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November 2025 Nature Connection Calendar for Families
Hello, November! November holds a special place in my heart. It used to be one of my least favorite months, the beauty of early fall fading, the...
August 4, 2016The Swimming Holes of Vaseux Lake
Update (September 2025): Vaseux Lake is partly surrounded by the Vaseux-Bighorn National Wildlife Area (NWA). Public access in an NWA is very limited, mainly to the boardwalk, viewing tower, and certain designated trails. Activities like shoreline walking and visiting the pictographs, and not authorized under the Canada Wildlife Act regulations.
I share this because I know many families come here to enjoy the water, and that is still possible (non-motorized boats are allowed) but it’s important to understand these rules exist to protect sensitive wildlife and habitat. It can feel discouraging to be told “don’t go there” when we long to be in nature, yet this is the balance we face: respecting protected areas and the laws surrounding them while still finding safe, welcoming places to swim and explore in the Okanagan.
Vaseux Lake is a relatively small lake that lies between the towns of Okanagan Falls and Oliver in the South Okanagan, British Columbia. It is a good spot for shoreline fishing and reknown for its small and large mouth bass. Motorized boats are prohibited on the water because the lake is small and home to a significant number of endangered wildlife and plant species. However, row boats, canoes, kayaks and stand-up-paddle boards are allowed and make for a great way to explore the lake. The north end of Vaseux lake is an Environment Canada Waterfowl Sanctuary and can be explored by taking a quick stroll along a short boardwalk at the Vaseux Lake Wildlife Centre. The south end of the lake, which is my favourite part, is overshadowed by the dramatic cliff of McIntyre Bluff and home to one the best swimming holes in the South Okanagan.
To access the south end of Vaseux Lake drive along Highway 97 towards and turn left on Sundial Road. Go down this road until you spot a small boat launch on the right hand side. Watch out for poison ivy! There’s a bunch of it close to the water’s edge. From the boat launch the swimming holes are not far off. Paddle left along the shore and then south towards the Okanagan River and the imposing McIntyre Bluff. Soon the first of the small bays will appear on the right hand side; this is the larger of the two. A little further down is the second bay, a small cove with beautiful deep clear blue water. This is where its at! These two bays are actually kettle lakes, holes made by blocks of ice left behind by retreating glaciers, that eventually joined up to Vaseux Lake. Yet, unlike the chilly waters of Okanagan Lake, these swimming holes are deliciously warm.
If you are visiting the South Okanagan, or are a local, I highly recommend taking the time to visit this special place during the summer. You will not be disappointed!
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Looking good!
Awe thanks <3
Super! We are at vaseaux camping right now. Will check this gem out
Have fun camping! I hope you get to enjoy this special place while you’re there 🙂
It’s was INCREDIBLE!!! Just knowing we were swimming in a melted glacier hole was magical! Even saw a deer on side enjoying the scenery. This was the highlight of our trip so far. Thanks Josée
I am so glad you had the chance to visit!! It’s such a magical spot 🙂 It makes me happy that others get to enjoy it as well.
Thank you for sharing this information about Vaseux Lake! Being a senior and new at kayaking, (first and only outing was on Vaseux), I was hesitant to approach the area where the river runs out of the lake, fearing a current. Can you advise whether there is a current, as I don’t believe I could paddle back if there is one.
Josee, at one point you had the directions for the pictographs from the swimming holes. I know how to reach the pictographs via the McIntyre Bluff hike but would like to access from Vaseux Lake. Could you send me the directions? Thank you.
While swimming in the kettles is possible it should be noted in your description that walking on the shore, walking to the pictographs through the Vaseux-Bighorn National Wildlife Area (VBNWA) is not allowed and breaks Federal Law.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) (under the Canada Wildlife Act (CWA)) recognize that
National Wildlife Areas, including VBNWA, must be protected and managed in accordance with the
Wildlife Area Regulations of the CWA. Of importance, the primary purpose of all National Wildlife Areas
is to protect and conserve wildlife and wildlife habitat. As such, all activities in an NWA that could
interfere with the conservation of wildlife can/should be prohibited. Accordingly, most National Wildlife
Areas are not accessible to the public and activities in these NWAs are strictly regulated.
Some activities may be authorized through Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations, or by the issuance of
(limited duration) permits as long as they are consistent with the management plan goals for the NWA.
Thank you, Grant, for sharing this important clarification. You’re right that much of the Vaseux-Bighorn National Wildlife Area is off-limits to activities like shoreline walking or hiking, and I’ve updated the post to make that clear.
I do want to add, though, that this raises a broader challenge we face here in Canada: how to balance conservation with people’s need to experience nature. Sometimes the “no access” approach can unintentionally create a sense of separation, as though people don’t belong in the very landscapes that sustain us. I believe the goal should be to encourage respectful presence, not absence. But until policies evolve in that direction, we do our best to honor the current rules while also finding welcoming spaces for families to connect with nature.