Outdoor Destinations in Vernon, BC

Allan Brooks Nature Centre

The Allan Brooks Nature Centre sits on a grassland knoll five minutes south of downtown Vernon with a view you cannot get anywhere else in the valley: Okanagan, Kalamalka and Swan lakes all at once from a single hilltop. Named for the celebrated Okanagan bird artist, the non-profit centre has been introducing visitors to the North Okanagan's ecosystems since 1996, and it is built for hands-on discovery. Inside are interactive displays of local plants and animals, live snakes, turtles and spiders, an observation bee hive and fur-and-feather touch tables; outside, walking paths loop through the native grassland past bluebird nest boxes, the resident marmots of "Marmot City", an analemmatic sundial and a pond where kids can net-dip for aquatic life. Guided tours can be booked for groups, and the centre runs summer camps, nature talks and workshops through the season, along with the ticketed Raptors flight demonstrations each June that bring hawks, owls, eagles and vultures to the Grassland Theatre. The centre is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., from April through October, admission is by donation, and there is free parking on site. It is also the local authority on birding routes through the Commonage grasslands to the south, so ask the staff before you go exploring.

BX Creek Trail & BX Falls

The BX Creek Trail follows BX Creek from the mountains above Vernon down to the valley bottom, and its centrepiece is BX Falls. The falls section has several bridge crossings and steep stairs but is suitable for families — a short walk from the Tillicum Road parking lot, or a 6 km round trip for a longer outing. Above it, the Upper BX Creek network (known locally as Spanky's) runs 4.9 km from Sovereign Lake Road to Forsberg Road and is a physically challenging experience for advanced mountain bikers, hikers and trail runners. Dogs are permitted on leash. Park at the Tillicum Road lot (7025 Tillicum Road), the Star Road lot (6100 Star Road), the Deleenheer Road access, or the upper trailhead off Silver Star Road with additional parking on Forsberg Road. The falls trail runs 3.05 km one way with six bridges and a steep stairway at the falls — Tourism Vernon rates it Difficult, and spring runoff can make it unsafe, so pick a dry spell. Two gentler options round it out: the Deleenheer Road access gives a more accessible route into the black cottonwood forest for people with limited mobility, and the 1.5 km BX Creek Delta Trail follows the creek toward Swan Lake on crushed stone, boardwalks and bridges between 20th Street and Deleenheer Road.

BX Creek Wetland Boardwalk & Vernon Heronry

Every March the great blue herons come back to Vernon. For close to forty years a colony has nested high in a stand of cottonwoods on the north side of the city, between 20th and 24th streets off 48th Avenue, and the heronry is now federally protected — you cannot enter it, but you do not need to: the surrounding sidewalks give clear views of the huge stick nests, the birds returning to rebuild in March and, later in spring and early summer, the young standing in the nests. The City's BX Creek Wetland Boardwalk Trail is the way to make a morning of it. From the trailhead and parking at Heron Glen Park on 53rd Avenue, the 1.4-kilometre (one-way) route follows crushed stone and long sections of boardwalk around wetland ponds and over several creek crossings, with interpretive signs, benches and a purpose-built lookout for watching the herons, on a surface gentle enough for all ages and abilities. Other access points are on Deleenheer Road (with parking) and at Pleasant Valley Road near Rimer Road. It is a stop on the BC Bird Trail, it is free, and it is open year-round — but this is a nesting area, so dogs and horses are not allowed on the trail, and posted signs around the heronry must be respected. It is a different trail from the BX Falls section up Tillicum Road.

Becker Bike Park

Becker Bike Park is the City of Vernon’s in-town bike skills park at 3404 39th Avenue, re-opened in August 2024 after a rebuild funded by more than $70,000 in grants and donations to the City and the North Okanagan Cycling Society. The park packs three pump tracks — including a paved track that Tourism Vernon calls a new local favourite — a gradually climbing trail, a flow trail for beginner to intermediate riders, a dirt-jump zone with progression lines and a drop zone into a compact site, which makes it a good place to bring young riders to build skills or to bang out fast laps. The park also includes an on-leash dog area and walking paths. Parking arrangements and costs are not published on the City’s page.

