For the syilx/Okanagan people, Okanagan Lake (kɬúsx̌nítkw) was both home and highway. Families travelled the lakeshore and surrounding hills seasonally to harvest roots, berries, fish, and game. Canoes carried people, trade goods, and stories up and down the valley, linking communities from one end of the lake to the other. These traditional travelways remain central to syilx culture and connection to land.
When European fur traders arrived in the 1800s, they followed these well-worn paths. Portions of Westside Road later overlapped with the Hudson’s Bay Fur Brigade Trail, one of the most important trade routes in the Interior. By the early 1900s, wagon roads connected homesteads and ranches along the west side, while paddlewheel boats known as the “White Queens” of Okanagan Lake delivered fruit, freight, and passengers across the water. Elegant vessels like the Aberdeen, Sicamous, and Okanagan became lifelines for valley communities until roads and railways took their place.
During the Great Depression, workers at relief camps carved improvements into the rugged shoreline, transforming Westside Road into a more reliable route. Twisting and turning with the land, the road became known for its dramatic views and challenging curves. Even today, with nearly 330 bends, it carries the playful nickname “Tail of the Ogopogo.”
Travelling Westside Road today is a journey through both history and scenery. In summer, drivers can pause at Bear Creek Provincial Park for lakeside camping and swimming, or hike the canyon trail for sweeping views. In fall, the drive glows with golden colours, especially near Fintry Estate and Provincial Park, where visitors can tour a heritage manor house and climb to waterfalls above the lake. Winter quiets the route, offering crisp vistas and wildlife sightings, while spring brings wildflowers along roadside slopes.
To connect with Indigenous stories past and present, make time to visit the Sncewips Heritage Museum. The museum showcases the living culture, art, and history of the syilx/Okanagan Nation, offering a deeper perspective on the very lands and waters that Westside Road follows.
Westside Road is more than a road between Kelowna and Vernon; it’s a living thread of connection, from syilx travelways and fur brigade trails to modern-day road trips. Each curve carries the memory of the people who travelled before, and each stop offers a chance to experience the layered stories of the Okanagan Valley.
