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Attention
Visitors - Important Notice!
If
you are interested in volunteer Park Host positions
(the Volunteer Park Host Program is a hospitality service
for park visitors), there are currently positions available
at this park. For
more information, click
here.
Park
Info:
Nestled on the northeastern shore of Okanagan Lake, Ellison
Provincial Park includes 200 hectares of forested benchlands
above a rocky shoreline of scenic headlands and sheltered
coves. The park's natural attractions, combined with the
dry, sunny Okanagan climate provide many recreational
opportunities from spring through fall. Hiking trails
along the scenic headlands are steep and require care
and attention.

Park
Size: 200
hectares
Special
Notes:
Management
Planning:
Management
Planning Information
- The
approved Master
Plan is now available in PDF format.
Location:
If
coming from Highway 97 north, turn right on 25th Avenue (main intersection downtown
Vernon), park is 16 km or approximately 20 minutes from that junction. If
coming
from Highway 97 south, turn left on 25th Avenue (in Vernon), through Okanagan
Landing Road,
follow blue and white VIP signs saying Ellison Park.
Map/Brochure:
Any maps listed are for
information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be
used for navigation.

Nature
& Culture:
- Cultural
Heritage - A rich cultural
history is illustrated by signs of native habitation in four archaeological
sites and by old European homesteads.
- Conservation - Most
of the park is dominated by stands of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir
with grassy open areas typical of the Okanagan Basin landscape. A
blue-listed plant species, Engelmann's knotweed, is also found in
the park.
- Wildlife - Porcupines, deer and columbian ground squirrels are common along the trail above Okanagan Lake.
- General Wildlife, Marine & Outdoor Ethics Information
Visitor
Safety:
Visitor
Safety Information (park
safety, hazards, wildlife safety information, health risks)

Reservations:For
parks that accept reservations,
all vehicle accessible campsites (with the exception of
group sites) must be reserved through Discover
Camping.
Campsite
Reservations:
Campsite
reservations
are accepted and first-come, first-served sites are also
available.
Explore
Parks: Fees, park listings, what
you should know before you go and other useful links.
Contact
Information:
Quality Recreation Ltd.
Email address: quality-recreation@shaw.ca
Phone: 1-250-545-9943 (Apr-Oct)

