iN PHOTOS: Why Okanagan’s colourful Kalamalka Lake is a must-visit

Known for its deep blue to turquoise and green water colour, Kalamalka Lake along Highway 97 between Vernon and Oyama offers activities for everyone to enjoy. The lake is within the Kalamalka Provincial Park and Protected Area, a natural grassland in the District of Coldstream and is open all season long. Not only is the area home to an abundance of flora and fauna to observe, it offers recreational activities from hiking to swimming, to paddling and fishing. Over 14 kilometres of trails run through the park from high viewpoints above the lake down to main beaches. Kiosks at main trailheads have interpretive information, and there are benches on the trails for taking in views, according to BC Parks. https://bcparks.ca/kalamalka-lake-park/ Visitors can paddle, canoe and kayak on the lake and the shoreline is dotted with secluded coves for picnics and swimming. Mountain biking is allowed in most areas of the park, and a 25 km stretch of the Okanagan Rail Trail runs along the east side of the lake from Wood Lake to Coldstream, open for cyclists, joggers and walkers. For those who love fishing, the lake is home to 16 fish species, and the most popular species caught here are rainbow trout, kokanee and northern pike, according to Angler's Atlas. https://www.anglersatlas.com/place/100465/kalamalka-lake There are three boat launches around the lake and a large shoal area at the southern end, which is an ideal place to cast a line. For camping, the park has 69 vehicle-accessible campsites and campgrounds at the north and south ends of the lake.  To access the lake from Kelowna, head north along Highway 97 towards Vernon. The highway meets the southwest corner of the lake about 30 km from Kelowna, and the park entrance is roughly another 10 km after that. If you have photos of popular natural gems in your neighbourhood, send them to news@infonews.ca. mailto:news@infonews.ca To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Ainslie mailto:sainslie@infonews.ca  or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .