Canada's Remote Lake Oasis Is A Gorgeous Park Perfect For Canoeing, Camping, And Wildlife Watching

Mesmerizing mountain vistas opening on sprawling alpine lakes are often associated with British Columbia. With a roster of more than 1,000 parks and protected areas, as well as over 20,000 lakes, Canada's westernmost province is a haven for outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and paddling. While its neighboring province of Alberta gets plenty of attention for Banff National Park, Canada's most popular park by both numbers and fame, there are plenty of gorgeous, remote areas that make B.C. an ideal nature playground — and without the crowds you'd expect from popular spots like Banff.

As a network of interlinked lakes spanning 72 miles with plenty of opportunities for you to pitch a tent in postcard-perfect spots, Bowron Lake Park is a popular pick for those who enjoy high-skill canoeing and wilderness camping. Thanks to its remote location, it offers great wildlife viewing conditions for animals like ospreys, bald eagles, black bears, and grizzly bears. But despite being tucked away, it does still offer essential amenities, including bathrooms and emergency cabins. There's one general store in the area, Bear River Mercantile, that you can find just over half a mile away from the Bowron Lake drive-in campground (but keep in mind they only take cash).

Park visitors have access to six major lakes throughout the park, as well as many smaller bodies of water, that are ideal for water sports like canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and fishing. There are plenty of scenic campsite locations where you can keep enjoying the lakeside after having set down your paddles. The Bowron Lake Park campground is located about 20 miles northeast of the mountain town of Wells, and it's nearly 70 miles away from Quesnel, the nearest major town over. To access the park's main entrance starting from Quesnel, drivers must first go north on Highway 97, then take Highway 26 through Wells until finally turning left on Bowron Lake Road, which leads to the park's campgrounds.

Bowron Lake Park is renowned globally for its chain of lakes: the Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit. Made up of ten individual lakes, the Circuit is connected by short portages and is popular for canoeing and kayaking. The lakes are steeped in pristine wilderness, which is ideal for travelers who want to experience the untouched lands of the Cariboo Mountain Range.

Navigating the waters is the best way to observe the park's abundant wildlife, which includes moose, beavers, and majestic bald eagles, among dozens of other animals. It also gives visitors unrivaled views of the diverse landscapes that Bowron Lake Park is known for; from the water, not only can you enjoy the ancient red cedars of the Cariboo Mountains, but you can also marvel at the rolling hills of the western side's Quesnel Highlands. While some sections of the ten-lake chain are known to be forgiving, most notably McCleary Lake, there are some hazards that come along with canoeing the Circuit, such as harsh winds and choppy waters on Lake Isaac and dead heads in the Cariboo River.

BC Parks claims the journey is "suitable for intermediate and advanced paddlers in good physical shape," and they recommend that only canoers and kayakers with such experience should embark on the Circuit. If you opt to traverse the whole thing, you can expect to do more than 60 miles of paddling on lakes and fast-flowing rivers alike. It takes anywhere from six to ten days to complete the trip, but you may have to take additional multi-day breaks on the shore in the event of inclement weather. Bad weather can also make it difficult to cross the collective 6.7 miles of portage trails along the route; whether you're kayaking or canoeing, it would be challenging to carry all your gear when crossing those paths in windy or stormy weather, so be sure to go prepared.

If you aren't keen on braving the waters, there are two marked hiking trails at Bowron Lake Park where you can enjoy scenic views and wildlife watching opportunities. While Manitoba may be the only province where you can spot all the Canadian "Big Five" wildlife, this remote oasis in British Columbia boasts not one, but two types of bears that live at the park. The province is also known as "bear country" because of its healthy bear population. This means that encounters with the large, majestic mammal are quite likely, especially between April and November when they're active. 

Before going to Bowron Lake Park or anywhere else in the wilderness, you should know what to do if you encounter a bear while hiking or camping and equip yourself accordingly — carrying special bear spray is just one of many safeguards. Besides bears, though, Bowron Lake Park has a plethora of wildlife. Some of its avian species include songbirds, waterfowl, and large raptors like eagles, ospreys, and owls. Visitors should also look out for large ungulates and other mammals that populate the area, from elk, caribou, and moose to mink, beavers, and foxes.

Canada's most scenic campgrounds are often tucked into parks and islands, and Bowron Lake Park is no exception. Here, visitors have access to 25 traditional frontcountry campsites, three of which are double sites, at the cost of $18 CAD (roughly $13 USD) per party per night. Alternatively, you can opt for reservable, traditional tent camping along the Circuit at $60 CAD (nearly $43 USD) per person, although it's only $30 (about $21 USD) per person if you camp on the West Side of the Circuit. For private accommodations, Bowron Lake Lodge offers rustic cabins and RV campsites by the waterside, as well as canoeing equipment for rent. If you're planning a wintertime trip, you're in luck — Becker's Lodge is open year-round. They can provide you with tent pads, RV and motorhome sites, and even deluxe cabins and chalets.