Did you know that you can see the salmon run in Penticton? Yes, it’s possible to witness one of nature’s most spectacular shows right here in the Peach City! Both sockeye and kokanee salmon can be found within city limits.
The salmon travel great distances to reach their spawning grounds. During spawning, female salmon dig shallow depressions in the gravel (a redd) and deposits her eggs. The male then fertilises them and the eggs are covered with gravel to protect them throughout the winter.
In this post, I’ll share where to go to see the salmon run in Penticton. I had no clue salmon could be found in the Okanagan Valley when we moved here in 2015. Now seeing them is one of my favourite things to do in fall in Penticton.
Sockeye salmon in Penticton
There are two types of salmon that return to Penticton to spawn in fall every year – sockeye and kokanee.
Sockeye is one of the five species of Pacific salmon. The sockeye swim all the way from the Pacific Ocean to the Okanagan River Channel, via the Columbia River. It’s a very long and challenging journey (around 6000km!), but thousands of sockeye salmon somehow manage to make it every year.
These salmon are actually born in freshwater and go through a physiological change to adapt to salt water as they swim to the Pacific. It takes about four years from spawning for them to return to spawn themselves. The kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ Hatchery is located on the Penticton Indian Band.
For more than 100 years, the sockeye were prevented from swimming beyond the top of the Okanagan River Channel into Okanagan Lake by a dam. In 2025, a salmon passage was built by the Syilx Nation in partnership with the City of Penticton, the province and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. It enables the sockeye to bypass the dam.
The timing of the sockeye salmon run varies from year to year as they usually wait in Skaha Lake until temperatures drop. Most often, this happens in mid to late October.
Kokanee salmon in Penticton
Kokanee are a type of ‘landlocked’ salmon, meaning that they never leave the freshwater system. Usually silver in colour, the kokanee turn red during spawning.
The kokanee lay eggs in the gravel bottom of both Penticton Creek and Ellis Creek. Once hatched, they travel into the local lakes and then return to spawn in the creeks a few years later.
The City of Penticton has been working to restore the natural habitats of both creeks. Penticton Creek was turned into a concrete channel in the 1950s to help prevent flooding, while Ellis Creek has been narrowed and damaged by dam breaches over the years.
Naturalising work on these creeks is ongoing, with Penticton Creek slowly being transformed section by section. One of the best restored areas can be viewed from the bridge on Ellis Street, near Highway 97 Brewing.
Spawning in Penticton Creek and Ellis Creek usually happens from mid September to early October, with the peak often in late September. It does vary from year to year, however. Kokanee can also be spotted in the Okanagan River Channel.
Where to see salmon in Penticton
- The footbridge near the Japanese garden in Okanagan Lake Park (kokanee)
- Front Street bridge (kokanee)
- Ellis Street bridge (kokanee)
- Wade Avenue footbridge (kokanee)
- KVR footbridge between Government Street and Pickering Street (kokanee)
- Okanagan Lake dam, near Loco Landing (sockeye)
- The Channel Pathway (sockeye)
- Watch the salmon from home via the new fish passage webcam at the Okanagan Lake Dam
I’d highly recommend also visiting Hardy Falls in Peachland. The kokanee salmon are very easy to see in this small canyon creek. Spawning usually starts in early September and continues into October. The peak is usually in mid/late September, depending on the year.
Salmon watching tips
Keep the following in mind while watching the salmon.
- Stay quiet – noise can disturb the salmon. Approach the riverbank slowly and softly.
- Consider leaving your dog at home. If you do bring your dog, keep them on a leash and stay back from the water
- Polarised sunglasses can help with the glare of the water and help you see thembetter
- If you can, go earlier rather than later. It can get a little sinky towards the end of the salmon run. It’s a sad fact that the salmon die in this progress so expect to see some fish carcasses
- Keep in mind that there are plenty of animals that enjoy feasting on the dead salmon. I’ve never heard about any bear sightings related to the salmon run in the Penticton area but it doesn’t mean that it is not impossible!
1 thought on “Where to See the Salmon Run in Penticton”
Comments are closed.