There are numerous lakes in the Cariboo Chilcotin to explore during the day while still being able to maintain a camp, cabin or hotel for a comfortable nights rest. Here are a few suggested lakes.
Upper Valley Beaver Valley Lakes – Several small lakes to explore.
Numerous small fishing lakes within 5 to 30 minutes of Cariboo Canoe and Kayak Rentals. We can provide more details about these lesser known lakes.
Big Lake - Just 10 minutes from where you pick up your canoe, Big Lake is a popular fishing lake holding rainbow trout, kokanee and lake trout.
Williams Lake - This lake is bordered by the City of Williams Lake. Stop in at the Tourist Information centre and then follow the signs to Scout Island. There is a picnic area, swimming, boat launch, restrooms and nature centre. This lake has a marsh area around the island and the remainder of the lake has number of sand and gravel beaches. Even though the lake is bordered by the city, wildlife abounds as can be seen by the photograph above of a buck going for a summer swim.
Felker and Chimney Lake - Take HWY 20 west of Williams Lake and turn onto Chimney Lake Road for 24km. Recreational campsites and picnic areas are available at both lakes. Chimney Lake is popular for swimming and has a number of islands you can explore. Both lakes have good fishing for trout and kokanee.
McLeese Lake - Located 45 km north of Williams Lake on HWY 97. This is a popular fishing lake for trout, kokanee and whitefish.
Tyee Lake - Turn east off HWY 97 onto Lynes Creek Road at the Barkerville sign near McLeese Lake. You will pass the Forest Lake Recreation turn off on 14.3 km then travel an additional 8.7 km to the Tyee Lake Recreation site. This is a popular local lake for fishing trout and kokanee.
The Cariboo Chilcotin has hundreds of beautiful lakes to explore.
To help create your itinerary we have listed our top picks of single day and multi-day canoe trips.
Day Trips / Travel Times
Day Trips