The City Of Salmon Arm British Columbia

The Shuswap BC
& Roots And Blues Festival Awaits You

The city of Salmon Arm sits along the edge of the Shuswap Lake, and as you drive into the community you immediately get a feeling of pure and simple fresh.

It just makes you want to open your windows and take a big breath of the pure clean mountain air!

Salmon Arm, British Columbia, is located 108 km (67 mi.) east of Kamloops, BC, on the Trans Canada Highway or from Kelowna BC, 106 km. (64 mi.) along Highway 97A and 97B.

When you visit this beautiful community of about 17,000 people, you'll find an interestingly unique variety of art and culture, beautiful lush forest and the deep blue waters of the Shuswap.

Salmon Arm, BC claims to house North America's longest wharf, and is one of the city's main attractions.

The first wharf was built in 1865, to accommodate large stern wheelers for transporting goods and people in and out of the Shuswap area. It was reconstructed in 1986.

A walk along the wharf gives you a great opportunity to watch the wildlife (it's a popular place for birding) and to just take in the beautiful mountain scenery! The first geographical reference to the Salmon Arm area was in 1813-14 by explorer David Thompson.

In the fall of 1885 the CP Railway was built through the area and in 1890 the community was officially created.

Apple growing was once one of Salmon Arm's leading industries. The first apple orchard was planted in 1891. Fruit growers sold their fruit locally, to the CPR for its dining cars and hotels, and to the moning camps of southeastern British Columbia. In the winter of l949/l950 an extended cold-spell, with sever frost and temperatures of -35 degrees, killed or badly damaged many of the trees, and caused a decline in the fruit industry. Many fruit growers simply did not replant.

Other industries in the area came to include dairy farming, lumber and plywood manufacturing, and fruit growing was re-established.

Salmon Arm is where you'll find everything from cheese factories, to fruit orchards and pumpkin patches, to dog sledding and cross country skiing, biking, hiking, and golf, to some of the best festivals and endless leisure recreation in beautiful and very distinct seasons throughout the year. One of our firs stops in the city is always at Gort's Gouda to load up on their amazing Gouda Cheese! During the summer months you can take a tour of the factory and farm.

Salmon Arm Recreation And Attractions

The city of Salmon Arm and the Shuswap is well known for its beautiful, lush setting amidst the lush forested mountains. Salmon Arm has excellent Watersport facilities, hiking trails, fishing opportunities and opportunities for learning about ecological preservation in the Okanagan valley. If you prefer to stay on solid ground, you'll find some of the most beautiful camping and RV parks all around the area! There are beautiful parks, both provincial and municipal, to visit, and this area is fantastic for those who enjoy canoeing and kayaking!

Birdwatching

The Western Grebe Breeding Habitat in the city of Salmon Arm bay of Shuswap Lake, where for more than 20 years club members have monitored and recorded nesting data of these amazing birds. The Western Grebe, a large waterbird that breeds in the interior of British Columbia and winters on the coast, is at risk in this province because its specialized habitat requirements limit it to only a few nesting locations and because of human disturbance at these sites.

British Columbia has a great many lakes, but only a few meet the Western Grebe's nesting criteria. The Western Grebe's unique courtship ceremonies are among the most complex known among birds, and that's what makes them so unique!

The elaborate and energetic series of courting rituals begins soon after the Grebes reach their nesting colonies in late April or early May. Soon after, young chicks can be seen riding on their parents backs.

The Salmon Arm bay became a protected area in 1988 and continues to study the Western Grebe. The City Of Salmon Arm hosts the annual Grebe Festival, which began in 1997, and is held in May, when these easily observed birds are actively courting along the waterfront.

The festival heightens awareness about Western Grebes and the need for their protection.

Great Summer Music Festivals

One of the biggest events of the city of Salmon Arm is the annual Roots and Blues Festival, which takes place during the month of August.

The festival is a 3-day outdoor, family oriented, music festival with multi-cultural music such as...well yes, roots and blues! And a bit of Gospel too! The Roots and Blues Festival has lots of fun displays, good food, artisans, an area for kids and a beer gardens. You're guaranteed to leave with a song or two on your new list of favorites!

Adam's River Salmon Run

Along the Salmon River you'll find viewing areas and picnic sites where you can spend the day watching the wildlife! Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park is another wonderful park to visit, especially during the Adams River sockeye salmon run in October.

Every 4th year is a "dominant" run, with millions of salmon swimming back to their place of birth, with the next dominant run in 2010. The park also has an extensive trail system that is used for cross-country skiing & snow-shoeing in winter, for hiking and mountain biking in summer.

Provincial Parks

The Shuswap Highlands, mountains surrounding the city of Salmon Arm and the Shuswap provide beautiful trails for x-country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter months, and mountain biking and hiking during summer. 14 kilometres from the Trans Canada Highway along the western shore of the Salmon Arm on Shuswap Lake, is Herald Provincial Park, where you can spend the day hiking and biking up to Margaret Falls. Herald Provincial Park is a popular spot for camping and as a day trip for exploring the area and bird watching. There's also a boat launch available.

Other British Columbia Provincial Parks around the city of Salmon Arm area are Anstey-Hunakwa Protected Area, Shuswap Lake Marine Provincial Park, Shuswap Lake Provincial Park and Silver Beach Provincial Park. Visit the BC Provincial Parks website for more information about these parks.

House Boat Vacations

Houseboat vacations are, of course, at the top of many vacation lists when it comes to the North Okanagan and summer vacation ideas. Houseboat rentals are available in the city of Salmon Arm, and the Shuswap has the largest houseboat fleet in Canada and generally need to be booked well in advance. You can enjoy luxury houseboat rentals on the Shuswap from Salmon Arm to Sicamous and onto Mara Lake.

No matter how many people you're on vacation with, you can find a variety of rentals of luxury vessels. Want to get married on a house boat? Yup, you can do that too! Whether you're up for a lazy day of floating in the BC sun, or an active day of swimming and fishing.

House boat rentals come in a variety of models with different options onboard the vessels, to make a home on the water. Some sleep 15 to 20 people and even have hot tubs, fireplace and water slides! Peak season for houseboat rentals is between the beginning of July and mid to end of August. Low season rates, for a weekly rental can save you about 40% on rentals, so if your dates are flexible, you may want to consider a houseboat vacation in Salmon Arm and the Shuswap outside of the July and August parameters.