Cedar Falls Campground

Cedar Falls is a small, hands-on family campground twelve minutes from Vernon on the road to SilverStar, sharing Tillicum Road with the BX Creek and BX Falls trailhead: individually cared-for sites, a firm four-person limit that keeps the place calm, and owners who come by to make sure everything works. Nights start at $85 for two adults and two kids, which buys you a forest base for the falls walk, SilverStar's summer bike park and the Vernon beaches.

Cools Pond Park

Cools Pond is the North Okanagan's easiest birding stop: a small rural wetland on L&A Road just north of Vernon, with a short, flat pathway running the length of the pond behind the fence and a covered wooden observation platform raised above the water. The Regional District looks after it as a nature area rather than a playground, and the birds have noticed — more than 120 species have been recorded here through the year, from spring waterfowl and shorebirds to raptors working the fields, woodpeckers in the cottonwoods and the songbirds that fill the reeds in June, with painted turtles hauled out on the logs on warm days. It is an all-season destination on the BC Bird Trail's Vernon route, a ten-minute walk end to end that rewards standing still with binoculars far more than hurrying. Park along L&A or Rimer roads at the corner, bring a scope if you have one, and note the one firm rule: no dogs (and no horses) in the pond area.

Evely Recreation Site

Evely is the big Okanagan Lake campground that isn't a provincial park: 48 first-come sites strung along the west shore on Westside Road, halfway between Fintry and Vernon, run by Recreation Sites and Trails BC with toilets and tables and not much else — which is exactly the point. The lake is at your feet for swimming and cartop boats, the fishing is right there, and the price and the rules are looser than the reservation campgrounds down the road. It fills fast on summer weekends and there is no way to book ahead, so arrive early. Check the RSTBC page before you go: after the recent wildfires the site has carried access notices, and at times it can only be reached from the south via West Kelowna.

Goose Lake Range Park

Goose Lake Range Park is a new 46-hectare natural space on the plateau between Swan Lake and Okanagan Lake north of Vernon, with over 3 km of non-motorized, multi-use gravel trails designed for accessibility: gentle slopes through native grassland and wetland, suited to walking, cycling and quiet nature watching. Dogs are welcome on the trail but must remain on a leash. From Vernon follow Highway 97 north, turn left on Mendenhall Road, continue as it becomes Stepping Stones Road, bear right at the park signage and follow the access road about 1 km to the parking lot.

Grey Canal Trail

The Grey Canal Trail follows the alignment of British Columbia's longest irrigation channel, the canal that once carried water to the orchards and farms across the Greater Vernon valley; in places the old pipelines are still visible beside the path. It is not one trailhead but a series of sections that ring the valley — from The Rise to Davison Road, Turtle Mountain to Blue Jay Road, Silver Star Road to Star Road, Hartnell Road to DeRoo Road, and the Coldstream Ranchlands to Ravine Drive, among others — each with one or two parking areas, so you can walk it in pieces and choose your view. Dogs are permitted on every section but must be on leash. The trail is part of the more than 87 km of regional trails that earn Greater Vernon its 'Trails Capital of BC' title. Add the sections up and they come to roughly 32 km, about 28 km of it off-road, so you can walk it in pieces for weeks. Tourism Vernon rates most sections easy — Turtle Mountain (Blue Jay Road to Turtle Mountain Boulevard) is 3.5 km and Coldstream Valley Estates (Buchanan to Warren) 4.2 km — with the 2.7 km Foothills loop moderate and the 1.1 km Boss Creek section difficult. For a short, steep taste with a story, the 570-metre Nel's Leap Trail climbs a former 1929 ski-jump hill from 43rd Avenue and Alexis Park Drive, past interpretive signs to a bird's-eye view of Vernon, and joins the Turtle Mountain section.

