Easy hikes and walks in Fintry Provincial Park

Okanagan Lake is the largest lake in the Okanagan Valley, stretching 135 kilometres through south-central British Columbia between Vernon and Penticton. Carved out by repeated glaciation, it’s known as a fjord lake and is deep and narrow, dropping to 100 metres just 10 metres offshore in some places and reaching more than twice that depth farther out. Boaters, swimmers, and paddlers fill the lake all summer, and according to local legend, Ogopogo, the mythical lake creature, lurks somewhere in its depths.

Fintry Provincial Park sits on the western shore of Okanagan Lake and covers 360 hectares of the former Fintry Estate. Captain James Cameron Dun-Waters bought the land in 1909, renamed it Fintry after his Scottish hometown, and built it into a self-sufficient farm with orchards, a hydroelectric system, and an octagonal dairy barn, the only one of its kind in British Columbia. Today, you can tour the restored Manor House, swim or camp along the beach, hike into Shorts Creek Canyon to see Fintry Falls, and watch for wildlife, including bighorn sheep, deer, and plenty of birdlife throughout the park.

After descending more than 400 wooden stairs alongside Shorts Creek, you'll reach Fintry Falls as the creek plunges through a narrow granite canyon. Several viewpoints along the staircase offer different perspectives of the falls, from the upper lip where the water accelerates into the gorge to the lower platforms beside the canyon walls. Spring snowmelt usually brings the strongest flow, while the cool, shaded canyon provides a welcome break from the summer heat.

This platform sits right above Fintry Falls, giving a close-up view of Shorts Creek as it squeezes through the narrow rock channel before plunging into the canyon below. The perspective here is very different from the lower viewpoints, allowing you to watch the water accelerate over the lip of the falls and disappear into the gorge.

Christie Falls Trail takes you through coastal rainforest toward one of the area’s most impressive waterfalls. The hike is relatively short at around 2 kilometres out and back with about 105 metres of elevation gain, but is generally considered moderately challenging due to roots, uneven terrain, and some steeper sections.

Reaching the base of the falls requires a steep, rope-assisted descent, and the final section involves scrambling down rocky terrain. Because of the exposed and slippery conditions, it’s generally not recommended for young children. Many hikers choose to admire the falls from above instead. However, if you are comfortable with the descent the view from the bottom is well worth the effort. The waterfall drops over a rocky cliff into a small canyon and is especially impressive during wetter months when the flow is strongest.

The Bear Creek Recreation Site serves as a common starting point for hikes in the forested hills south of Nanaimo, including the route to Christie Falls. The small recreation site provides basic access to the trail network with free roadside parking and entry to several forest trails.

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