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Okanagan Falls
A Tidbit of History "The Queen City" Okanagan Falls was once known as Kwak-Ne-Ta, "The Little Falls." Every year the Salish people set up camps to catch and dry fish, exchange news and stage sports activities. At this spot, by the Okanagan River, the water swept over the rock "with a voice of thunder and a spray as white as wild cherry blossoms." This special place caught the vision of an Oregon man, W.J. Snodgrass, who settled there and called it Okanagan Falls. He dreamed of a "Queen City" with four railroads intersecting and sternwheeler traffic up and down the lake. He was not very successful in selling his dream and ended up building most of the town himself. In 1908 he gave up his dream, returned to Oregon and later died. The "Falls" of today is showing promise of the dreams of yesteryear as a new shopping mall goes up and many thriving businesses open their doors. With its close proximity to Penticton, people are moving out of the hustle of the fast growing city to live in the quiet of the small town. Country Trek Touring an area can be an enjoyable way to spend the day. Okanagan Falls offers many fine opportunities to explore the history, culture and wildlife of the Okanagan. Start on 9th Ave. and drive east to the end of the road and turn right onto Maple Street. Maple Street will take you all the way to Vaseaux Lake and the junction with Hwy. 97. On the way you will pass the Sunstream Foods, Wild Goose Vineyards, Stag’s Hollow Winery Vineyard, Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars, and Sunrise Vineyard. At Vaseaux Lake you can park at the north end and walk the trail to the lookout booth, or on the east side, you can stop at the Provincial Park and go swimming. McIntyre Road (just opposite the provincial park) will take you to a feeding ground for mountain sheep, but the road gets very rough after the 3 km point, so you should find a place to turn around. You can return to Okanagan Falls along Hwy. 97. Copyright � 2001 Desert Sun Publishing B.C. All rights reserved.
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