Osoyoos Lake is a magnet for water activities. Reportedly the warmest freshwater lake in Canada with an average summer temperature of 24°C/70°F, its hot sand beaches and easy-access marinas attract sun worshipers and water babies.
It's no accident that families return to Osoyoos year after year, generation after generation, for swimming, water skiing, wakeboarding, wake surfing, jet skiing, parasailing, windsurfing, kayaking and fishing. Rent everything from sport boats and jet skis to kayaks and paddleboats.
Many hotels, resorts, B&Bs, RV parks and campgrounds lay claim to their own slice of sand on private beaches around Osoyoos Lake. But there's plenty of public access as well. On the west side, Legion Beach is tucked into a cove southwest of the Channel Bridge.
Haynes Point Provincial Park
Haynes Point Provincial Park occupies a narrow sand spit that juts far into the lake giving most of the campsites direct water frontage. The day use area provides change rooms and picnic tables, lots of sand and a pet beach. Read more about Haynes Point in British Columbia Magazine, where it was chosen as the "hottest" park in an article about "Ultimate Parks."
Park Beaches
Downtown Osoyoos hosts two more beaches. Gyro Park, adjacent to the Channel Bridge, is a small enclave with a narrow strip of sand and a grassy area. At Lion's Park, just to the north, a floating pier can accommodate short-stay boat tie-ups. There's a buoyed swimming area and change facilities. Parasailors launch from the point.
Cottonwood Park, on the eastern shore of Osoyoos Lake, has a paved walkway, gardens and grassy picnic area along with popular Cottonwood Beach. But many locals prefer the isolation of White Sands Beach, located on the Osoyoos Indian Reserve farther up the lakeshore, where solitude makes up for the lack of facilities.
Action Sports
Grab a tow rope and feel the rush - behind the boat. Families jump aboard a big banana and kids pile into tubes for a no-skill-required thrill ride. Waterskiers and wakeboarders, take advantage of the early morning calm. Rookies learn the sports from experienced instructors.
Watersports Training
Wakepilot Wakeboarding staff includes a Waterski and Wakeboard Canada (WSWC)-certified coach, a veteran of the Aussi circuit and a former Canadian champion.
Students at every level from first-timer to serious competitor can take advantage of on-water instruction via an earphone-equipped helmet that complements face-to-face training.
Above the Board Watersports provides Wakeboard BC certified coaching and also offers thrill rides on waterskates, kneeboards and tubes. Get a whole different perspective on a parasail flight or stick closer to the waves with Sunflight Parasailing and Watersports.
Fishing
Osoyoos Lake is home to 43 species of fish. Experts claim that spring is best, but there's plenty of action year round. Trout and kokanee salmon are common to the Okanagan region, but Osoyoos Lake is one of the few places to fish for small mouth bass, large mouth bass and whitefish.
The Osoyoos Oxbows, a wetland area where the Okanagan River empties into Osoyoos Lake, is also a popular spot for catching large bass. Visit the British Columbia Visitor Centre @ Osoyoos, junction of Highways 3 and 97, for information on fishing regulations.
Boat Launches
Osoyoos provides two public boat launches, one at Haynes Point Provincial Park and the other at Lion's Park in the town centre. The Canada-US border crosses Osoyoos Lake south of Haynes Point Provincial Park. Pay attention to warning signs regarding border crossing and customs.
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