Park overview
Three tiny picnic areas, Kickininee, Soorimpt and Pyramid, are tucked between Highway 97 and Okanagan Lake just north of Penticton. They provide a great spot for a picnic, swimming or just relaxing and taking a break from highway driving.
The boat launch at Soorimpt provides easy access to the boating and fishing opportunities that await on Okanagan Lake.
Advisories
Dates of operation
Open to public access year-round
Current status:
Open to public access
- Facility type
- Picnic areas
- Main operating season dates
- 2023: April 14 to October 9
- Off season dates
- 2023: October 10 to December 31
- 2024: January 1 to April 13
- Winter note
- The park is open year-round. Boulders block vehicle access to park.
- Facility type
- Picnic areas
- Main operating season dates
- 2023: April 14 to October 9
- Off season dates
- 2023: October 10 to December 31
- 2024: January 1 to April 13
- Winter note
- The park is open year-round. Gates are locked there is no vehicle access to park.
- Facility type
- Picnic areas
- Main operating season dates
- 2023: April 14 to October 9
- Off season dates
- 2023: October 10 to December 31
- 2024: January 1 to April 13
- Winter note
- The park is open year-round. Gates are locked there is no vehicle access to park.
Safety info
Stay Safe
- There are no developed trails in the park.
- There is no viewing platform, but there are excellent views of Okanagan Lake.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for Kickininee Park, as well as these areas within the park:
These three sites have similar picnic areas:
- Kickininee has two tiers. From the paved 44 spot parking area, there are four picnic tables situated on open lawn shaded by deciduous trees. A wide gravel path leads down to the next level consisting of a flat bench of land overlooking the lake with nine picnic tables. Another shorter, steeper path leads down to the rocky beach. All of the tables have an excellent view of the lake. Ponderosa pine, sagebrush and bunchgrass are found in the undeveloped areas. The parking area is slightly above the highway and buffered by a line of trees. Buoys mark a swimming area.
- Soorimpt is more level and is also divided into a boat launch area and a picnic area. The boat launch has a paved L-shaped turn around area and a double wide concrete ramp with a gentle slope. Concrete docks are on both sides of the ramp which sits in between two small rocky points. There is parking for vehicles towing trailers and lots of room to manoeuvre. Three picnic tables on open lawn overlook the lake and the boat launch. There are no shade trees and the area is right beside the highway. Beside the boat launch is a picnic area with five more tables also on lawn but shaded more by both Ponderosa pine and deciduous trees. There are hummocks of grass covered clay between this area and the highway. There are two small pockets of sandy beach along the otherwise rocky shoreline.
- Pyramid is named after the large pyramid of clay separating the picnic area from the highway. There is parking for 41 vehicles. 13 tables, some with BBQ attachments, are spread out on irrigated lawn amongst shade trees. The lawn slopes gently to the rocky beach. There is a large sandy beach to the north of the picnic area. There are large cottonwoods at this site.
Each site has a small flush toilet building operational in the summer and a pit toilet for use in the off-season.
A cold water tap is located at each site beside the flush toilet building. Taps are shut off during the off-season.
There is a boat launch only at Soorimpt day-use/picnic area.
Activities
There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks. Swimming areas are designated with buoys.
Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.
Pets/domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not permitted in beach areas 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.
Maps and location
Located 8 to 10 km north of Penticton off Hwy 97. Kickininee is the southernmost, followed by Soorimpt and then Pyramid, which is closer to Summerland. Access to these little parks is off busy Highway 97.
Kickininee can only be entered by northbound traffic, there is no left turn lane for southbound traffic. Visitors must drive through the park and exit to the north.
Soorimpt can be accessed by either northbound or southbound traffic because of the turning lanes incorporated into the highway. Traffic can turn around in the boat launch area or proceed through the picnic area to a large paved turn around and go back through the parking area to the park entrance.
Pyramid can also be accessed by both north and southbound traffic. Once in the park, traffic direction is one-way through the parking area and around a loop back to the park entrance.
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: August 3, 1970
- Size: 48.8 hectares
Park contact
This park proudly operated by:
Kaloya Contracting Ltd.
info@campokanagan.com
250 766-7972
(This is not a campsite reservations number)
Please specify the park name when sending/leaving a message.
Nature and culture
- History: The park was established August 3, 1970.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.