​​British Columbia's Jaw-Dropping Polka-Dot Lake Has Been Called 'The Most Magical Place In Canada'

Canada is filled with spectacular scenery and stunning landscapes. Visit British Columbia and Osoyoos, the only desert in Canada, and you'll find a truly phenomenal hidden gem: the Spotted Lake. This is a sacred medicine lake for the First Nations of the Okanagan — the official name is "kɬlil̕xʷ". The CBC dubbed it "the most magical place in Canada."

The lake has a fascinating history. While it has been a sacred site for centuries and valued for its healing and medicinal properties, the lake was mined for salts to make explosives during World War I. The land around the lake was privately owned for 40 years.In 2001, the land was acquired for the use of the Okanagan Nation — the 56-acre site is now protected from future development, preserving its cultural and environmental heritage.

Spotted Lake gets its spots from a high concentration of minerals including calcium, magnesium sulphate, silver, and sodium sulphates. In the summer, the lake evaporates and leaves these rich minerals behind. The colors can be blue, green, yellow, or brown, varying based on the minerals in each individual spot. There are 365 spots in the lake.

As Spotted Lake is a sacred site, there is a fence around the area and permission to access the lake itself must be granted by the Okanagan Nation — you'll need to contact them. There is a viewpoint at the large white gate off the highway, with parking for two or three cars available. If you're lucky and visit during an event when the gate is open, some visitors report being able to go through the open gate for a closer look at the lake. Otherwise, you can admire the lake from the viewpoint. The best time to visit is in summer, when the water from the lake evaporates and you can see the spots — in winter and spring, the lake doesn't look particularly special.

Spotted Lake is located on Highway 3, northeast of the town of Osoyoos — it's about an 8-minute drive from town. There is no public transport available here, so you'll need your own car to reach Spotted Lake. Osoyoos is in south-central British Columbia, close to the international border with the U.S. The closest airport is in Penticton, Canada's craft beer capital— Penticton Regional Airport has regular flights to Calgary and Vancouver. It's about a 50-minute drive from the airport to Spotted Lake. Kelowna International Airport (a 2-hour drive) or Vancouver International Airport (a 4.5-hour drive) are the best options for international flights. If you want to explore more picturesque lakes in the Okanagan Valley, head north to the underrated Kalamalka Lake.