Categories: Things To Do

With 7 km of floating, this BC spot might be home to Canada’s laziest river

Photo via Amy K. Mitchell / Shutterstock.com

Ah yes, the Okanagan. It is without a doubt one of the best summer destinations not just in BC, but all of Canada. And today, we’re looking at a standout activity- floating down what might be Canada’s laziest river. Let’s check it out!

Located in Penticton, the river is actually a manmade channel connecting Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake. The channel has actually been around for over a century, but was originally meant for passenger vessels and freight services. However, due to its rugged nature, that proved to be more hassle than it was worth.

So, a plan was dreamt up to fix it! The river was continuously dredged (basically smoothed out) for decades, up until the completion of the Penticton River Project back in 1953. And by then, the residents had discovered just how nice it was to float down on a lazy Sunday.

Ever since, this free-to-access river channel has provided a phenomenal summer activity for locals and tourists alike! Stretching some 7 kilometres, the Penticton River Channel takes around 3-4 hours to float down, and has multiple launch points for different lengths.

Pick up an inner tube before the float, or rent something a little bigger from one of the nearby watersports companies. Pro tip: renting does usually come with the bonus of a shuttle once you get to the end.

The more you know, folks! Now get out there and enjoy what might be Canada’s laziest river float.