Savona

History

Savona was originally located on the north shore of Kamloops Lake, where it was the end of the stagecoach line from Cache Creek on the Cariboo Wagon Road. Originally passengers continuing on had to take the steamboat up the lake to Kamloops and the Shuswap Country and the goldfields of the Big Bend of the Columbia River until a man named Francis Savona started a ferry across the river at that location. A road was later built along the south side of Kamloops Lake to Kamloops (the town).

In 1884, Savona was the eastern end of Andrew Onderdonk's contract for building the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) for the Canadian government. Because the railway was on the south side of the river, most of the houses were pulled across the lake on the ice, moving the community to where it is today. In 1915, the Canadian Northern Pacific Railway, now part of Canadian National Railway was built along the north side of Kamloops Lake.

Location

Savona is a small community at the west end of Kamloops Lake on the Thompson River. It is approximately halfway between Kamloops and Cache Creek along the Trans-Canada Highway. The surrounding area is semi-arid grasslands and hills supporting cattle ranching and agriculture.

Places to See

• Juniper Beach Provincial Park
  
  Juniper Beach was established as a Provincial Park in 1989. The park protects a representative desert landscape which contains sagebrush, prickly pear cacti, and of course, juniper. Part of the landscape includes deep post-glacial deposits and large scale erosion features. It is a convenient overnight camping spot for travelers on Hwy #1 and provides access to the Thompson River. Both the Canadian National Railway and the Canadian railway tracks run by the park and provide an attraction to train-buffs. This park is also a popular base camp for visitors enjoying boating, fishing, photography and touring historic Hat Creek Ranch and Ashcroft Manor, both nearby.
  
  
• Kamloops Lake
  
  Discover Kamloops Lake, and enjoy a swim, picnic or waterskiing.
  
  
• Castle Rock Hoodoos Provincial Park
  
  Castle Rock Hoodoos Park was created as a result of recommendations made in the Kamloops Land and Resource Management Plan. The area is viewed for the interesting hoodoos formations.
  
  The park is located in the Deadman Valley, approximately 75 kilometres northwest of Kamloops. It borders the Deadman Valley-Vidette Lake Road. Savona is the closest community.
  
  
• Steelhead Provincial Park
  
  A convenient overnight camping and picnicking spot for travelers on Highway #1, this is also a popular destination camp for visitors enjoying boating and fishing on Kamloops Lake, at the head of the Thompson River. The park offers 240 meters of beach on the lake and 1,000 meters of frontage along the river.
  
  
• Painted Bluffs Provincial Park
  
  Protecting a small area of geological significance on the north shore of Kamloops Lake, the interesting feature giving the park its name can be seen both on site and from viewpoints across Kamloops Lake. The distinctive multi-coloured rocks and soils on an intrusion of batholithic rocks provide a muted rainbow of colour. Note that no camping or day-use facilities are provided.

Things to Do

• Fishing
  
  Fishing is great in this area, and very popular on the Thompson River. Among the best of the area lakes is Loon Lake, a long, narrow lake that contains rainbow, kokanee, and steelhead trout. Boat launch facilities are located at Barnes Lake, Loon Lake, and Pavillion Lake. There are few fishing runs as legendary - or as threatened - as the steelhead run on the Thompson River, and one of the main tributaries, the Nicola.
  
  
• Golf
  
  Golfers can head east to play one of the nine golf courses in the Kamloops area, or head west to tee off at Semlin Valley Golf Course, a lovely 9-hole public golf course located on the hillside just 1 kilometre east of Cache Creek on the Trans-Canada Highway.
  
  
• Wildlife Viewing
  
  High elevation forests around Kamloops are home to interesting species like boreal owls, moose, singing hermit thrush, and chattering red squirrels. Kamloops is a resting and feeding stop for an impressive variety of migratory birds, and there are also rare grasslands which cover less than two percent of the province. You may see spade foot toads, badgers, dancing sharp-tailed grouse, bighorn sheep, cougars, bears, coyotes, and red foxes.
  
  
• Hiking
  
  There are lots of trails for visitors to explore the area.

Events

• Apple Harvest Festival
  
  The historic apple orchard at Hat Creek Ranch features a variety of rare trees, some of which are over 100 years old and still produce an abundance of delicious fruit. Come out to pick your own apples or purchase already bagged apples for a nominal fee, browse through the craft fair, enjoy hot dogs or home-baked delicious apple pies, and make sure to bring the kids for games and stagecoach rides!
  
  
• Ashcroft and District Stampede
  
  The Ashcroft and District Stampede has often been billed as the "Biggest Little Rodeo in the West". People come from far and wide to enjoy the weekend of western action. Stampede weekend is usually held the third weekend in June. 2002 marked the 40th Anniversary of this annual event.
  
  The weekend's events begin with a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Lions Club on Saturday and Sunday mornings downtown. The Annual Rodeo Parade begins at 11:00am Saturday and heads down Ashcroft's main street, Railway Avenue.
  
  The rodeo action takes place both Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. It features all of the usual rough, stock events, such as Bareback Riding, Saddle Bronc, Bull Riding, and Boys Steer Riding. There are also lots of timed events with Calf Roping, Team Roping, Ladies Barrel Racing, and others!
  
  Saturday night sees the Annual Rodeo Dance, held at the Drylands Arena. Come out and kick up your heals to the live band!