A campfire ban is currently in effect for this park. For more information about campfire bans and about provincial parks with park closures and campfire bans in effect, visit the BC Parks campfire ban webpage.
Updated October 27, 2009
Facilities, including the boat launches, are closed until May. Park gates are closed but day users may park outside (not in front) of them, and walk in if they want to enjoy the area.
Hiking and Trail notices:
The trail between Lindeman Lake and Greendrop Lake has experienced washing out and re-routing by the creek near Greendrop Lake. Hikers should follow the square orange markers, and NOT the flagging tape through this area. The trail between Greendrop and Flora Lakes has once again grown over and has become difficult to follow. It is not recommended for those without considerable experience in route-finding.
The Geendrop/Flora trail trail crosses several large landslides which requires hikers to scramble over / under / around some large boulders and should only be travelled by experienced backpackers with good footwear.
Radium Lake trail: The 2nd bridge over Radium Creek was rebuilt in mid-October. o access the trail, hikers must park outside the Park Gate (not in front of it!) and follow the road or Trans Canada trail in.
The park map available below shows a number of "routes" that
are not actively maintained by BC Parks. Many of these routes are
in poor condition, are unmarked and are not recommended for travel.
These routes are: Hanging Lake, and the route from Radium Lake to the
Chilliwack Lake Eco Reserve. Travel should not be attempted on the aforementioned
trails except by very experienced hikers familiar in the
use of a map and compass for navigational purposes. Anyone hiking
these routes should be prepared for travel through heavy understory
for the duration of the hike.
General notices:
Park notices to advise visitors of the park/campground status (eg vacancy, full, no beach, etc) are posted on the park sign at the "On The Way Store" on Chilliwack Lake Road, approximately 2 km from the bridge. This sign is independent of the Store, so please don't contact the Store for details about the park.
Park Info
Located 150km east of Vancouver in the upper Chilliwack River Valley, Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park is characterized by a valley-bottom lake, old-growth forested slopes, and spectacular subalpine and alpine ridges. The sparkling Chilliwack Lake is ideal for motor-boating, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, or fishing. Forty kilometers of trails provide opportunities for hiking, bird and wildlife viewing, and nature appreciation.
The park also has a playground, and 146 frontcountry campsites. Those seeking a wilderness camping experience can access the backcountry camps located at Greendrop, Lindeman, Flora, and Radium Lakes.
Park Size: The park covers 9,258 hectares.
Special Notes:
The park has recently been extended to include the east side of the lake. The old Forestry campsites at Depot Creek, Post Creek, Sappers Park and Paleface Creek have been deactivated. Development plans are in the works for this area. Camping is prohibited in these areas.
CAUTION: dangerous currents exist at the outflow of Chilliwack Lake and several kilometres downstream. Avoid boating and rafting in this area.
Park gates are locked between 11 pm and 8 am daily.
Campground Hours of Operation
All dates are subject to change without notice
Opening and Closing Campground Dates:
May 1 - October 12
(gate is closed during the off-season) Please note: Opening date may change due to snow pack or other weather conditions.
Campground Dates with Full Services and Fees:
May 1 - October 12
(gate is closed during the off-season) Please note: Opening date may change due to snow pack or other weather conditions.
Campground Reservable Dates:
Not applicable
Total Number of Vehicle Accessible Campsites:
146
Number of Reservable Campsites, if applicable:
(all remaining sites are first-come, first-served)
Not applicable
Note: The above information is for the campground only. Park users can still walk into the park
if conditions such as weather permit. Check the "Attention Visitor Notice" above for park alerts.
General Visitor Information
Sudden wind gusts are common on this lake. Please use caution at
all times.
Please note: No ATVs or unlicensed motorbikes permitted in the park
The park is located 64km southeast of Chilliwack, 40km in from Vedder Crossing. Take Exit 104 from Highway 1 and follow the signs for Cultus Lake until Cultus Lake Road. Instead of turning here, follow Vedder Road across the bridge and turn right onto Chilliwack Lake Road. Follow this road for 40 km to the lake.
Nature & Culture
Cultural Heritage - The Hudson Bay Company cut
the first recorded trail up the Chilliwack River in 1855, improving
the Indian Trail which joined the nine Indian villages between Vedder
Crossing and Chilliwack Lake. Logging in the valley began early in the
century, and by the 1920s developed into a considerable railroad logging
operation. In 1938 a massive fire was started by a rail accident resulting
in the abandoning of the line and truck logging began. In 1942 the army
base was established in Chilliwack. Sappers Park at the south end of
Chilliwack Lake was built by a visiting British company of military
engineers.
Conservation - Flowers, trees and shrubs are part
of the park's natural heritage, please don't damage or remove them
Wildlife -
Park users should always be aware of bears and other wildlife
in our park environment. Never feed or approach bears or other wildlife.
Sea to Sky Park Services Ltd
Email address: info@seatoskyparks.com
Phone: (604) 986-9371
Activities Available At This Park
Canoeing
Experienced paddlers only recommended to canoe or kayak in the park.
