The best camping near Okanagan Lake Provincial Park

If you’d like to camp on a sunny lakeshore within a short drive of dozens of wineries, consider a stay at Okanagan Lake Provincial Park. The park is located in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, western Canada’s main wine-producing region, directly on Okanagan Lake between the towns of Peachland and Summerland. The park and its campgrounds are just off Highway 97, the Okanagan’s primary north-south road, so don’t expect an isolated wilderness setting. On the plus side, whether you choose the 96-site South Campground directly on the lakeshore, or the 80-site North Campground terraced above the waterfront, you’ll be close to the water, where you can swim, paddle, or fish.

• Best for classic lake views: North Campground
• Best for jumping in the lake: South Campground
• Best for tent campers: South Campground (walk-in sites)

1. Book campground reservations for Okanagan Lake Provincial Park online at BC Parks’ Discover Camping website up to four months before your trip. Make bookings as early as you can for this popular park.
2. The North and South campgrounds have slightly different operating seasons and reservations policies. The South Campground is normally open during the park’s full spring-to-fall season. You can book South Campground campsites during the Easter long weekend and then from mid-May through mid-September. Outside this period, sites are first-come, first-served; when the park is busy and you arrive without a reservation, you’ll need to put your name on the waitlist in the morning.  Any non-reserved sites will be released to the waitlist at 11am. The park’s North Campground doesn’t open until mid-May and closes in mid-September; North Campground sites are all reservable during this May-to-September period.

Okanagan Lake Provincial Park is open from late March until mid-October, closing for the season after Canada’s Thanksgiving holiday. Compared to the sunny, hot, and busy summers, spring and fall can be somewhat less crowded, with moderate weather. While campers can stay in the South Campground anytime during the park’s season, the North Campground is open only from mid-May through mid-September. After the park’s October closure, you can walk into the South Campground, at least until the snow falls, although water and other services may not be available.

• The most convenient places to stock up food and supplies within a short drive of Okanagan Lake Provincial Park are the cities of Kelowna to the north or Penticton to the south.
• The North and South Campgrounds at Okanagan Lake Provincial Park are quite different. The South area is directly on the lakeshore, with smaller campsites that are quite close together. In the North Campground, the larger well-spaced sites are terraced in three tiers above the lake. Both campgrounds have showers, drinking water, and both flush and pit toilets.
• For tent campers, the South Campground has eight walk-in campsites. Book early for these lakefront locations.