Fintry Provincial Park

With almost 2 km of waterfront, the park has lots of opportunities for canoeing and kayaking.

Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia. No mountain biking trails.

Various freshwater fish available in Okanagan Lake. Please obey posted signs regarding speed and vessel restrictions. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. For information about freshwater fishing, including regulations, restrictions and limits, please check the Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis. Also see Boat Launch information, below.

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.

Fintry Provincial Park on the delta is closed to hunting. The Protected Area, located above Westside Road and encompassing Shorts Creek Canyon above the road is open to hunting. Please check the BC Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis for more details.

Pets/domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas (except for the designated pet beach) or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.

There is a sunken barge reportedly offshore of the park. An existing diving site is located across from Fintry on the east side of Okanagan Lake at Ellison Provincial Park.

There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks. A natural sand beach and warm water makes this park ideal for swimming.

Waterskiing is popular on Okanagan Lake. A boat launch is available.

There are viewing platforms situated in key locations on the Shorts Creek Canyon Trail that offer spectacular views of the waterfalls and of remnants of the irrigation and power generation system built in the early 1900s

Windsurfing opportunities are plentiful along the two kilometres of beach.

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.

There is a paved boat launch and a floating dock for easy boat access.

While campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite, we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using campstoves instead. Firewood can be purchased in the park or you may bring your own wood. Fees for firewood are set locally and may vary from park to park. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.
Campfires are not permitted in the Protected Area as there are no facilities provided for fires.

Drinking water is available in the park. There are cold water taps in the campgrounds and taps in the shower buildings.

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 »

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.

The park has mostly flush toilets; however, there are also a couple of pit toilets located throughout the park.

There is a playground available at the park.

There are two sani-station/dumps located by the falls day-use parking lot. Drinking water is also available at the sani-stations during the collecting season from April 5- Oct 14.

There are two shower buildings for registered guests only. One is located in between sites 25 and 26. It is a concrete block building with five showers and three flush toilets. The building also has a dishwashing station at the rear end for your convenience. The other shower building is located in the 51-100 section next to sites 99/100 and the paved day-use parking area. It has four shower stalls and two toilet/sink stalls, each with individually locking rooms.

This park offers 158 vehicle-accessible campsites reservable, except sites 111-160 will be first-come, first-served from May 17-Sept. 3. The gate to the campground is locked during the off-season. The campsites are arranged in two areas that differ dramatically in landscape. During the peak season, all of the sites reservable and non-occupied reservation sites can accommodate first-come, first-served customers for one, or perhaps more nights, depending on availability.

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.

Campsites #111 to 160 are located in an open, grassy area. Shade is limited on most of the sites. 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.