Parks and Backcountry
Recreation Sites and Trails BC
BC offers a host of exceptional recreation opportunities. While some of the Province’s most spectacular recreation features are located in parks, many more recreation resources are found in the rugged and real backcountry.
The backcountry provides an abundance of great places to have fun and enjoy nature through activities such as camping, boating, fishing, hunting, mountain climbing, hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, ATVing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and exploring. So get to know BC’s backcountry – it’s the perfect place to experience the wonders of the outdoors and create memories that will last a lifetime.
For up to date information about sites and trails in and around the Columbia Valley please call the Chamber 250-342-2844 or check out this Province of BC Website.
Check out :
Forester Creek Recreation Area (Snowmobiling)
Information supplied courtesy of the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Rocky Mountain District
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Tel 250-342-4222
FAX 250-342-4262
Recreation Sites and Trails BC
Columbia Lake Provincial Park
Columbia Lake Provincial Park is used in summer by windsurfers, paddlers (canoeists and kayakers), and motorized water craft. The 2,758 hectare lake is the largest warm water lake (18°C in July) in the East Kootenay.Approximately 3 km of undeveloped beach area allows for non-consumptive recreation opportunities (wildlife viewing, paddling, nature appreciation). Fishing on Columbia Lake is popular year round (favoured sport fish are mountain whitefish, burbot, kokanee, rainbow trout, bull trout and cutthroat trout). The wetland/marsh component of the park offers excellent opportunities for nature appreciation, viewing and photography. The upland areas are largely pristine and provide a panorama of exceptional scenic value, particularly east towards the Rocky Mountains. Hiking and mountain biking are also common in the upper grasslands on derelict logging roads and along the park access road.
Please Note: This park has no facilities and is user maintained.
Special Features:
- The park provides one of the few good public access points on Columbia Lake.
- The undeveloped, pristine lakeside setting offers recreation opportunities without high volumes of people. Alternative locations on Columbia Lake (such as Tilley Memorial Park) possess a high level of facility infrastructure and lack the undisturbed natural shoreline/upland characteristics evident at Columbia Lake Provincial Park.
- The park is an excellent staging area for hiking and biking opportunities along the entire east side of Columbia Lake.
- Currently, frontcountry parks, such as Columbia Lake Provincial Park represent less than 1% of the land area in the Columbia Valley.
- Sport fishing on Columbia Lake is a popular year round activity.
- The park does not have a boat launch, but does allow motorized water craft on the lake.
There is a boat launch at Canal Flats.
Park Size: 257 hectares
Location and Maps
Please note: Any maps listed are for information only – they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.
Columbia Lake Provincial Park is located in the Columbia Valley of south eastern British Columbia approximately 2 km south of Fairmount Hotsprings and 3 km east of Hwy 93/95. The 257 hectare park lies on the eastern shore of Columbia Lake.
Access: Turn off Hwy 93/95 at the Fairmont Creek Road (across from the Riverside Gold Resort). Travel east for 0.4 km. Turn right on the Columbia River Road. The park is located 1.6 km south along this gravel road. Two rough gravel roads intersect the main road and allow for vehicle access within 20 metres of the lakeshore.