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Savona
Savona is located 31 km (19 miles) west of Kamloops
and 40 km (25 miles) east of Cache Creek
on the Trans-Canada Hwy 1. Savona is situated on the south-west
shore of 29 km (18 miles) long Kamloops Lake.
Arid
and Dry
The surrounding countryside around Savona is very arid and dry with
drastic coloured rock formations caused by natural forces of erosion
occurring throughout the Thompson Valley.
Very
friendly place
Take your time while travelling through Savona and try and stay
awhile. The town has a couple of grocery stores, Super Save Gas
Station and a very friendly place to stay called the Lakeside Country
Inn.
Savona
Specialty Plywood
Make sure you get a chance to view the Savona Specialty Plywood,
Savona's largest employer, which specializes and is the largest
and most technologically designed producer of overlaid MDO and HDO
concrete forming panels in North America.
Savona
Lakeshore Park
If you are walking around, try and visit Savona Lakeshore Park located
on beautiful Kamloops Lake. Savona Lakeshore Park is situated at
the end of Tingley Street, just off the Savona Access Road on Trans-Canada
Hwy 1.
Have
a Rest
Savona Lakeshore Park offers a great spot for a rest, outing or
to take a swim. If you have a boat, there is a boat launch into
Kamloops Lake. You can fish for Dolly Varden, Kokanee and Rainbow
trout and there is a nice sandy beach for the kids, plus picnic
tables and a covered cooking area.
Savona
Balancing Rock
One natural landscape you'll want to view is the Savona Balancing
Rock. This boulder, left over from erosion and weighing many tons,
is delicately balanced on a clay hoodoo. The Savona Balancing Rock
or to the local First Nations' "Coyote Rock" stands out
dramatically against the deep blue sky of the Thompson Valley with
the distant view of Kamloops Lake in the background.
Kamloops
Lake Viewpoint
You can see the Savona Balancing Rock from Trans-Canada Hwy 1 just
east of Savona travelling towards Kamloops. Look for the Kamloops
Lake Viewpoint 8 km (5 miles) out then pull over and park. You need
to walk carefully for four minutes along the highway shoulder back
towards Savona to get the best view of the rock.
30-minute
walk
If you have time there is a 30-minute walk to the Savona Balancing
Rock. You need to drive a further 1.4 km (.9 mile) west of the viewpoint
towards Savona on Hwy 1 and park next to a closed gate accessing
a field. This is private property but apparently permission has
been granted to people, so please respect it.
Drinking
Water
Make sure you have some drinking water, climb over the gate and
walk to a wye in the field. You then need to turn right and follow
the road to the base of the Savona Balancing Rock.
Savona
Caves
A very interesting area to visit full of native folklore for ceremonial
rituals has to be Savona Caves. You have to get to the caves by
hiking up to the eroded summit of a shield volcano called Savona
Mountain. The caves are fairly shallow, and if you rockhound you'll
love the interesting rock formations full of agates and green opals
on Savona Mountain.
Getting
to Savona Mountain
You take Tunkwa Lake Road just east of town off Hwy 1 for 12.5 km
(8 miles) about halfway to Logan Lake.
You then turn here and take an 8 km (5 miles) uphill rugged narrow
road to the top where some radio towers have been installed. Look
for the trailhead towards the east side of the smaller radio tower.
Walking
Shoes
Just remember the trail is very steep, can be slippery and you'll
require decent walking shoes. It is safe but please exercise some
caution along the walk.
Mount
Savona
If you travel down Tunkwa Lake Road, you can access both Mount Savona
and Tunkwa Lake. Mount Savona Provincial Park has really dramatic
rock and clay formations set against the blue sky and a view of
beautiful Kamloops Lake.
Tunkwa
Lake Provincial Parks
Then Tunkwa Lake Provincial, only 24 km (15 miles) south from Savona
will put you in the heart of the southern Thompson Plateau. If you
need boat rentals or would like to try a resort there is Tunkwa
Lake Resort.
Painted
Bluffs
Three other provincial parks include Painted Bluffs for the coloured
mineral rock formations; access is just west of Savona at Sabiston
Road.
Fishing
on Kamloops Lake
Then for fishers there is the Steelhead Provincial Park on Kamloops
Lake, ancestral fishing ground of the Skeetchestn Indian Band. Also
Juniper Beach is located near by along the Thompson River.
Exploring
the Deadman River
One area you might want to venture into is up the Deadman River
north of Savona. This area is the traditional home of the Skeetchestn
Nation and is very picturesque and spiritual.
Vidette
Lake
The Deadman River follows the beautiful Deadman Valley up into the
Forest Recreation Sites around Snohoosh, Deadman or Vidette Lake.
Once at Vidette Lake, you can also stay in rustic cabins at the
Vidette Lake Spiritual Retreat then go exploring around the 'Centre
of the Universe' and Deadman Falls.
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