout and carp. In winter there are great opportunities for skating, ice-fishing, and ice-boating. Excellent wildlife viewing area by Highway 97 between Oliver and Okanagan Falls. Best viewing in spring and fall. Look for mountain goats, California big horn sheep and a wide variety of bird species. Trails provide access to the nearby Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada Waterfowl Sanctuary.

Special Features: National waterfowl sanctuary, bluffs that form California bighorn sheep habitat. Telephone - call Okanagan Falls Park at: (250 ) 497- 6810

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Park Size: 12 hectares

Special Notes:

Management Planning:

Management Planning

Location:

About 25 km south of Penticton on Hwy 97. The closest communities are Okanagan Falls and Oliver.

Map/Brochure:

Any maps listed are for information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

  • There are no digital maps or brochures for this park.
  • Location Map

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Nature & Culture:
  • Conservation - The park protects 10 red listed plant ecosystems the cover the whole spectrum from desert to wetland. These are: Antelope brush, Big sage, Bluebunch wheatgrass, Water birch, Balsamroot, Pinegrass, Threetip sagebrush, Red osier dogwood, Idaho fescue and Marsilea.
  • Wildlife - There is an astounding number of rare wildlife species in this small park. There are seven blue and two red listed mammals known in the park, including California bighorn sheep, badger and Pallid bat.  The park is a birder’s paradise with 11 red listed species and 9 blue listed species present. Five blue listed reptiles are found in the park, as well as the red listed Night snake, which is the rarest snake in Canada. Common waterfowl are Canada geese, trumpeter swans, blue-winged teal, widgeons and wood ducks. Lazuli bunting are spotted in the spring – sharing the area with toads, turtles, beavers, muskrats, rabbits and deer.


Visitor Safety:

Visitor Safety Information (park safety, hazards, wildlife safety information, health risks)

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Reservations:For parks that accept reservations, all vehicle accessible campsites (with the exception of
group sites) must be reserved through Discover Camping.

Reservations are not accepted at this park, all campsites are on a first-come, first-served basis. For parks that accept reservations or information on the reservation service, click here.

Explore Parks: Fees, park listings, what you should know before you go and other useful links.

Contact Information:

Kaloya Contracting Ltd.
E-mail address: info@campokanagan.com
Phone: (250) 548-0076
Please specify PARK NAME when sending message.
For Employment Opportunities, contact Kaloya Contracting Ltd.

Phone: 250 548-0076

Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.

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vehicle accessible, drive-in campsites

 

vehicle accessible, drive-in campsites


 

 

This park offers 12 vehicle accessible campsites on a first-come, first-served basis - campsite reservations are not accepted. The operator maintains the park from
March 28 - Oct 12 approx. Campers can self-register and place their fee in the self-registration vault by the information shelter if no staff are present. Most of the campsites are right on the lake. They are large with gravel pads and are fairly private. Open grassy areas separate some of the sites. There is no phone in the park and the nearest services are in Okanagan Falls.
Vehicle Accessible Camping Fee: $15.00 per party / night
BC Senior's Rate (Shoulder Season only): $7.50 per senior's couple/night

Campground Hours of Operation
All dates are subject to change without notice

Opening and Closing Campground Dates: (campground is accessible but may not offer full services such as water, security, etc.)

Open year round, depending on the weather
Campground Dates with Full Services and Fees: March 28 - October 12, 2008 approx
Campground Reservable Dates: Not applicable
Total Number of Vehicle Accessible Campsites: 12
Number of Reservable Campsites, if applicable: (all remaining sites are first-come, first-served) Not applicable
Note: The above information is for the campground only. Park users can still walk into the park if conditions such as weather permit. Check the "Attention Visitor Notice" above for park alerts.

 

wilderness, backcountry,  walk-in camping

Wilderness, backcountry or walk-in camping is allowed, but no facilities are provided.

group camping - 15 or more campers

No group campsites.

picnic, day-use facilities,  no camping

This park has a day-use/picnic area located off the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada Waterfowl Sanctuary parking lot. There are two pit toilets visible from the gravel parking lot. The two picnic tables are down a short path to the lake in a small grassy area surrounded by thick shrubs. There is an information kiosk here with facts about the wildlife in the area.

wheelchair accessibility

One of the pit toilets is wheelchair accessible. The road in the campground is paved and fairly flat.

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drinking water

A hand pump is available in the park. The South Okanagan/Penticton Region Health Department has issued a year-round 'boil water' advisory.

toilets

This park has four pit toilets - no flush toilets.

showers

No showers.

sani-stations, sani-dumps

No sani-station/dump facilities.

firewood, campfires

While campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite, we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using campstoves instead. Firewood can be purchased in the park or you may bring your own wood.Fees for firewood are set locally and may vary from park to park. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don't gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.

There are no electrical hook-ups in this park There are no electrical hook-ups in this park
interpretive,  educational  programs

There are no regularly scheduled interpretive programs at this park.

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walking, hiking trails

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.

playgrounds

This park does not have a playground.

swimming

There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks. There is over a thousand square meters of beach extending the length of the entire campground and along the lakeshore to the Wildlife Center in a narrow band of coarse sand and grass...

canoeing, kayaking

Vaseux Lake is perfect for canoeing and kayaking due to its relatively small size and vast amount of shoreline bird habitat.

power boats, boat launch

This park does not have a boat launch.

fishing

 

fishing

The lake provides promising fishing opportunities for large mouth 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- June 30 spring closure. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.

Ice fishing is a winter activity on the Vaseux Lake. The lake is more likely to freeze over than Okanagan Lake or Skaha Lake and has easy vehicle access.

cycling, mountain biking, bicycling

Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.

horses, horseback riding

No horseback riding.

pets, domestic animals in parks Pets/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 wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
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. 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. The Vaseux Lake area is managed cooperatively by the Ministry of Environment and the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada along with the Nature Trust of British Columbia for its immense wildlife values.

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winter recreation, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, toboganning, ice skating

Ice skating is possible on Vaseux Lake.

scuba, snorkelling

No SCUBA diving or snorkelling opportunities.

windsurfing

No windsurfing opportunities.

waterskiing

No waterskiing opportunities.

hunting

No hunting in the park.

climbing, rock climbing

No climbing or rock climbing opportunities.

spelunking, caving

No spelunking or caving opportunities.

cabins, yurts, lodges

No cabins, yurts or lodges for public use.

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