Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park

A Provincial Park On A Lake Famous For Its Changing Turquoise Colour, Caused By Tiny Calcium Carbonate Crystals In The Water, With Dry Okanagan Grassland, Rattlesnakes, Bighorn Sheep And Rocky Viewpoints Above The Lake. Called The Lake Of A Thousand Colours. · Vernon, British Columbia

Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park sits on the north-west shore of Kalamalka Lake, a few kilometres south of Vernon in the BC interior. The lake is known for its turquoise colour, caused by tiny calcium carbonate crystals scattered in the water, which shifts with sun and sky and earns it the name Lake of a Thousand Colours. The park is dry grassland, ponderosa pine and rocky bluffs, not forest, with trails to viewpoints above the water. Rattlesnake Point is a short climb with the classic view, and Cosens Bay has a pebble beach for swimming. It suits walkers, swimmers and photographers, and is an easy half-day from Vernon. The colour is strongest in summer sun. Honestly, it is hot and dry in July and August, parking fills on weekends, and rattlesnakes and ticks are real, so stay on trail. Allow two to five hours, longer for a beach day. Bring your own food and water, since the park has no shop, and expect phone signal to be weak on the ridge.

Lakeshore park of dry grassland, pine and rocky bluffs on the north-west side of Kalamalka Lake near Vernon in the BC interior, with the Rattlesnake Point and Cosens Bay trails and a swimming beach, Vernon, British Columbia, Canada

Kalamalka Lake is a day-use provincial park, open year round, with trails and the main beach areas accessible during daylight hours. There is no staffed gate or set opening time for walking, but gate and parking arrangements, washroom services and any seasonal facilities can change, so confirm on the BC Parks listing. Summer from June to early September is the main season, with the beach busiest on hot weekends. Winter is quiet and trails may be icy or muddy. The park can close or limit access in extreme fire danger or after wildfire. Rattlesnake and tick seasons run in warm months, and sunset times set a practical limit for hikes.

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