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This
park offers 71 vehicle accessible campsites, 8 of
which are double sites. There
are no pull through sites at this park. Campsite
reservations are accepted (49 of these sites
are reservable) and first-come, first-served sites
are also available.
While there is no gatehouse, an information shelter
and telephone are located where the access road
enters the campground.The park is open from April
1 to October 31. In the off-season (Nov 1-March
31) a locked gate blocks the access road at Okanagan
Landing road. It is roughly 300 m down a steep
grade
to the campsites, making walk-in camping difficult
in the off-season. Through the summer, the gate
is closed between 11:00pm and 7:00 am.
Most
sites are large and well-shaded by a canopy of mature
Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine. The sites are well-spaced
and the abundance of low shrubs affords privacy.
The campsite pads are gravel and have fire rings
and picnic tables. For very large RVs (over 50 feet)
the entrances to the pads may be narrow and there
are a few low-hanging branches to watch out for.
The closest store is a general store roughly ten
kilometres away in Okanagan Landing or in Vernon
for more services.
Vehicle
Accessible Camping Fee: $24.00 per party /night BC
Senior's Rate (Shoulder Season only):
$12.00 per senior's couple/night
Hours
of Operation - All dates are subject
to change without notice |
Opening
and Closing Campground Dates: (campground
is accessible but may not offer full services
such as water, security, etc.)
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April
1 - October 31
(gate is closed during off-season) |
| Campground
Dates with Full Services and Fees: |
April
1 - October 31 |
| Campground
Reservable Dates: |
May
16 - September 4 |
| Total
Number of Vehicle Accessible Campsites: |
71 |
| Number
of Reservable Campsites, if applicable:
(all remaining sites are first-come, first-served) |
49 |
| Note: The above information is for the campground only. Park users can still walk into the park if conditions such as weather permit. Check the "Attention Visitor Notice" above for park alerts. |
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No wilderness, backcountry
or walk-in camping. |
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No group campsites. |
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Day-use
Area Vehicle Parking Fee:
$1.00 per vehicle / hour to a maximum of $3.00 per vehicle per/day. For information about yearly parking passes, or further information
about parking fees, click
here.Two beautiful bays with
over 50 picnic tables and a group picnic area are reached
by trail from the day-use parking lot. Volleyball nets
are available.
There
are two parking lots for the day-use area beaches.
The two main beaches are accessed by a steep,
coarsely
paved trail with benches conveniently located at
the switchbacks.
Otter
Bay has a pit toilet, fountain tap and volleyball
net. Picnic tables with views
of the lake line the crescent-shaped beach of coarse
pink sand. The area is shaded by well-spaced Douglas
fir trees with an open understory. The tables are on
cement pads and the ground is pebbly gravel. There
are
no fire pits or BBQ attachments for the tables. The
swimming area is marked with swim buoys and there
are
also mooring buoys. The bay is sheltered by rocky headlands
making it a great spot for swimming.
South
Bay has a fountain tap. The
picnic tables sit slightly above the large sandy beach
and are separated from it by a low rock wall. Ponderosa
pines are interspersed amongst the tables allowing
for
some shade. The area offers a great view of the Fintry
delta to the south and the other side of the lake.
The
swimming area is marked with buoys and mooring buoys
stretch to the south towards a third beach.
The
third beach, Sandy Beach, is a pet beach accessed
by
a trail of hard-packed dirt from between sites 11 and
12. A pit toilet is found roughly 50m up from the
beach.
The beach has coarse pink sand and is the smallest
of the three beaches. Pets are allowed in this area.
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Some
facilities in the park are wheelchair accessible.
The
trails down to the lake are paved; however, they are
steep and require caution. There is a drop off area
at the beach but vehicles must return to the parking
lot. There are three wheelchair accessible toilets
and a wheelchair accessible shower in the park.
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Cold
spring water is available for cooking and drinking;
6 taps are located throughout the campground.
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There
is one pit and eight flush toilets, as well
as a shower building located throughout
the campground. There are no electrical outlets
or hot water
in the washrooms. |
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There
is a shower building ( new June 2006) in the campground.
There is an outside cold water shower at beach area
to aid in prevention of swimmer's itch.
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No sani-station/dump facilities. |
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While campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite, we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using campstoves instead. Firewood can be purchased from the Park Facility Operator or you can bring your own wood. Fees for firewood are set locally and may vary from park to park. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don't gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil. |
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There are no electrical hook-ups in this park. |
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There
are no regularly scheduled interpretive programs
at this park, though there is an amphitheatre capable
of seating 120 located in the campground beside
site 59.
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Over 6 km of easy walking
trails, with some steep sections, access many of the
park's natural features and viewpoints. For your own
safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted
signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails
destroys plant life and soil structure.
Trails
along the tops of the rocky headlands offer panoramic
vistas of Okanagan Lake north to Spallumcheen and south
to Fintry as well as Terrace Mountain and the communities
of Westside road; however, please use caution
while hiking as these trails are difficult.
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A
children's playground is found in a corner of the
irrigated
lawn flanked by sites 51-59 and 62-71. The lawn can
be seen opposite the service yard and forms an open
area with potential for a variety of games. There
are
four tables near the wood and plastic adventure playground,
which has numerous slides, a tire swing, and multiple
levels. The base of the playground is sand. Volleyball
nets are also available at the North beach.
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There
are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks. Warm
waters and a gradually sloping bottom provide excellent
swimming at three main beaches. The swimming areas
are
designated with buoys to keep boats out. The park also
features western Canada's only freshwater dive park,
where sunken artifacts add to the fascinating plant
and animal life. Swimmers itch may be present at
times during the year.
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Canoes and kayaks are welcome.
No rentals at the park. |
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This park does not have
a boat launch. There are several nearby, approximately
10 minutes away. Houseboats can pull ashore at Sandy
Beach, the standard park camping fee is charged for
overnight use. Mooring buoys offshore in South Bay and
Otter Bay are part of a marine park system sponsored
by the Okanagan's yacht clubs. Water-skiing and cruising
are also popular.
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Various freshwater fish
available in Okanagan Lake. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must
have an appropriate licence. |
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Bicycles must keep to roadways.
Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia. No mountain biking trails are
available. |
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No horseback riding. |
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Pets/domestic
animals must be on a leash at all times and
are not allowed in beach areas (except Sandy
Beach) or park buildings. You are responsible
for their behaviour and must dispose of their
excrement. Sandy Beach, a pet beach is accesed
from the trail leading out of the campground
between sites 11 and 12.
Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or
other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential
for problems with bears.
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There
are no viewing platforms, but the nature of the topography allows for great
views of Okanagan Lake.

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If
the area receives enough snowfall, the park could provide snowshoeing
opportunities along the easy nature trails, though the park is not
a destination for the activity.
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There are SCUBA diving/snorkelling opportunities
at the underwater dive park located at Otter Bay.
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No
windsurfing opportunities. |
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No
waterskiing opportunities. |
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No
hunting in the park. |
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The
small granite cliffs by South Bay are used for climbing, mainly by
locals and beginners due to their small size and moderate degree of
difficulty. There is scrambling, bouldering and top-rope climbing in
short pitches. Local recreation groups offer guided rock
climbing and outdoor recreation day camps in the park.
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No
spelunking or caving opportunities. |
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There are two yurts located near the playground
(sites 51/53) available and can be reserved by
phone only through Discover
Camping or on a first-come first-serve bases.
The total cost is $65/night/site and allows
up to 4 people with one vehicle,
includes
a top single/bottom double bunk bed, picnic table
and fire pit. Please note:
you must bring your own sheets/pillows/blankets,
no
pets or cooking allowed in the yurt and an additional
$20 key deposit will be required on arrival;
then
refundable upon return of keys.
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