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Attention
Visitors - Important Notice!
- There
are no park alerts at this time.
Park
Info:
This park is a small but popular park that almost encircles
attractive Kelly Lake. Views of mountains, and 2,245 metre
Mount Bowman, a spectacular mountain ridge visible from the
nearby Jesmond Road, give the park a remote atmosphere, though
it is located close to Clinton.
The walk-in lakeside campsites are spread out over a lush,
grassy field adjacent to the campground parking lot. Swimming
in Kelly Lake is enjoyable from the long sandy beach. Angling
for rainbow trout is a popular past time. Many visitors
use
the park as a stopping place as they travel the Pavilion
Mountain Road, which connects the Cariboo to Lillooet. This
scenic
alternative to Highway 99 is unpaved, narrow and switch-backed
and best suited for compact 4X4 vehicles.
The park land was donated to the people of BC by C. S. Downing
in 1970, and his family still owns adjacent property. Please
respect this private property by keeping to the road when
walking between the day-use area and campground.
Nearby parks also offering campgrounds include Green
Lake and Big Bar Lake. Visitors
can also travel along the Jesmond Loop, by travelling north-west
from the park to Jesmond Road. This scenic drive passes by
the historic townsite of Jesmond, where the OK Corral - one
of the oldest ranches in the area - is situated, and continues
past Little Big Bar Lake. The loop also accesses the Jesmond
fire lookout by way of a narrow four-wheel drive road, from
which adventurous visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the
surrounding landscape, including Marble
Range and Edge Hills Provincial
Parks. This route eventually connects with Highway 97 and
provides a scenic trip for travellers heading to Green Lake
or beyond.
Park
Size: 100
hectares
Special
Notes:
- Please
respect the Downing property by keeping to the road when walking
between the day-use area and the campground.
Management
Planning:
Management Planning Information
Location:
The
park is located 18 km south-west of Clinton. Turn
off Hwy 97 at
the south end of Clinton onto the Kelly Lake Road, which
is paved as far as the park. The closest communities,
towns and cities are Clinton, 100 Mile House, Ashcroft
and Cache Creek.
Map/Brochure:
Any maps listed are for
information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be
used for navigation.
- There
are no digital maps or brochures for this park.
- Location
Map
Nature
& Culture:
- History - The park was donated by C.S. Downing in 1970, and his family still owns the adjacent property.
- Cultural
Heritage - The park is
located within the traditional territory of the Secwepemc (Shuswap)
People. While no heritage sites are known within the park, please
remember it is illegal to damage such sites or remove artifacts.
- Conservation - Although the focus is on recreation at Downing Park, it is close to two larger parks with important conservation values. The Jesmond Road, which leaves Kelly Lake Road just east of the park, winds through the corridor between Marble Range and Edge Hills Parks. The Marble Range features karst landscapes, known for limestone cliffs and outcrops, while Edge Hills is a grassland park on the east bank of the Fraser River.
- General Wildlife, Marine & Outdoor Ethics Information
Visitor
Safety:
- Kelly
Lake is subject to strong winds throughout the year.
Keep this in mind if you venture out onto the water
to fish or swim.
Visitor
Safety Information (park
safety, hazards, wildlife safety information, health risks)
Reservations:For
parks that accept reservations,
all vehicle accessible campsites (with the exception of
group sites) must be reserved through Discover
Camping.
Explore
Parks: Fees, park listings, what
you should know before you go and other useful links.
Contact
Information:
G & P Kleenery Ltd
E-mail address: gpkleenery@telus.net
Phone: (250) 397-2523
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This
park offers 18 campsites on a first-come, first-served
basis - campsite reservations are not accepted.
This
campground has tenting sites spread over a lush,
grassy area next to the lake. The distance to walk
from the parking area is minimal (less than 20 metres
or 60 feet). Although there is limited parking space
available for R.V.'s, the peaceful setting of this
park draws such visitors to it each year.
If
there is no staff at the campground upon arrival,
choose a site and pay at the self-registration box
in the campground. Staff will be at the campground
at least once a day during the camping season. There
is no pay phone at the park and the closest store
is around 18km away in Clinton.
Vehicle
Accessible Camping Fee: $15.00 per party / night
BC
Senior's Rate (Shoulder Season only):
$7.50 per senior's couple/night
Hours
of Operation - All dates are subject
to change without notice |
Opening
and Closing Campground Dates: (campground
is accessible but may not offer full services
such as water, security, etc.)
|
May
15 - September 30 |
| Campground
Dates with Full Services and Fees: |
May
15 - September 30 |
| Campground
Reservable Dates: |
Not
applicable |
| Total
Number of Vehicle Accessible Campsites: |
18
park/walk-in sites |
| Number
of Reservable Campsites, if applicable:
(all remaining sites are first-come, first-served) |
Not
applicable |
| Note:
The Park is open year round unless
inaccessible due to weather conditions, especially
during the off-season. If the park or campground
are closed for other reasons, information is
noted in the Attention Visitor Notice at the
top of this page. |
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No
wilderness, backcountry or walk-in camping.
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No
group campsites.
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This
park has a day-use/picnic area. The picnic area,
situated on Kelly Lake, is located about 0.5 km
west of the campground entrance. There are waterfront
tables in the picnic area and a picnic shelter with
additional tables. There are also fire pits, pit
toilets and water taps in the day-use area.
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There
are no wheelchair accessible facilities at this park.
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Cold
water taps are centrally located in the campground and
picnic areas. Taps are shut off during the off-season.
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This
park only has pit toilets located throughout the campground
and picnic areas. This park has no flush toilets. |
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No
showers.
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No
sani-station/dump facilities.
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While campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each 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.
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There are no electrical hook-ups in this park |
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There
are no regularly scheduled interpretive programs at
this park.
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There
are no developed trails at this park; however, hiking
opportunities exist for the backcountry enthusiast in
both the Marble Range
and Edge Hills Provincial Parks.
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This
park does not have a playground.
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There
is a very pleasant swimming beach in the park. Swimmers
need to be aware that the lake bottom drops off sharply
and of the strong winds that arise on the lake. The
swimming area is not roped off and there are no lifeguards
on duty at provincial parks.
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Kelly
Lake is very small, so any canoeing or kayaking will
be limited, but relatively safe. Strong winds may be
experienced anytime during the year so beware of the
weather when out on the lake.
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There
is a small, single-wide gravel boat launch located approximately
0.5 km past the day use area on the same road. Kelly
Lake is fairly small and not ideal for waterskiing on.
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Kelly
Lake has rainbow trout and is popular with anglers.
Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must
have an appropriate licence.
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Bicycles
must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory
in British Columbia.
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No
horseback riding, although there are outfitters that
offer tours in the surrounding country.
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Pets/domestic
animals must be on a leash at all times and are not
allowed in beach 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.
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No
wildlife viewing opportunities.
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No
winter recreation opportunities. |
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No
SCUBA diving or snorkelling opportunities. |
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No
windsurfing opportunities. |
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No
waterskiing opportunities. |
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No
hunting in the park. |
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No
climbing or rock climbing opportunities. |
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No
spelunking or caving opportunities. |
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No
cabins, yurts or lodges for public use. |
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