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This park proudly operated by:Kaloya Contracting Ltd.
info@campokanagan.com
250 548-0076
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Fintry Provincial Park
About This Park
Fintry Provincial Park includes 360 hectares of the former Fintry Estate, a heritage site with a colourful history. From the delta area to a forested area made up of ridges and deep slopes, this park offers two dramatically different topographical areas. There is over 2 km of waterfront with surrounding mountains and deep canyons. Shorts Creek passes through a deep canyon creating a series of waterfalls and deep pools. With almost two kilometres of waterfront property, the park has opportunities for camping, swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking and wildlife viewing. Recreational users can enjoy the natural sand beach while wildlife viewers can hike the Canyon trail and view a variety of birds, small mammals, deer and bighorn sheep in the higher regions.
Historical features throughout the park include the Manor House, the octagonal barn and several other farm buildings. A small wetland area located south of the Packing House, a portion of lakeshore and the Shorts Creek corridor and canyon below Westside Road are designated Special Feature-Natural Conservation Areas. Notable features within the zone include a large eagle’s nest, old growth cottonwoods and several wildlife trees, Shorts Creek waterfall and kokanee spawning grounds. The Fintry Manor House, garden, the barns, remnant power generation and irrigation systems are special heritage features.
Fintry Protected Area was established on April 18, 2001, to enhance the ecological viability of the existing park. This protected area protects important California bighorn sheep habitat and provides increased representation of the North Okanagan Basin ecosection by capturing an increased elevational gradient as well as providing a spectacular canyon and hiking and viewing opportunities.
Established Date: April 30, 1996 for the park and April 18, 2001 for the Protected Area
Park Size: 357 hectares for the park and 3,100 hectares for the protected area
Know Before You Go
Stay Safe
- Visitors are advised to stay on designated hiking trails, away from steep cliffs.
Special Notes
- The Friends of Fintry Provincial Park Society, incorporated in 2000, assists BC Parks in the management of Fintry’s unique cultural history. Presently, the Society is focusing on preserving and restoring buildings from the Dun-Waters’ era in this, B.C.’s newest museum. Captain James C. Dun-Waters was the incredible man who, between 1909 and 1939, made the Fintry delta a garden of Eden – a place filled with innovations far ahead of their time. The Society is doing a lot of the physical work plus raising funds through grant applications and special projects, when restoration demands professional help. In their efforts to bring Fintry’s marvelous history back to life, during 2002 alone, the 150 individual and corporate members contributed over 8,000 hours of volunteer time and drove more than 30,000 kilometres.
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If you come to visit Fintry’s spectacular triple waterfall, you’ll walk past the barn complex where a lot of restoration work has been completed by BC Parks and the Friends of Fintry. Look for:
- the reshingled roof on the unique octagonal dairy barn plus new roofs on the horse barn, granary and machine shop;
- repaired exteriors on all buildings in the barn complex;
- the reconstructed hay shed;
- new fencing in the barn area that copies Dun-Water’s original design; and
- a barn yard that’s on its way to being as attractive as the “only-the-finest-accepted” Captain Dun-Waters would allow.
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On the way to the beautiful sand beaches, you’ll pass the Manor House, where:
- guided tour of the house and hear the story of the man who wove such magic on the Fintry delta;
- see Dun-Waters’ clothes and artifacts that have come back to Fintry thanks to Historic O’Keefe Ranch Museum, the Kelowna Museum and descendants of families who played important roles in the Dun-Waters story; and
- explore the beginnings of a new heritage-cum-ornamental garden, including a 60 foot labyrinth.
Reservations
All campsites and group site reservations must be made through Discover Camping. When reservations are not available, all campsites function as first-come, first-served.
Campsite Reservations
Campsite reservations are accepted and 85% of the campground is reservable.
Group Camping Reservations
Group campsite reservations are accepted at this park.
Location and Maps
Please note: Any maps listed are for information only; they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.
spec The park is located on Fintry Delta Road, off Westside Road, approximately 34 km north of Kelowna or 49 km south of Vernon. The park is on the northwest side of Okanagan Lake. Watch for marker signs located on Hwy 97. Access is also possible by boat: 6 km across Okanagan Lake from Ellison Provincial Park and 6 km across the lake from Kopje Regional District Park in Lake Country. The closest communities, towns and cities are Kelowna, Vernon, Lake Country (across Okanagan Lake) and the Westside Road Community Plan area from Trader’s Cove to Killiney Beach.Maps and Brochures
Nature and Culture
Management Planning
- Management Planning Information
- Approved Fintry Park Management Plan [PDF 2.4MB]
- Approved Fintry Protected Area Purpose Statement and Zoning Plan [PDF]
Activities Available at this Park
Canoeing
Cycling
Fishing
Hiking
Shorts Creek Trail has narrow, steep cliffs. Trail starts approximately 1/2 km from the campground area where there is parking for 6 or 7 vehicles on a gravel pullout just past the octagonal dairy barn. The trail follows the fenced corral to enter the canyon behind the old bunkhouse building. A staircase of milled lumber climbs steep north side of the canyon. The staircase has handrails and another rail at knee level.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. After the first flight of stairs, the trail levels out to an area perched on the edge of the canyon opposite the base of the waterfall and fenced in by a chain link fence. The area offers a stunning view of the two-tiered cascade and the steep canyon walls. The stairs continue up to a series of three wooden viewing platforms each offering a slightly different view of the falls as the stairs climb higher up the canyon wall. The third, and largest platform, offers the best view looking both down on the falls and the other platforms, and upstream to a corner where the canyon narrows and a pool forms.
