Fall Things to Do
Fall for the North Okanagan’s Prettiest Season
Mild weather and blue-sky days make autumn a tempting season for outdoor pursuits in the North Okanagan. Regional lakes still draw paddlers and boaters, but as the foliage bleeds from green to gold, those dramatic colours draw hikers, runners, and cyclists to the forests and trails. After each adventure, refuel and refresh with the season’s bounty—apples, veggies, pumpkins, and fall bouquets.
Get Active Outdoors
Crisp mornings in the Trails Capital of BC hint at the changing season, but mild afternoons beckon paddlers, golfers, hikers, and bikers to the North Okanagan’s lakes, fairways, and hundreds of kilometres of pathways.
Hiking
With hundreds of kilometres of pathways, the North Okanagan has a hike for every season. In fall, trek up the Enderby Cliffs trail for views of the larch and birch trees turning gold, try the High Rim Trail for high-country colours, or hike along the Okanagan Rail Trail where aspens and poplars blaze yellow.
Explore Trails
Biking
Take advantage of autumn’s spectacular two-wheel views on trails that showcase the changing season. Good bets include the Okanagan Rail Trail that hugs aquamarine Kalamalka Lake, the fast and flowy mountain biking trails in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park, and the Gray Canal Trail that overlooks a colourful patchwork of farms and fields.
Find Fun on Two Wheels
Salmon Run
Add some water colour to autumn’s palette by watching orange salmon return to their spawning grounds to reproduce. Walk the Salmon Trail in Lumby to see these ocean swimmers in local creeks, or visit the Kingfisher Interpretive Centre near Enderby to learn more about this keystone species’ lifecycle.
Head to the Rivers
Golfing
There’s no bad tee time during a North Okanagan fall, with clear days, mild temperatures, and spectacular lake and mountain views. Practice your swing at one of Vernon’s five courses that appeal to beginners and pros alike, and stay open through October.
Swing into Spring
Harvest Activities
Taste the season when the fall harvest lands at produce stands, farmers’ markets and attractions like Davison Orchards Country Village. Enjoy the cornucopia by loading up on fruits and veggies, getting lost in a corn maze, or visiting a pumpkin patch during Armstong’s annual Harvest Pumpkin Festival.
Celebrate the Harvest
Trail Running
Lace up your trail runners to try one of Canada’s fastest growing sports in Vernon, the Trails Capital of BC. Enjoy short, scenic loops in Kalamalka Lake or Ellison provincial parks, or go the distance on a longer section of the Okanagan Rail Trail or High Rim Trail.
Find Fun Trails
Fall Events
Embrace the changing seasons with festivals and events that nod to nature, wildlife, and the North Okanagan’s bountiful harvest.
Bloom Sunflower Festival
Capture the perfect Instagram pic at the Bloom Sunflower Festival in Armstrong Spallumcheen, where you can see over 20 varieties of the happy yellow blooms. In between photo ops, enjoy lawn games, food trucks, and flower u-picks.
Find out More
Harvest Pumpkin Festival
Find the perfect seasonal gourd at the Armstrong Fairgrounds during this annual celebration of pumpkins, scarecrows, and the community’s deep agricultural roots. Don’t miss the wagon rides, great pumpkin weigh-in, or the pumpkin catapult.
Plan Your Visit
Wild Mushroom Tours
Learn to identify wild mushrooms on an introductory tour with Elements Adventure Company in Lumby. Half-day and full-day tours teach budding mycophiles how to correctly recognize forest fungi.
Foraging Tours
Vernon Farmers’ Market
Stock up the larder with seasonal produce, farm-fresh eggs, honey, and more, at Vernon’s weekly Farmers’ Market. It’s also an opportunity to decorate the kitchen with locally made cutting boards, oven mitts, dish towels, soap, and other accessories.
Event Information
Sundog Festival
Vernon’s end-of-summer arts and culture celebration will get you dancing when bands take to the stage all day and into the evening in Polson Park. The festival also features Indigenous cultural programming, an artisan market, theatre performances, and art exhibits.
Explore Events
Explore North Okanagan
Slow down and veer off the beaten path in five welcoming communities connected by lakes, forests, mountains, and hundreds of kilometres of trails. Armstrong, Enderby, Lumby, Silver Star and Vernon welcome adventurers in all seasons to play, rest and refuel. Find your happy place in the great outdoors, at a community event, or with family and friends at a farm-to-table restaurant.
