With 183 total RV Sites and 60 Sites available for rental Swan Lake RV Resort is a nice way to set up camp in Veron. With accommodations for RV’s up to 45′, 30/50 amp service, back-ins, pull thrus, full hookups, restrooms, showers, Wi-Fi, cable TV, laundry, RV storage, store, clubhouse, handicap accessible, heated pool, hot tub, fitness center, horseshoes, nature watching, canoeing, boating, fishing, picnic tables, you will not be lacking in any comforts of home!
Guests pay for rental of RV Sites, Laundry, Wi-Fi, Ice and Goods purchased.
Different types of Campsites Available.
Located on Swan Lake in Vernon BC just off Hwy 97. There are RV Sites for rent that you back into and some pull-thru sites available and a small access to the lake where you could put a canoe or kayak into the lake.
View Best Canoe Trip in a larger map I heard about the waterway that runs between Oyama Lake and Streak Lake on the Aberdeen plateau and how it is a great place just waiting for canoeists to discover nature and finally made the trip today with Suzanne and Sydney. The highlights were the stop at Oyama Lookout on the way up Oyama Lake road and a Blue Herring taking off from very close to the canoe just after we began the journey to Streak Lake from Oyama Lake. With the high water levels this year, there was not only no problem for a canoe to travel between the two lakes but a larger fishing boat also made the journey successfully. The GPS track below will bring you to the lookout and after that there are signs that take you to Oyama Lake. Once you can see Oyama Lake, do not enter the resort to launch (unless you are a guest) but you can use the rec site just to the north of the resort entrance (like 15 yards, eh)
The first pictures below are of the Oyama Lake Recreation site where it is free to camp (you pay for what you get here – not even toilet paper in the outhouse). Once you enter the recreation site you will see the multiple islands of Oyama lake with gentle waves nipping at each shoreline and fishermen jostling for the seemingly best spot while the air is filled with smells of smokies cooking on the grills of a few campers who are taking advantage of the free campsite despite the teams of gawking fishermen launching their boats of all types and sizes in the one stall launch area.
Any of my crown land camping examples have been back country camping or car camping. I wanted to post a few pics of an example where you can camp for free with your motorhome and do better than the average boondocker (Walmart parking lot camping)
Here are the pics of Big Horn Reservoir where a bunch of cool dudes shot guns, completed militia training, practiced opera, drank a little, played loud music till the truck battery died, got wet, muddy and spiritual all all in one weekend.
Big Horn Reservoir from Kelowna is reached by taking Westside Road to Bear Lake Main Forest Service Road (not Beaver Lake Road) and then taking Esperon Forest Service Road to km 26.
Monashee lake is a beautiful alpine lake nestled in the Monashees just past Cherryville. This hike takes you into the heart of an area known as The Pinnacles.
To reach this alpine paradise drive east of Cherryville and follow South Forks FSR off of Hwy 6. Watch out for signs posted that will direct you to the trail head. From the trail head you will hike through a cedar forest, into an alder jungle and eventually up into the alpine. In some areas the trail is difficult to follow because the area is constantly changing from rockfall and spring run-off, watching for ribbons that mark the trail should make things easier. From Monashee lake in the later summer you can hike up to a peak between the three tallest mountains in the Pinnacles (Mt Severide, Pinnacle Peak and Pinnacle E4). From this smaller peak the view is certainly beautiful. There are two possible routes to the peak, one is easier, and one takes you on a scenic walk along a steep ridge. Just below the peak on the other side there is even a small grassy area that could be camped at, although the area must be respected because this is a delicate alpine.
Christie Falls is a spectacular gift situated on the edge of the area know as Fintry Protected Area. Fintry Provincial Park is at the east end of the Shorts Creek canyon where it opens onto Okanagan Lake below Westside Rd. and features the very popular Shorts Creek waterfall. Thanks to Don and Norma Jean for arranging the hiking trip. This I section has a trail and is know probably because it is also a new rock climbing area. The cliffs are flat, steep with a curve inward which allow the falls to cascade over the cliff face uninterrupted before gently touching down 100 meters onto the rocks below. This trip was in August so while there could be a higher volume of water earlier in the year, at the time we were there the great height allowed the water from Christie Creek above to disperse enough so that it seemed to equal the strength of a typical shower. When John took a shower, if he had a bar of Dove soap he may have been hired for a great commercial.
Christie Falls GPS track below begins at the Tim Hortons on Hgwy 97 where our group met to start the trek. We took Westside Rd after crossing the bridge and followed Bear Creek Forest Service Road to km 13 where we went up Esperon FSR to Christie Road. Christie Rd begins about half way past Big Horn Resevoir – a large man made lake on west side of Esperon at the 28 km.
Christie FSR off of Esperon
After we traveled down Christie FSR for a couple km, one of the groups tire went flat. No problem though, some kind of gunk from Canadian Tire was blasted into the tire via the air valve and then pumped up with a handy little pump plugged into the lighter and off we went again. We turned up a short logging road that came to a dead end then parked and found the trail at the end of the “cul-de-sac” of the logging road. I thought this was the second road heading north after entering Christie FSR but after looking on the satellite view via the gps track below, I am not so sure – however it is easily found if you watch the km signs on Christie road – the correct road to take is directly accross from a km sign.
Of course you can also download the track from this site via google maps and upload it to your GPS – or if you have a BlackBerry just follow the indicator until the location matches on the google maps matches the map below. One note of interest on BlackBerry map use. When I want to use Google maps on my BB, I scroll the map through the area that I want to travel so the images download when I have cell service, then when I am using my gps app on my blackberry I can switch between the app and google maps to see whatever i need to see. Sounds confusing but if you use your BB for your GPS, you need to remember to download the map images before you get out of cell service each time you go out. Just make sure you have the map layer of your choice as well as you cannot change between layers without cell service.
A flat tire is quickly taken care of by some Canadian Tire gunk.
The Trail Head is behind the vehicle at the end of this culdesac.
View from the Christie Falls hiking trail head.
Christie Creek runs near by the trail as you walk to the top of the falls, there are two “bridges” to cross on your way. It was interesting to see the growth two years after the Terrace Mountain fire.
Christie Falls Foot Bridge – careful Linda
Christie Falls hiking trail – single track – rocky and hilly – obstacles
Growth after the Terrace Mountain Forest Fire
Christie Falls Foot Bridge – careful Linda
The top of Christie Falls
Canyon view from above Christie Falls
Almost at the Rope Trail down to Christie Falls
Christie Falls near Fintry
Christy Falls with cave behind the falls – to see the folks in the picture – click it, then click it again and zoom in – it gets really big!
