In the later part of November I drove to the south end of Nicola Lake, then up the Monck Park Road.    The gate was closed for the season, but there are a few parking spaces at the top, above the gated road.    A single track trail winds down into the park to the day use area and the beaches.    I followed the shoreline trail bearing southwest.    The trail goes to a series of bluffs and then goes up the hill using switchbacks.    After crossing the road, the trail continues to rise up to the fenceline border of the park.   An interesting trail winds along the side-slope, past rock bands, ridges and gullies.    At two junctions I stayed left until the trail worked its way back to the park entrance.

At the beach, the sun shone through clouds and a wind blew from the southwest.   Grasslands hills surround Nicola Lake.    It is a windy lake year round, especially in the afternoons.

On the zig-zag trail up the bluffs, there are a number of viewpoints looking northeast up the lake.   Nicola Lake is fed by the Nicola River (entering on the northeast side) which drains a large area of the Okanagan Plateau.

The trail above the road goes through open forest dotted by ponderosa pine and douglas fir trees.    Granite outcrops and boulders dot the hillside.

This loop route is a favorite, one I try to do in the fall most years.    The hike could be lengthened by 2 km by including the campground track on the north side of the park.    For this day I was content with a 1.5 hour hike along the lake and up through the hills, in late fall.