Canoeing / Paddling Routes

With over 8,000 lakes and 17,000 km of rivers and streams the possibilities for canoeing and kayaking are almost endless. In Bowron Lake Provincial Park, you’ll take the journey of a lifetime, paddling along a 116 km chain of lakes, waterways and connecting portages. Nazko Lake Provincial Park’s six-lake chain makes an ideal 2-4 day canoe trip with easy portages and wonderful wildlife viewing. Moose Valley Provincial Park rewards paddlers with clear, shallow lakes and abundant aquatic plans and flowers. The Moose Valley Canoe Route is a chain of 11 small lakes that span approximately 6 km one way. Tweedsmuir Provincial Park is renowned for its Turner Lake Canoe Chain, an extraordinary 3-5 day trip set against a backdrop of spectacular mountains.

In Bowron Lake Provincial Park, you’ll take the journey of a lifetime, paddling along a 116 km chain of lakes, waterways and connecting portages. Outside magazine ranked this circuit as one of the top 10 canoe trips in the world. Some 11km of portage trails will text your endurance during this 6-10 day journey. Travel time varies depending on skill level and pace. A shorter trip on the west side of the circuit can be paddled in 2-4 days. More than 20 species of waterfowl can be spotted here seasonally, as well as moose, deer, black and grizzly bears and caribou. (Bowron Lake Provincial Park is a 90-minute drive east from Quesnel, off Hwy. 26. Rated: moderate to difficult)

If you enjoy paddling through a serene setting filled with wildlife, Nazko Lake Provincial Park’s six-lake chain makes an ideal 2-4 day canoe trip with short portages. Look for American white pelicans, ospreys, bald eagles, mule deer and beavers en route. (Nazko Lake Provincial Park is a 1.75-hr. drive west from Williams Lake, off Hwy. 20. Rated: easy to moderate).

Moose Valley Provincial Park rewards paddlers with clear, shallow lakes and abundant aquatic plans and flowers. The Moose Valley Canoe Route is a chain of 11 small lakes that span approximately 6 km one way. This leisurely two-day round trip will have you gliding in great company – the tiny reed-fringed islands and surrounding marshes provide excellent habitat for deer, moose, waterfowl and amphibians. (Moose Valley Provincial Park is a 45 min. drive west from 100 Mile House. Rated: easy).

Famous for its volcanic Rainbow Mountains, Tweedsmuir Provincial Park is also renowned for its spectacular Turner Lake Chain. This extraordinary 3-5 day trip will have you paddling through crystal-clear waters past white-sand beaches, set against a backdrop of spectacular mountains. You can even stop for excellent cutthroat trout fishing. The chain spans six lakes, with short, linking creeks and four portages between. Paddlers can also walk a short trail near the beginning of the chain to see where the spectacular Hunlen Falls plunges 253 m. (830 ft.) into the Atnarko River. The area is home to grizzly and black bears as well as moose. The chain is most easily accessed via float plane from Nimpo Lake. It can also be reached by Tote Road off Hwy. 20, then by a 16-km hike along the Hunlen Falls Trail. (Turner Lake Canoe Chain is located in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, a 4-5 hour drive west from Williams Lake, south of Hwy. 20. Rated: easy to moderate).