There are fantastic views of Okanagan Lake and the Fintry Delta. Saskatoon bushes cling to life on the edge of the canyon beside the platform which has a small triangular bench. Above this are the remnants of the irrigation system. There is no designated trail beyond the chain link fence that blocks off access to the irrigation system. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails away from the steep cliffs of the canyon. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.
Hunting
Pets on Leash
Scuba Diving
Swimming
Waterskiing
Wildlife Viewing
Windsurfing
Facilities Available at this Park
Accessibility
The shower building in 1-50 section has a separate wheelchair-accessible show stall complete with a seat and a showehead/hose that detaches from the wall for easier use. The lockable room also has a toilet. The shower building in 51-100 sections have wheelchair-accessible showers and washroom facilities.
Boat Launch
Campfires
Campfires are not permitted in the Protected Area as there are no facilities provided for fires.
Drinking Water
Group Camping
There is a group camping area at Fintry. It consists of a spacious three-lane wide paved loop around a central grassy area. Around the outside of the pavement there are 3 pods located on open lawn. There is plenty of room for large RVs.
Pod 1 is the smallest of the three and consists of a fire ring and several tables. Pod 1 is best suited for up to 40 campers.
Pod 2 backs on to a steep hill. It has a larger fire ring, several tables and a cook shelter. The shelter is a half-wall structure with a tin roof and a cement floor. Inside there are tables, stove, counter with shelving and sink. Pod 2 is best suited to accommodate up to 60 campers.
Pod 3 has a fire pit, several tables and a similar shelter as pod 2. Pod 3 can accommodate up to 60 campers.
All 3 pods share four flush toilets and two water taps in the groupsite area and are only a short walk away from a shower house. Reservation information »
Youth group camping charges per night are $1/person (6+), with a $50 minimum and $150 maximum. Read the Youth Group policy about Criteria for Youth Groups.
Regular group camping charges per night are the base rate for the site, which is $120.00/group site/night, plus $5/adult (16+, minimum charge for 15 adults), plus $1/child (6-15). There is no fee for children under the age of 6!
Picnic Areas
This park has a variety of day-use activities. Visitors can hike in Shorts Creek Canyon, wander past the heritage buildings (entry is prohibited) or relax on the beach. The day-use beach area is accessed from the new campground. There is a paved parking lot a short distance along a wide gravel trail from the coarse sand beach beside the Packing House. There are tables and a pit toilet near the beach and the swimming area is marked with buoys. The beach extends past the Packing House and around the point. There are opportunities for bird watching in the wetland and old growth cottonwood southwest of the Packing House.
Two gravel parking lots straddle the road to sites 51-100. They provide parking for those wishing to access the Manor House and the large irrigated lawns surrounding it. A horseshoe pit and volleyball net are located on these lawns north of the Manor House and a labyrinth to the east.
Pit or Flush Toilets
Playground
Sani-Station/Dump
Showers
Vehicle Accessible Camping
This park offers 101 vehicle accessible campsites and 85 of these sites are reservable. The gate to the campground is locked during the off-season. The campsites are arranged in two areas that differ dramatically in landscape.
Campsites #1 to 50 have been upgraded and redeveloped in order to reduce the environmental impact on the old growth forest. Previously, campsites were not defined and allowed multiple campers in an area, and as a result of the upgrading, please be advised that the campsites are redesigned as individual campsites.
CampSites #51 to 75 and Campsites #76 to 100 were built in 1999, most are located in an open, grassy area rimmed by aspen, cottonwood and other shrubs. They are arranged in two loops and include seven double sites. Shade is limited on some of the sites, but the well-spaced sites separated by tall grass are somewhat private. The sites are fairly large gravel pads with a picnic table and a fire ring.
All camping areas are accessed off the main road into the park. After
driving past the historic barns and through the grassy delta, the group
site is on your left, the road to the manor house, day-use beach parking,
boat launch and sites 51-100 just past that on the right and access to
sites 1-50 straight ahead.
