sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ (Okanagan Falls) Provincial Park Campground

sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ — 'little falls' in the Syilx language — is the provincial campground tucked into Okanagan Falls between the Okanagan River and the steep foothills of Mount McLellan, and it is the closest provincial park camping to Penticton. Thirty-one vehicle-accessible sites sit on irrigated lawn under deciduous trees that throw real shade in July and go gold in October; the sites are medium to large and well spaced, with an information shelter at the head of the loop. The flat Kettle Valley Rail Trail runs between the campground and the river, so the village, the beach at Christie Memorial Park and the Skaha Lake shoreline are a fifteen-minute walk or a five-minute ride away. Come in late September and the sockeye salmon are spawning in the river beside your site; birdwatchers and cyclists use the dike trail year-round. All 31 sites are reservable through BC Parks, the gate runs from April 1 to mid-October, pets must be leashed, and the park closes for one weekend each September for the Okanagan Nation's Salmon Feast. Turn onto Green Lake Road from Highway 97 and drive slowly — the entrance is a narrow road with a blind corner.