Trail: Naramata Creek Falls
Trail Distance: 2km round-trip
Trail Difficulty: Easy with Moderate creek crossings
Directions
Located in Naramata. From Hwy 97 in Penticton, turn left on Westminister Ave West and continue straight onto Front Street. At the roundabout, take the second exit onto Vancouver Ave. Continue onto Lower Bench Road. Turn right onto Tupper Ave and continue onto Middle Bench Road. Continue on as the road changes to Munson Road, then to Upper Bench Road, then to McMillan Ave and finally to Naramata Road. Carry on for almost 10km and turn right into the entrance for Naramata Creek Park.
Description
Naramata Creek Park is the perfect little getaway this spring! With rushing water along Naramata Creek and moss lined rocks, the scenery is pure perfection!
From the parking area, the trail is flat and easy to follow. We crossed a wooden bridge and continued to stick along side the creek. We soon came to a few abnormally large boulders.
From there, we meandered along the trail, then crossed two more bridges and realized that was the last of them. From there on there are two more creek crossings with a slight chance of getting your feet wet, depending on how good your balance is.
Continuing on, the sound of the rushing water grew louder and the falls were soon in sight! At this moment, the water levels are high with spring run off making these falls a sight to see! As the creek cascades over the rock's edge, it comes towering down and splits the creek before reconnecting and flowing down stream. With a strong spray coming off the falls, it makes the surrounding ecosystem very lush! Naramata Creek continues on and runs right through the town of Naramata before emptying into the Okanagan Lake.
We followed the trail to a couple fantastic view points to get a few different angles of the falls. If you continue past the falls, you will shortly end up along the KVR. From there, you can walk for as long as you'd like in either direction, but we ended our hike at the falls and headed back to the parking lot.
Please note that around the falls it can be very dangerous, especially if the rocks and ground are wet. Stay away from any edges and be cautious of your footing.
Remember to always be mindful of your surroundings, pack out what you pack in, stick to the trails and Happy Exploring!
Things to bring:
Dogs on leash welcome
Good footwear
Bear spray is always a good thing to carry
Water/ Snack
Phone/ Camera
Special Note: Watch out for poison ivy and snakes.
Born and raised in the Okanagan, Kristy Draginda has always had a strong passion for the outdoors. Whether it be hiking to the top of a mountain or standing below a waterfall, she says there is no better feeling than being inspired by nature. Follow along as Kristy shares different hiking locations in and around the Okanagan. For more adventure photos, check out Hiking the Okanagan on Instagram or Facebook.