Kal Crystal Waters Trail

The Kal Crystal Waters Trail is a 12.57 km route for walkers and cyclists from Okanagan College in Vernon south to Lake Country, rated Moderate by Tourism Vernon. It starts at the Greater Vernon Athletics Park, crosses college land to Varsity Drive, then follows Lakeview Drive on-road with a steep climb to the Kal Lake Lookout and continues along Kalamalka Lakeview Drive (the old Highway 97) to the Kekuli Bay Provincial Park gate. An off-road trail resumes above the Kekuli Bay campground to Bailey Road, descends a former highway, and then splits: right for a rougher 1.8 km to Crystal Waters Road, or left down to join the Okanagan Rail Trail north of the Crystal Waters subdivision. Parking is at the Greater Vernon Athletics Park, the Kalamalka Lakeview Drive lookout, Kekuli Bay Provincial Park, the East Bailey Road lot opposite the Predator Ridge turnoff, and Crystal Waters Road. Dogs allowed on leash.

Lake Front RV Park (Swan Lake)

Lake Front RV Park backs onto the reedy, bird-rich shore of Swan Lake just north of Vernon — six acres with 81 sites, most with full hookups and a row of half-service sites that suit tents and small trailers — where the Swan Lake nature reserve's herons, ospreys and pelicans are the neighbours and downtown Vernon is a ten-minute drive. Book by the night online; check-in is at one.

Middleton Mountain (Farnsworth Nature Reserve)

Middleton Mountain is the grassy summit between Vernon and Coldstream, and the Farnsworth Nature Reserve at its top protects native grassland where three loop trails — the Bluebird, North, Middle and South Loop trails — give 360-degree views of Kalamalka Lake, the Coldstream Valley, the Monashee Mountains, Swan Lake and the City of Vernon. Tourism Vernon lists the Middleton Mountain Loop at 2.66 km and rates it Difficult, because steep stairs climb to the summit from the trailhead sign on Mt Ida Drive opposite the Emerald Views housing complex; there is also access from Middleton Mountain Park. Benches and interpretive signs describe the geology, flora and fauna, wildflowers bloom from early spring to mid-June, and deer, marmots, bluebirds, meadowlarks, quail, eagles and hawks live here. Dogs must be on leash — to avoid the cactus as much as to protect the grassland wildlife.

Okanagan Glamping Co.

Okanagan Glamping Co. sets a handful of furnished canvas tents and a yurt on the sage-and-pine hills of Westside Road above Okanagan Lake, a half-hour from Vernon: proper beds, sunset views over the water and no tent poles, from spring until Thanksgiving. With only four units it books out early, and the online calendar shows exactly which tent is free on which night.

Okanagan Rec Rentals – Snowmobile Tours

Okanagan Rec Rentals is the way to snowmobile the SilverStar backcountry without owning a sled: the Vernon-based outfitter runs guided tours that depart from SilverStar Mountain Resort and follow a local guide into the snow-laden forest and open terrain behind the mountain, and the resort itself points visitors to them. Tours come in one-hour (departing 10 a.m. and noon), two-hour (noon and 3 p.m.) and three-hour versions (9 a.m. and 3 p.m., hot chocolate included), and every price covers safety gear and a snowmobile orientation before you set off. A one-hour tour is $159 for a single rider, $239 with a passenger or $209 with a child 12 and under riding behind you; two hours is $239, $339 or $299; three hours $319, $419 or $399. A $1,500 damage deposit per snowmobile is taken at check-in, and groups of three or more sleds should book in advance. The company also rents snowmobiles for self-guided riding from its Okanagan Landing Road base in Vernon — call 250-549-3613 for rental rates and rider requirements.

Okanagan Skydive

Okanagan Skydive is the only skydiving operation in the valley, flying tandem jumps and complete solo-certification programs straight out of the Vernon Regional Airport on Tronson Road, 45 minutes from Kelowna. Every tandem student is paired with a highly experienced, certified tandem master; after the climb-out you get about 35 seconds of freefall and then a peaceful parachute ride over the orchards, vineyards and lakes of the North Okanagan before landing back at the airport. Tourism Vernon lists it as the only skydiving experience in the Okanagan Valley. Jumps are weather-dependent and booked in advance through the operator, which also runs first-jump courses for anyone who wants to progress beyond a tandem.

