Spotted Lake Tours

Spotted Lake featuring a lake or waterhole and tranquil scenes
Spotted Lake
Spotted Lake which includes tranquil scenes, a lake or waterhole and landscape views
Spotted Lake showing a lake or waterhole
Spotted Lake which includes a lake or waterhole


This seemingly magical body of water in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley reveals its natural polka dots each summer, thanks to the lake’s high mineral content.

The Okanagan Valley is dotted with lakes big and small, from Osoyoos Lake to Vaseux Lake, but there’s only one that has dots of its own. Spotted Lake, which lives up to its name each summer, is located northwest of Osoyoos and is considered one of the region’s must-see locations for its naturally occurring phenomenon.

Each summer, as the lake water evaporates, briny mineral pools are left behind, full of calcium, sodium sulphates, and magnesium sulphate that runs into the lake from the surrounding hills. As the summer heats up, these pools are left behind, creating dots on the surface of the water. Notice the unique colors of each dot, which depend on the mineral concentration in that particular pool. As the lake water slowly evaporates, the pools shift in size and color, ranging from blue to green to yellow.

The lake, originally known by the First Nations of the Okanagan Valley as Kliluk, has long been considered a sacred place. The First Nations people believed that each circle held different healing and medicinal properties. The land around the lake was privately owned for 40 years, but was purchased by the federal government in 2001 for the benefits and uses of the Okanagan Nation. Learn more at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Center, run by the Indigenous people of the Okanagan and providing in-depth information about the history and significance of Spotted Lake.

Plan to see the lake from one of the vantage points along Highway 3. A fence protects the culturally and ecologically sensitive lake and its shores as part of the Okanagan Grasslands Protected Area. The best time to see the spots is in the hot summer months when the lake water has evaporated.

Find Spotted Lake northwest of Osoyoos in the eastern Similkameen Valley of British Columbia.

Plan a trip to see Spotted Lake

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Cassandra Hotel
Summit Lodge Boutique Hotel
Tyndall Stone Lodge by Whiski Jack

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Best Lodging Options Near Spotted Lake

Park Inn by Radisson Osoyoos

Park Inn by Radisson Osoyoos

2.5 out of 5
9130 Main St, Osoyoos, BC
Park Inn by Radisson Osoyoos
Sonora Desert Inn

Sonora Desert Inn

2.5 out of 5
10238 160 Ave, Osoyoos, BC
Sonora Desert Inn
Shiraz Villa

Shiraz Villa

3.5 out of 5
12190 Highway 3, Osoyoos, BC
Shiraz Villa
Large home  4 bed and 4 bath two separate suites home two kitchens water views

Large home 4 bed and 4 bath two separate suites home two kitchens water views

Osoyoos
Large home 4 bed and 4 bath two separate suites home two kitchens water views
Ciliegia Villa

Ciliegia Villa

3 out of 5
12795 87th Street, Osoyoos, BC
Ciliegia Villa
Walnut Beach Resort

Walnut Beach Resort

4 out of 5
4200 Lakeshore Dr, Osoyoos, BC
Walnut Beach Resort
Watermark Beach Resort

Watermark Beach Resort

4 out of 5
15 Park Place, Osoyoos, BC
Watermark Beach Resort
Richter Pass Beach Resort

Richter Pass Beach Resort

2.5 out of 5
7506 Main St, Osoyoos, BC
Richter Pass Beach Resort
Sandcastle Cottage on Osoyoos Lake - Family Friendly, prime location in complex.

Sandcastle Cottage on Osoyoos Lake - Family Friendly, prime location in complex.

Oliver
Sandcastle Cottage on Osoyoos Lake - Family Friendly, prime location in complex.
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.