Three Mile Beach
Location: About 8km outside of Penticton towards Naramata and just off Three Mile Road
Pros: You can sunbathe in the nude!
Cons: A bit out of town so it is harder to get to and there are less amenities
Three Mile Beach in Penticton is a fun “secret” in the Okanagan. Or maybe it isn’t a secret to the locals! If you are looking to do something a little special on your next Penticton beach day then perhaps a visit to this nude beach is for you.
Three Mile Beach is about 8km or a 10 minute drive from downtown Penticton towards Naramata. It is on Lake Okanagan and has beautiful views of Penticton’s downtown from across the lake. In fact in order to drive to Three Mile Beach you pass by many top-notch wineries. So if you fancy a delicious wine tasting as well as a nude dip in the lake then look no further!
Quick facts for your visit to Three Mile Beach
- There is limited parking (~25 spaces)
- There is one portable toilet setup for public use
- Dogs are only allowed on the north side of the beach only
- Nudity is allowed on the south side of the beach only
- Drinking isn’t technically allowed but if you are discrete no one will care
- Yes, there is a lot of nudity
- Yes, you can wear your clothes
- There are no food facilities in the immediate area
How to get to Three Mile Beach
Driving
To get to Three Mile Beach you head North out of Penticton towards Naramata on Naramata road and then turn left on Three Mile Road. There are markings on the side of Naramata road pointing towards the correct turnoff for the beach. Then drive all the way to the end of Three Mile Road until you hit a small parking lot.
Public transit
Taking the bus is also an option to get to Three Mile Beach. Take Route 10 (Naramata/Penticton) from Penticton and get off at Naramata & Olhausen. The walk from here is about 1.2km or 20 minutes.
Biking
You can also bike to Three Mile Beach! Take the KVR from Penticton and exit the trail at Poplar Grove Road (where the trail crosses Naramata Road). Then follow Naramata road to Three Mile road.
Parking at Three Mile Beach
The parking lot has limited spaces. There are 11 designated spaces and 15 informal spaces along the dog beach just south of the main lot. It isn’t uncommon to have to wait for a space or park illegally along Three Mile Road and risk a parking fine (Note: this also isn’t very respectful of the locals in the area). There is an overflow parking lot on Poplar Grove road off Naramata road (about 1/2 km before the turnoff to Three Mile Road). From here it is about a 25 minute walk to the beach and not ideal walking conditions along Naramata road as there is no sidewalk and a small shoulder.
There is currently an active online petition to the City of Penticton requesting to expand the parking lot so more naturists can enjoy the beach without worrying about finding a legal parking spot. Feel free to support the petition here.
Where is the nude beach?
There are two sides to the beach at Three Mile Beach. The North bay side is the clothing optional beach and can be accessed using the blue wooden staircase down to the beach. The South Bay side of the beach is for day moorage boats and dogs. It is not clothing optional over there so keep your pants.
Nude Beach Etiquette
Above all else, respect for others and respect for the environment are important considerations when visited Three Mile Beach. For naturists, a visit to a nude beach isn’t anything sexual. It is simply an act of personal freedom (and how to maintain no tan lines!). No gawking, staring, or making rude comments. No photography unless explicit permission has been requested.
If you can’t follow these rules or you are offended by nudity then there are many other Penticton beaches for you to visit.
History of Three Mile Beach
Three Mile Beach has ‘officially’ been a clothing-optional beach since 2014 but unofficially nudists have been enjoying it for decades! The shoreline used to be much bigger but there was a landslide in the 1980s that covered a few acres of land and shortened the amount of useable beach space.
In 2014 two absentee land owners attempted to evict naturists from Three Mile Beach, which prompted the creation of the Okanagan Naturists Association. Between 2014 and 2017 there were struggles between the Absentee land owners and the Okanagan Naturists Association which ultimately resulted in Three Mile Beach becoming Penticton’s ”unofficial clothing-optional or “naturist” beach”. Currently the Okanagan Naturists Association assists the City of Penticton with maintaining and monitoring both the beaches at Three Mile Beach.
Final thoughts about Penticton’s nude beach
A visit to Three Mile Beach is a top of the list “thing to do” while in Penticton. Even if you don’t plan on taking your clothes off, it is a lovely secluded beach that is a bit off the beaten path.
