Camping near Osoyoos

Just a few kilometres north of the U.S. border, this small community is surrounded by water and stretched out on a pair of peninsulas jutting into its namesake lake. Warm and calm, swim from sandy beaches or paddle from downtown docks and boat launches. But you’ll want to explore nearby, too. Surrounded by desert and situated at the southernmost end of the Okanagan Valley, this place is famous for its wineries, which climb the surrounding ridges and offer reds more typical of hot, dry climates (like Spain or Italy). Bike between tasting rooms, or take a spin on the relatively flat, 18.4-kilometre International Hike and Bike Trail.

swiws (Haynes Point) Provincial Park

Pronounced “s-wee-yous” and set on a narrow spit of land just south of downtown, this was, for many generations, where local Indigenous people passed across Osoyoos Lake, either astride a horse or on foot. Swim in the shallow waters, today you can fish for some 40 species of fish, or take a walk on a gravel path and boardwalks to a viewing platform in the middle of the marshland to spot wildlife and many types of birds.

Vaseux Lake Provincial Park

The spot where the Okanagan River widens into a narrow lake, set below bluffs often inhabited by mountain goats, Vaseaux is the perfect place for fishing, paddling, and birding. Drop a line in the calm waters for rainbow trout and large-mouth bass, or head to the placid, blue lake for excellent canoeing and kayaking. Those looking to see as many bird species as possible should take a walk to the nearby migratory bird sanctuary.

Okanagan Lake Provincial Park

Set on the shores of the narrow, 135-kilometre lake, this park has sandy beaches for swimming, and plenty of opportunities to get out on the water, whether windsurfing or waterskiing. Walk the one-kilometre interpretive trail through ponderosa pine and sagebrush. And if you need even more? Get in a boat and head directly across the lake to Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park, which offers 10,000 hectares of forest, grasslands, and lakes accessible only by trail.  

One of the warmest towns in Canada, Osoyoos has a longer camping season than most. Daytime highs are already into the upper teens in April, and summers are dry, sunny, and hot. Perhaps the most pleasant time to visit is in September and October, when summer crowds have decamped, afternoons remain very warm, grapes are harvested, and the leaves on the vines turn to rusty shades of gold and red.

• Summer weather here is hot and dry, sometimes reaching extremes—if you’re embarking on a hiking or cycling trip, make sure to wear a hat and sunscreen.
• If you’re fishing, make sure to purchase a license at one of the many local retailers that offer them and keep it with you at while angling,
• While Osoyoos has a number of stores that offer food and basic supplies, if you’re looking to stock up on camping gear, you’d be well advised to purchase in a larger city like Kelowna, to the north.