Park overview
The park was created as a result of recommendations made in the Kamloops Land and Resources Management Plan.
Visitors can enjoy hiking, nature study, wildlife viewing, and hunting. Scenic and cultural heritage appreciation are also popular. The summit of Mount Savona, accessible by four-wheel drive, affords excellent views of the dry Thompson River Valley and Kamloops Lake.
Advisories
Safety info
- Wood ticks are most prevalent between March and June. These parasites reside in tall grass and low shrubbery and seek out warm-blooded hosts. Although they are potential carriers of disease, they are a natural part of the environment and can be easily avoided. Your legs should be protected by wearing trousers tucked into socks or gaiters. After outdoor activity, thoroughly examine yourself. Check your pets for ticks as well.
- Bring your own drinking water as there are no water sources in the park.
- There are no toilet facilities. Visitors should exercise proper backcountry sanitation procedures when no facilities are available. Deposit human waste in cat holes. Cat holes are 15 to 20 cm deep and should be located at least 100 to feet from any water source. Thoroughly cover and disguise cat holes when finished. Bury toilet paper as well. Do not burn it.
Camping
Wilderness camping is allowed, but no facilities are provided.
Facilities
No firewood is available and no fire rings are installed. The gathering of firewood in a park is illegal, so fires should only be used for emergency drying and warming. If a fire is used for an emergency, please keep it small, and ensure it is completely out before you leave. Use a camp stove for cooking.
Campfire bans may be in place. Before lighting a fire, check for bans or restrictions on BC Wildfire Service and on local or Indigenous government websites.
Activities
There are no designated cycling trails but the activity is allowed. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Mount Savona Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy will be for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.
Hunting is permitted only during lawful game hunting season. Check with Hunting and Trapping Synopsis for regulations. Exempt from the No Hunting, No Shooting Restrictions within 400 m of the center of park roads.
The park is located off Highway 1 approximately 35 km west of Kamloops. Access is by Tunkwa Lake Road from the town of Savona.
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: April 30, 1996
- Size: 382 hectares
Nature and culture
Cultural Heritage
This park contains several important cultural sites for the Skeetchestn First Nation. Please be respectful of these protected sites if you come across them in the park.
Conservation
Cliffs, canyons, dry ridges, old growth Douglas fir, pockets of high elevation grassland, a small lake and marshland are part of Mount Savona Park. The park has the highest (elevational) known occurrence of fame flower that grows on Kamloops lavas at specific elevations.
The Fame flower (talinum sediforme) is found scattered and infrequent in the Okanagan and Thompson areas. The flower likes the dry exposed slopes and ledges at the low and mid elevations. The flowers are usually white but may have a pink or yellow tinge. There are five petals. The leaves are a fleshy, waxy looking, green, somewhat circular and form a ground covering similar to a mat. The flowers usually grow in clusters of three to nine individual flowers. The Fame flower blooms late May through July.
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.