Paraglide Canada

Paraglide Canada has been the Okanagan’s paragliding school and tandem operator since 2001, flying from the hills above Kalamalka Lake ten minutes from Vernon. Its flying site is at the base of King Eddy Forest Service Road off Highway 6 — the King Eddy’s Landing Field — where tandem passengers meet their certified instructor, launch from the slopes above and glide back down over the Coldstream valley with the lake laid out below. The school also runs P1/P2 and advanced courses and sells and services gear from its Haney Road office. Tandems fly from mid- to late April through the fall as weather windows allow, and the training calendar for the following spring is posted online each autumn.

Predator Ridge Trails

Predator Ridge has built one of the North Okanagan’s signature riding networks on the Commonage between Vernon and Kelowna: 13.5 km of dedicated bike trails plus a connector into Ellison Provincial Park, all open to the public and operated seasonally. Tourism Vernon’s advice is to take the climb for the Okanagan Lake views and then link Mantle, Granite, Rock Garden Playground and The Arches for one long rocky, granite-slab descent; the North Okanagan Cycling Society credits the resort with building trails such as Granite, Mantle and the Ellison Connector for the wider Vernon riding community. The resort’s Bike Hub at 1-799 Predator Ridge Drive is the base, and several parking areas serve the trailheads; parking costs are not published, and no dog or e-bike rules are published for the trails.

Rocky Ridge Park (Turtle Mountain)

Rocky Ridge Park is Vernon's quickest 360-degree view: a small Regional District park on the summit ridge of Turtle Mountain, in the Alexis Park neighbourhood on the west side of the city, where a few minutes of walking earns a panorama that Tourism Vernon counts among the city's iconic viewpoints. Start at the small trailhead parking lots on Turtle Mountain Boulevard, between Razorback Court and Leatherback Road, and follow the flat 0.4 km trail west behind Razorback Court to a wooden staircase; the stairs carry you up onto the open rock of the ridge, and from the top the whole of Greater Vernon turns beneath you — the city and Coldstream to the east, Swan Lake to the north, and Okanagan Landing and the north arm of Okanagan Lake to the southwest, with the three lakes that ring the valley in view on a clear day. It is short, steep in the stair section and exposed on the rock, so mind small children near the edges, and there are no facilities at the top. Parking is at the trailhead lots; the Regional District does not publish a fee, and none has been confirmed, so check on arrival. Come at golden hour, when the grassland and the lakes light up.

Splashdown Vernon

The North Okanagan's summer splash zone, with ten waterslides, a giant hot tub and shaded cabanas overlooking Swan Lake. It's a guaranteed win for families on a hot Vernon day. Open seasonally.

Swan Lake Nature Reserve Trail

The Swan Lake Nature Reserve is a gentle 1.8 km loop at the southwest end of Swan Lake, north of Vernon, preserving and restoring marshland in partnership with Ducks Unlimited. The flat trail is one of the area's best birding walks — blue herons, marsh birds, raptors, geese and ducks — and a three-storey wildlife observation tower on the shore adds 360-degree views and interpretive signage. Most of the reserve is left undeveloped for conservation. Dogs are not permitted. Drive north on Old Kamloops Road 2.3 km from 43rd Avenue and Alexis Park Drive, turn right at the Swan Lake Regional Park sign at Stawn's Honey, and follow the gravel road 0.7 km to the parking area at the trailhead.

Vernon Recreation Complex – Priest Valley Arena & Centennial Outdoor Rink

Vernon's Recreation Complex on 35th Avenue gives you two kinds of winter ice at one address. Outside is the Centennial Outdoor Rink, free to use from December through February, weather permitting, with scheduled public skating, parent-and-tot time and shinny sessions for youth and adults — helmets, sticks and gloves are mandatory for shinny, and anyone under 18 needs a signed parental consent. Inside, Priest Valley Arena is the home of Vernon's figure-skating, speed-skating and ringette clubs and hosts indoor public skating and adult hockey drop-in: you register for a session ahead of time and pick up a wristband at check-in, drop-in hockey requires full equipment including a CSA-approved helmet and is capped at 26 skaters and two goalies, and CSA helmets are required for every skater 12 and under, who must be accompanied by an adult. There are no skate rentals at any Vernon recreation facility, so bring your own. Indoor admission is charged per the City's current rate chart, and residents of Vernon, Coldstream, Electoral Areas B and C and the Okanagan Indian Band receive 50% off with photo ID.

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