The best camping near Ellison Provincial Park

Sheltered by rocky cliffs, the two bays of Ellison Provincial Park have three tranquil beaches and limitless ways to immerse in the waters of long-and-narrow Okanagan Lake: swimming, paddling, water-skiing, boating, fishing, and even scuba diving. The park has western Canada’s only freshwater dive park with sunken artifacts and marine life to explore beneath the lake’s surface. The rocky headlands also offer drier pursuits, including rock climbing the granite cliffs by South Bay and hiking along the promontories to panoramic vistas.

• Best for boaters: Mooring buoys at South Bay and north of Otter Bay
• Best for dog lovers: The southern end of the campground by Sandy (Pet) Beach, where dogs can also enjoy the pink-hued sand
• Best for privacy seekers: The western campsites that back onto the rock cliffs

1. Reservations during the peak summer season (May to October) are a must via the BC Parks online booking site, Discover Camping.
2. Reservations open in early spring (and most days in June to August will be booked solid). For non-residents of BC, reservations start July 8.
3. Reservations can be booked within a two-month rolling window. Any arrival dates further than two months from the date of booking cannot be reserved.
4. When reservations are not available (outside of May to October) all campsites are first-come, first-served. The campground is walk-in only during the off season.

Take full advantage of the lake’s warm waters during the summer months when there’s a lively atmosphere of moored boats and a flotilla of pleasure craft. Campground reservations are booked solid from June to September, and the park is also popular for day use, from local boaters anchoring in the sheltered coves to recreational groups participating in guided rock climbing. Despite the hot-and-dry peak season, campsites get plenty of shade under a canopy of mature Douglas fir and ponderosa pine trees.

• Reservations can be made for 61 of the campsites through the BC Parks online booking site Discover Camping.
• There are 71 vehicle accessible campsites (eight are double sites) but no pull-through sites. RVs may encounter narrow and low-hanging branches.
• There is no boat launch in the park, but several are within 10 minutes. Mooring buoys in South Bay and Otter Bay are part of a marine park system sponsored by Okanagan yacht clubs, and houseboats can pull ashore at Sandy Beach (standard park camping fee is charged for overnight use).
• In the off-season, a locked gate blocks the access road into the park, but walk-in camping is possible via a steep 300-metre grade to the campsites.
• Although not remote, the nearest provisions are a 10-minute drive to Okanagan Landing’s general store. For more services, Vernon is 20 minutes away.