Skaha Bluffs Park provides a variety of recreation opportunities including hiking, rockclimbing, and wildlife viewing while also protecting habitat for a variety of species at risk.
World-class climbing opportunities are found at Skaha Bluffs though it is important to note that climbing is prohibited in the southern area (the section of the park that encompasses Gillies Creek).
The distinctive terrain features of the bluffs along with the Gillies Creek corridor reflect extremely threatened riparian and grassland plant communities.
Accessibility information is available for this park.
Pit toilets are located at the parking lots. There is a gate on the access road that is open from 7 am to dusk.
This park only has pit toilets, no flush toilets.
The area contains essential habitat for bighorn sheep. Please keep your distance from bighorn sheep as they can be very territorial and sensitive to human presence.
Dogs must be leashed at all times in the park. This park protects a rare and fragile ecosystem, and experiences increasing visitor numbers each year. Dogs impact park values, posing a threat to wildlife, ecology, and public safety. Keeping dogs leashed reduces their impact.
Mountain biking restricted to designated trails. Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are permitted on signed or designated trails within Skaha Bluffs Park, provided they meet the definitions and criteria for e-bike use as outlined in the BC Parks cycling guidelines.
Skaha Bluffs is south of Penticton on the east side of Skaha Lake. Access is from Lakeside Road to Smythe Road up along Gillies Creek.
Please note that road access is closed seasonally, approximately from November 15 to March 1.
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 leaving a message.
History
Recreational climbing has been occuring in the area since the 1980s.
Culture
Skaha Bluffs lies within the asserted territory of the Okanagan Nation Alliance, with the closest geographical member band of the ONA being the Penticton Indian Band. The greater land area holds tremendous spiritual and cultural significance to the Okanagan Nation.
Conservation and wildlife
The landscape consists of a variety of distinctive terrain features, which function together to provide habitat for many provincially or federally listed species at risk, including bighorn sheep, fringed and small-footed myotis, night snake, and western screech owl. Other notable species include Clark’s nutcracker, pygmy nuthatch, red squirrel, pacific chorus frog, white-throated swift, canyon wren, and western rattlesnake.
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.