Indian
Head - McIntyre Bluff is
a mountain of white granite towering 265 metres, capturing
the horizon near the communities of Oliver and Okanagan
Falls, British Columbia, Canada. The bluff is easily recognizable
from a distance when traveling on Highway #97 by the carved
face of a person. At one point on the highway the road passes
the base of the granite monolith.
The locals refer
to the bluff as Indian Head. Many maps and books refer to
the rock formation as McIntyre Bluff. The granite bluff is
located in the The White Lake Protected Area. A Southern Okanagan
Valley park stretching 3,741 hectares created to protect endangered
plants and animals.
White Lake Protected Area starts
near Okanagan Falls from Mount Hawthorne and McLellan. From
the mountains it extends down to Green Lake and the community
of Willowbrook. From the community The White Lake Protected
Area continues down the west side of Vaseux lake to Mount
Keogan to McIntyre Bluff and finishing in Myers Flats.
McIntyre Bluff is not only a
unique sight to see but is also rich in First Nation history.
Which is captivating since it resembles an Indian head. It
is said that the elders of the Shuswap and Okanagan First
Nations speak of legends when the bluff was the site of many
fierce battles. Battles resulting in tribes being forced off
the bluffs - falling to a certain death.
Today the bluff and the surrounding
lands is home to wildlife like bighorn sheep, mule deer, badgers,
bats and more. The area is also home to unmarked and low maintenance
hiking trails. It is important to have a compass and basic
hiking navigation skills. The White Lake Trail is the best
marked trail in the area. There is an information sign at
the trailhead on Fairview - White Lake Road.
The hiking route to the peak
of McIntyre Bluff is an unmaintained trail which is located
on private property. Use of this trail requires approval from
the Willowbrook Society and Covert Farms.
How
to View Indian Head:
Travel Hwy #97
between Oliver and Okanagan Falls.