There are no canoe/kayak rentals available in the park. CAUTION: dangerous
currents exist at the outflow of Chilliwack Lake and several kilometres
downstream. Avoid boating and rafting in this area. Strong winds are
unpredictable.
Cycling
Bicycles must keep to roadways and bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Fishing
Visitors can fish for Dolly Varden, kokanee, rainbow and cutthroat trout.
Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate,
valid licence.
Hiking
There are three main trails at this park. Lindeman Lake, Greendrop Lake
and Flora Lake trails share the same trailhead at the Post Creek Parking
Lot. Lindeman Lake is 3.4 km return; Greendrop Lake is 10.4 km return
and Flora Lake is 14 km return. The Radium Lake trailhead (16 km return)
is accessible from the Chilliwack Lake campground
Trans Canada Trail winds through park. See the Trans Canada Trail website for more information: www.trailsbc.ca/index.html
For your own safety and preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.
Horseback Riding
Horse use is allowed on the Trans Canada trail only.
Hunting
Hunting is permitted within Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park. All hunters should refer to the current BC Hunting Regulation synopsis.
Pets on Leash
Pets/domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed
in swimming or picnic areas or park buildings. You are responsible for
their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement.
Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
Swimming
Visitors can enjoy swimming at Chilliwack Lake, but the water is very
cold. There are no swimming rafts. The beach area is sandy. This area
is prone to high winds in the afternoons. There are NO LIFEGUARDS on
duty at provincial parks.
Waterskiing
Waterskiing is popular on Chilliwack Lake.
Windsurfing
There are windsurfing opportunities. The lake usually has strong winds in the afternoons.
Facilities Available At This Park
Boat Launch
There is a gradual single wide boat launch at this park next to the day-use
area and campground. The boat launch is small and designed for boats of
less than 20 feet in length. Larger vessels will have difficulty launching.
There is a day-use parking area for vehicles and trailers during the day
only. Boats can be left in the water or beached overnight at the owners
risk. There is no marina nearby to moor boats. There is a speed restriction
of "Dead Slow" around the boat launch. Waterskiing is permitted on the lake.
Marine access camping facilities are not available. Camping is not permitted
on the shores of the lake.
Campfires
Fires are permitted in the designated fire rings in the frontcountry campsites only.
Fire restrictions may be in place during times of high forest fire rating. Campfires are not permitted in the backcountry.
While campfire rings are provided at each frontcountry campsite, we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using campstoves instead. Firewood can be purchased in the park or you may bring your own wood.Fees for firewood are set locally and may vary from park to park. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don't gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.
Drinking Water
Cold water taps are located in each of the vehicle-accessible campgrounds. There are no taps available at the backcountry sites. Taps are shut off during the off season.
Picnic Areas
There is no formal picnic area or picnic tables for day-use. There is
a sandy beach. Day-use area is closed from dusk to 8am.
Pit or Flush Toilets
Pit toilets are located in the day-use area and at each of the vehicle accessible campgrounds. There are no pit toilets available at the backcountry sites. No flush toilets at this park.
Playground
There is an adventure playground at this park located at the Paleface Loop camping area.
Sani-Station/Dump
A sani-station/dump is available during the collecting season.
Sani-station Use Fee: $2.00 per discharge
Vehicle Accessible Camping
This park offers four vehicle accessible campgrounds on a first-come, first-served basis - campsite reservations are not accepted. The campgrounds are: Radium (sites # 1-59), Lindeman (sites #1-21), Greendrop (sites #22-40), and Paleface (sites #41-87). All are
accessed by driving 42 kms from the Vedder Bridge up Chilliwack Lake Road, and making a right turn at the end of the pavement (yellow gate and gatehouse on the right).
Please note:There is no pay phone available at this park and no cell phone service. The nearest store and pay phones are approximately 32 km away. The nearest cell phone service is 30 kms away.
There are a total of 146 campsites. There are 20 double sites and
no pull-through sites. The 60 sites in Radium Campground are suitable for large RV units. There is a two vehicle maximum at each site with no extra parking available. Please choose a site with no camping receipt on the campsite number post and/or no possessions in the site. Park staff collect fees.
When the campground is full, we ask that visitors do not drive around looking for available sites. To discourage this unnecessary traffic and the noise caused by this, visitors may put their name on a waiting list for the possibility of a site becoming available. Those on the wait list meet in the upper parking lot at noon the following day. Staff will have determined which sites are available, and these are offered on a first-come first-served basis to those on the list. Please note: This is not a guarantee of a site.
Vehicle Accessible Camping Fee: $15.00 per party / night
BC Senior's Rate (Shoulder Season only):
$7.50 per senior's couple/night
Walk-In/Wilderness Camping
Wilderness, backcountry or walk-in camping is allowed, but no facilities are provided. There are six (6) backcountry campsites located at each of the four (4) camping areas: Greendrop (5.5 km), Lindeman (1.5 km), Flora (7 km), and Radium Lakes (6.5 km). There is one pit toilet located at the Lindeman camping area. No other facilities exist.
Marine access camping facilities are not available. Camping is not permitted on the shores of the lake.
Wheelchair Access
There are wheelchair accessible pit toilets in the Radium Loop campground. There are no trails for the disabled.
