The beauty of Mara and Shuswap Lakes is simply irresistible in the warmer months. Many outdoor activities involve them in some way. There are plenty of lakefront campgrounds, day-use areas and picnic sites; Hyde Mountain on Mara Lake Golf Course (18 holes) is carved into a hillside bordering Mara Lake; and many hiking and horseback riding trails access a lake or elevated viewpoints overlooking a lake. Hiking trails range in difficulty from easy strolls to challenging alpine treks and guided horseback rides can last anywhere from one hour to several days. Paragliding is also popular.
The Eagle Valley Museum is a good place to go for an overview of human history in the Sicamous area. It has displays dedicated to the gold rush, logging, transportation, early Finnish settlement and the area’s first inhabitants, the Shuswap. You can see authentic pictographs (rock paintings) created by the Shuswap at various locations around Shuswap Lake. Some are accessible only by boat.
The arts scene in Sicamous includes arts and drama groups that mount exhibitions and stage shows throughout the year.
Shuswap Lake is Sicamous’ defining natural feature and an old-fashioned sternwheeler cruise is a great way to explore it in comfort. Nearby Crazy Creek and Eagle River are both spanned by suspension bridges. Crazy Creek Suspension Bridge, built in 2004, has a boardwalk leading to the Crazy Creek Waterfall. The older Malakwa Suspension Bridge was originally built in 1915 to connect farms on one side of Eagle River to a community and school on the other side. It was rebuilt in 1940.
If you have children, don’t miss the Enchanted Forest, a wilderness walk that features interpretive signs, fairytale scenes, a tree house, a boardwalk and paddle boats. Other family-friendly attractions include Public Sicamous Beach Park, with its go-karts, mini golf and water park; and D. Dutchman Dairy, a dairy farm that welcomes visitors to view its animals and taste ice cream made the old fashioned way.
Many artists and artisans call Sicamous home, so the arts scene is very lively year round. The Heritage Summer Gallery at the Red Barn Art Centre is a seasonal highlight, while art, handicraft and antique shopping, as well as live theatre, can be enjoyed anytime. For sports fans, there are curling and baseball tournaments and Junior Hockey games.
The Shuswap Lake area supports more than 250 bird species. Great blue herons, ospreys and bald eagles are common sights around the lake and you can see waterfowl, songbirds, flycatchers and finches at Riverfront Nature Park, on the Eagle River.
There are three provincial parks near Sicamous. Mara Provincial Park is a day-use park where you can swim, fish, boat and picnic. Yard Creek Provincial Park has hiking trails and a roadside campground, as well as picnic and day-use areas. Most of the 26 sites that comprise Shuswap Lake Marine Provincial Park are water access only.
Sicamous is known as the “Houseboat Capital of Canada” and you’ll certainly find houseboats of every size and level of luxury there (motorboats, too). The local marinas specialize in serving the houseboating crowd and are very well equipped. Other ways to enjoy Shuswap Lake, which averages 22 C (71 F) in July and August, include swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, water-skiing, wakeboarding and lake tours.
Sicamous is a snowmobiling hotspot. Its miles of groomed trails wind through fresh alpine powder and “sledding” conditions last well into spring. Three of the four mountain areas suitable for sledding have chalet accommodation. Among the Gold, Silver and Bronze awards the town received in the 2005 Snoriders West Riders’ Choice Awards were “Favourite Powder Riding” and “Favourite Groomed Trail Riding.”