Bear Creek Provincial Park
Description
Bear Creek Provincial Park is located in the Central Okanagan Basin on the west side of Okanagan Lake. The park features lakeside camping, over 400 meters of sandy beaches and 5 km of spectacular, well-marked hiking trails.
Photos of Bear Creek Provincial Park
These photos contain pictures of Bear Creek Provincial Park including the Bear Creek Canyon trailhike.
Things to do:
Bear Creek Provincial Park has many things to offer and is a great place for families with kids.
- Canoeing
- Cycling
- Fishing
- Pets on Leash
- Hiking (Bear Creek Canyon Trail is one of my faviorte hikes in Kelowna)
- Swimming
- Wildlife Viewing
- Day-use/Picnic Areas (some 59 tables, 12 with BBQ attachments, and parking for 180 vehicles)
- Pit or Flush Toilets
- Playground
- Camping (There are 122 vehicle accessible sites in the park, including 18 doubles)
- Campfires
- Sani-Station/Dump
- Showers
- Wheelchair Access
Bear Creek Canyon Trail
The Bear Creek Canyon trail is a popular, more demanding hike offering spectacular views of the creek and the surrounding area. The trail leaves the parking lot and makes a loop of the canyon. Hikers can cross the creek on a footbridge to the north side of the canyon and begin their ascent of the slope. A sturdy staircase of milled lumber makes the climb a little easier and reduces impact on the plant life and soil structure. A viewpoint after the first flight of stairs offers a place to rest and look down at the creek.
The wide, hard-packed trail continues up the rim of the canyon with two more viewpoints perched on the edge of the canyon wall and hemmed in by chainlink fence. The view of the creek, as it meanders through the steep-walled canyon forming various ripples and small waterfalls, is fantastic. Gradually the trail levels out and then begins a descent to the creek. A pit toilet is located here. The trail follows the creek for a short distance before crossing to the south side.
The canyon forms a microclimate with noticeably different vegetation on the two sides of the creek. The slope on the north is dry with Ponderosa pine and bunches of grass while the cooler south side has Douglas fir and carpets of moss, evidence of more moisture and shade. Allow 1 hour to hike Canyon and for your own safety and preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails.
Directions:
The park is located on Westside Road, 9 km off Highway 97, west of Kelowna. From Highway 97, traveling south, leave the city of Kelowna, cross floating bridge on Highway 97 out of Kelowna, travel 2 km and turn west onto Westside Road at the main intersection and follow for 7 km. The entrance to the park is just past the bridge over the Lambly (Bear) Creek. The closest community, towns and cities are Kelowna, Westbank and small housing developments on Westside Road.
More Information:
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/bear_crk/
Category: Kelowna Hikes, Provincial Parks
