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- Jessica Wynne Lockhart
- Castlegar: Best for paddlers who want to catch the big one. When to go: Spring. Nestled in the Selkirk Mountains at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers, Castlegar has earned its rightful place on this list.
- Fernie: Best for paddlers who like their adventure with a side of socialization. When to go: Summer. Internationally, the Rocky Mountain town of Fernie is known for its slopes and après ski scene.
- Golden: Best for those who want to eat, sleep and breathe whitewater rafting. When to go: Summer. Picture this: You’re sitting on the patio at the pub enjoying a beer and prime people-watching.
- Cariboo Chilcotin Coast: Best for multiday canoe adventures. When to go: Spring. With its lush forest, fjords, plains, and the peaks of the Cariboo Mountains, the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast is a varied landscape with ample opportunities for paddling.
- Lower Mainland. Golden Ears. Located 11km north of Maple Ridge, Golden Ears is a great place to enjoy the splendour of the Coast Mountains. Canoeing and kayaking are very popular on Alouette Lake, and rentals are available in the day-use area.
- Vancouver Island. Schoen Lake. Stretching 5km across a wilderness area 140km north of Campbell River, Schoen Lake offers excellent canoeing and kayaking opportunities.
- Okanagan. E.C. Manning. Located in the heart of the Cascade Mountains, E.C. Manning Park sits within a three-hour drive from either Vancouver or the Okanagan.
- Cariboo. Bowron Lake. A large wilderness area on western slopes of the Cariboo Mountains, Bowron Lake Park is world-renowned for its canoeing circuit. This encompasses a 116km chain of lakes, waterways, and connecting portages.
Sep 9, 2022 · And what better place to kayak than beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia? There are plenty of great spots to paddle in this province, and we’ve put together a list of the 23 best places to kayak near Vancouver.
- Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit Quick Facts
- Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit Map
- Full Circuit vs. West Side only
- Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit Reservations
- Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit Description
- Bowron Lakes Itineraries
- Camping on The Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit
- Bowron Lakes Weather
- What to Bring on The Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit
- Canoe and Equipment Rentals
Location: Northern British Columbia, about 2 hours east of Quesnel or 3 hours southeast of Prince George. Distance: 116.4 kilometres including 10.8 kilometres of portages. Duration:6 to 10 days Cost:$60 per person for the full circuit or $30 per person for the West Side only, plus an $18 reservation fee per boat and gear rental fees (if applicable)...
BC Parks produces a good overview map for the Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit. You can download it from their website and they will also give you a printed version when you check in to start your trip. It’s very high level and doesn’t have very much detail, so it isn’t great for navigation. If you’re old school, International Travel Maps and Books makes ...
While many paddlers choose to complete the entire 116.4 kilometre circuit,you can also do an out-and-back trip on the West Side of the circuit. It’s a good option for less experienced paddlers and those who have less time (typically 2-4 days). The West Sideincludes Bowron, Swan, Spectacle, Skoi, Babcock, and Unna Lakes for a total distance of up to...
Reservations for 2024 open on October 24, 2023 at 7 a.m. PT. Canoeing the Bowron Lake Chain is very popular, so there is a reservation system through BC Parks. Only 50 people (25 canoes) are allowed to start the circuit each day. If you plan to go between late June and early September, make a reservation on the first day that reservations open. The...
Pre-Trip Orientation Session
To start the Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit you must check in at the ranger station and go through a mandatory orientation. New for 2024, orientations are offered each day between 8 am and 12 pm. You no longer need to book an orientation time when reserving your dates. You can just show up between 8 am and noon and a ranger will start your orientation. The orientation involves watching a video about wilderness ethics and safety on the circuit. The ranger will also give you updates on paddling and...
Pre-Trip Gear Weigh-In
At the orientation, you will also have to weigh your gear at a scale in the parking lot. Park rules allow you to carry a maximum of 60 lbs of gear inside your canoewhen you use a canoe cart to portage. This is to make sure that the portage trails don’t get too damaged. Organize your gear before the weigh-in and plan which items you want to put in the canoe and which bags you want to carry on portages. We used a simple luggage scaleat home to plan before our trip. The ranger will write down wh...
Registration Centre to Isaac Lake
This section includes the three of the longest portages on the entire circuit, made even more difficult by fully loaded canoes. From the registration centre you start with a 2.4 kilometre portageto Kibbee Lake. It’s a long, slow climb with a few flatter spots as you gain about 40 metres. From the muddy put-in, you’ll paddle 2.4 kilometres across Kibbee Lake. There is one campsite on Kibbee Lake if you got a late start. At the end of the lake hop out to portage again. This portageis 2 kilometr...
Most people take six to eight days to paddle the Bowron Lakes Chain. (The maximum allowed time is 14 days.) Our group took eight days which included one rest day. We were on the water for 3.5 to 7 hours each day. Each day, we adjusted our itinerary on the fly to plan around the weather. (We used our Garmin inReach Mini to get a satellite weather fo...
You must stay in one of the 56 designated campgrounds on the Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit. There are 10 sites reserved for groups and 46 regular sites. Each regular site has room for 1-13 tents on dirt tent pads. Tent pads vary in size but will fit up to a 3 person tent. Some of them are poorly drained and can turn into a puddle during rain storms. C...
The Bowron Lakes Circuit is located in the mountains of northern British Columbia. In general, the weather is a bit chilly and often wet. The warmest months are July and August when the average low temperature is 3°C and the average high is 18°C. In June and September temperatures are usually between 0°C and 16°C. The area experiences a fair amount...
You will need to be fully self-sufficient on the Bowron Canoe Circuit and pack everything with you. For a full list of things you’ll need on a wilderness trip, see my backpacking gear checklist. Below I’ve listed some of the key items you will need to bring on the Bowron Lakes: Canoe or Kayak: It’s easiest to rent these at one of the nearby outfitt...
Most paddlers on the Bowron Lakes rent at least some of their equipment. There are four outfitters on Bowron Lake near the start of the circuit. Becker’s Lodge:Rents canoes, kayaks, carts, portage bags, and camping gear. They have the largest fleet and rent high-end lightweight canoes that aren’t as heavy to portage as traditional canoes. Their loc...
There are thousands of locations in British Columbia to explore on a kayak, canoe, or SUP board. From hidden glacial lakes to narrow passages packed with hundreds of whales, the paddling options are endless.
Apr 8, 2024 · British Columbia, Canada is one of the most popular kayaking destinations in the world. With 25,725 kilometres of coastline to be explored, it can be a bit confusing as to where you may want to go. Luckily I have some suggestions. Here are 7 of the best places to go kayaking in BC.
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Guide to Kayaking in British Columbia. The coast of British Columbia, also known as the Inside Passage, contains a lifetime's worth of paddling. For the short term, here are a few popular paddling destinations in British Columbia: Bowron Lake Provincial Park; Broken Group of Islands; Indian Arm
