Spion Kop Hike |summer bucket list 2017|

A few weekends ago Jeremy, Lexi and I took a trip to a well-known hike in Lake Country, Spion Kop and we most definitely were not disappointed. We started at the Upper Lakes Trail Head and hiked to the Grand Lookout. It gave a breath taking panoramic view of Okanagan Lake and Bear and Knox Mountain. This is one of the first hikes that we have down in the Okanagan and I would love to do it again. Then we could explore some of the other tails that ran off of the one we chose to adventure down. I will be honest with you, when looking at the map we were confused to why it wraps back around its self like a switch back. And we definitely found out why after getting off track and hiking a straight incline of nothing more than loose rock and sand. It was like a goat trail and it really made me feel like one, now Lexi on the other hand, she loved it!

Okay, okay, okay it wasn’t that bad, although it was a little challenging! Maybe going at three pm in 30-degree weather when the sun is beating down right over top of you isn’t the best idea, (just a heads up) but it was never-the-less rewarding. Once we reached it to the top it leveled off and the trees thickened then dissipated to an opening over looking all of Okanagan Lake and Knox Mountain. The view was gorgeous and the lake goes as far as the eye can see shimmering in that “come jump in me” blue. It made me want to hike to the other lookouts but with the heat and our nearly empty water bottles, we decided to head back down. Over all, the hike only took us about an hour and a half including the stopping we did. I would recommend this hike to anyone and everyone. If you are looking for a short hike and a view then this hike is for you!

A little about Spion Kop

 Spion Kop is said to have first been used by Leslie Caesar, a veteran in the Boer War. The name ‘Spion Kop’ is a Dutch term for ‘lookout hill’ and has been used for over 100 years by locals around the Okanagan. The Hike has seven different trails ranging in difficulty from easy to extreme leading to three different lookouts and has four different trailheads. These lookouts give you an amazing view Okanagan or Kalamalaka Lake and the mountains around the Okanagan. If you want to enjoy this hike yourself click here (Spion Kop Map) to see the map and directions.