Outdoor Adventures
Hiking
Bring water and snacks and set off for hiking you’ll never forget. The landscape of the B.C. Interior is "walker friendly" with many parks within the cities for all to enjoy. Great areas for a stroll include the abandoned Kettle Valley Railway, on walking paths that run along Shuswap Lake in Salmon Arm, Kamloops & Copper Desert Country to explore the hoodoos and other elaborate rock formations, Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park and the Channel Parkway in Penticton. Every step you take comes with another glimpse of flowering bushes, tall pines, clear waters, wonderful wildlife and breathtaking views. From steep forest trails to easy strolls by gentle streams, from hidden nooks to open spaces, there’s a sight and spot for everyone.
Fossil Hunting & Rock Hounding
As a region once covered by water, the B.C. Interior is rich in minerals, fossils, and precious stones left behind as the waters receded through geographical changes. Search for fossils, gold, opals, agates, zeolites, geodes and many other precious gemstones in and around Kamloops! Let a local knowledgeable and qualified guides take you to treasured places where you can dig to your hearts content.
Mountain Biking
Mountain biking in the B.C. Interior is all about variety as the mountain biking terrain offers both experts and novices alike many choices. Travel through pine forests or wide dessert spaces, try urban biking or single track off road trails or catch air with dramatic climbs and fantastic downhills. Most trails are easy to access and within the city limits providing bountiful terrain for both adventure and leisure bikers.
Bird Watching
Throughout the year, bird-watchers visit the B.C. Interior with the hopes of seeing some of the rare species that make the area their home. The Haynes Lease Ecological Reserve and Osoyoos Oxbows Wildlife Management Area off Road 22 north of Osoyoos is another great spot for bird watching. You might be able to see Canada's smallest hummingbird or the rare Burrowing Owl, as well as bats, canyon wrens, sage thrashers, and the chukar partridge.
Bring your binoculars and birding manuals and take a look at the incredible diversity of bird life in the Vernon area. During the Annual Christmas Bird Count, Vernon boasts the highest number in the B.C. Interior, often higher than locations in the Lower Mainland, and is well known for its diversity of bird life, migratory, seasonal and residential and many of the best bird watching sites are within very easy access of major roadways.
The Salmon Arm Bay is one of only two places in British Columbia where the Western Grebe has established a breeding colony. In the spring and fall the shoreline is haven for a wide variety of migratory birds consisting of over 150 species.
Rock Climbing
Get your gear and challenge yourself on the Skaha Bluffs in Penticton - one of the best rock climbing pitches in the world. Skaha Bluffs is comprised of over 120 cliffs, about 55 of which have climbs on them, in an area stretching approximately 2.5km north and 1km east. Guided tours are available year-round for professional and safe instruction and guidance.
BC Wildlife Park
The BC Wildlife Park has 65 BC species including Grizzly bears, Timber wolves, Cougars, Moose, Mountain goat, Birds of Prey and many more, all in the spacious exhibits on the beautiful grounds of our 50 hectare Park. Each day, fun activities include interactive displays, wildlife encounters, and interpretive talks including Grizzly Bear Feedings, Timber Wolf Feeding, Cougar Feeding, Moose Feeding, Wolf Pack Demonstration, and Wildlife Encounters.