Okanagan Falls Provincial Park, Provincial park in Okanagan-Similkameen, British Columbia, Canada.
Sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ Provincial Park covers two hectares at the western edge of Okanagan Falls, separated from the settlement by the Okanagan River. It protects the site of the falls below the outlet of Skaha Lake, where step-like rapids were lost in 1950 when a flood control dam was built. The park has 25 campsites for tents or recreational vehicles and basic sanitary facilities.
The protected area was established in 1956 and received its current name in 2015, reflecting the historical importance to Indigenous peoples in the region. This renaming marked a broader recognition of the original connection to the place.
The name sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ means "little falls" in the Okanagan language and refers to the step-like rapids at the outlet of Skaha Lake, which were lost in 1950 when a flood control dam was built over them. The park closes each year on the third weekend of September for the Okanagan Nation Alliance's Salmon Feast, which raises awareness of Okanagan history and culture and of efforts to restore sockeye salmon in the Okanagan River; everyone is welcome, but campsites are closed to the public that weekend.
The park lies on the west edge of Okanagan Falls, separated from the settlement by the Okanogan River, and is reached from the nearby Okanagan Highway. It has 25 pitches for tents or motorhomes and basic sanitary facilities. The campsites close to the general public on the third weekend of September for the Okanagan Nation Alliance's Salmon Feast.
The name sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ means "little falls" in the Okanagan language and links the site to Kettle Falls in Washington, another historic salmon-fishing spot. The step-like rapids below Skaha Lake disappeared in 1950 when a flood-control dam was built over them.
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