• Please click here for important information about visiting this protected area.
• If you have visited the Spruce Lake Protected Area, we would appreciate if you could please complete an on-line comment form. This will allow park managers to obtain valuable information from those who have experienced the area.

Park Info:

Special Notes:

• Hikers, horseback riders and mountain bikers use this area. Protected area visitors should familiarize themselves with proper trail etiquette when there are multiple trail users. Cyclists yield to all other trail users and hikers yield to horses.
• In consideration of wildlife & safety hazards related to bears, dogs should not be taken into the park.
• Please keep to the established trails, especially in the grassland and alpine areas.

Management Planning Information

• Online Management planning information for this park is not available at this time.

Location:

This protected area lies approximately 150 km north of Whistler and 95 km west of Lillooet. Access from Pemberton is via the Hurley Forest Service Road to Gold Bridge (this road climbs steeply to 1,850 meters and can be very rough) or from Lillooet along Carpenter Lake. About 10km west of Gold Bridge, a logging road is traveled for approximately 12km to the start of the Gun Creek/Spruce Lake Trail at Jewel Creek. The protected area may also be accessed by the southeast side via logging and mining roads. Many of these roads require a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Any maps listed are for information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

• Park map
• There is an accurate map available for Spruce Lake Protected Area, the Southern Chilcotin Mountains Trail Map (ISBN 0-9738679-0-6) is available from the following retail outlets:
  • Mountain Equipment Co-op - Vancouver & North Vancouver, BC
  • International Travel Maps & Books -Vancouver, BC
  • Western Canada Wilderness Committee - Vancouver, BC
  • Tyax Mountain Lake Resort Gold Bridge, BC
  • Bridge River Valley Economic Development Society (BRVEDS) - Gold Bridge, BC
  • Morrow Chalets - Gold Bridge, BC
  • Pemberton Bike Co - Pemberton, BC
  • Escape Route - Whistler, BC
  • Armchair Books - Whistler, BC
  • Evolution - Whistler, BC
  • Valhalla Pure - Squamish, BC
  • Climb On - Squamish, BC
  • Crown Publications - Victoria, BC
  • Maptown - Calgary, AB

Nature & Culture:

• History - The area was first proposed for protection in 1937 and was designated a Protected Area in April 2001. The present boundaries were revised and announced as part of the Lillooet LRMP in July 2004. This area has long been recognized as having provincially outstanding conservation and recreation resources and has been the focus on intense public interest for wilderness preservation since the 1970”s. Through various wilderness studies and special management processes, the wilderness of the area has been largely maintained.
  
  
• Cultural Heritage - This area has been used for over 100 years for hunting and recreating. For several decades the Gang Ranch used the area as part of their summer range.
  
  
• Conservation - This area comprises the entire watersheds of the Leckie and Lizard Creeks and significant portions of the Gun, Tyaughton and Upper Relay waterhsheds. It is representative of the north/south biogeoclimatic transition and the ecological transition between coastal/interior and temperate/boreal habitats.
  
  The protected area contains basalts and sedimentary formations and interesting landforms such as Mt. Sheba and Castle Peak.  There are mid-elevation grasslands of bluebunch wheatgrass. Western limits of Ponderosa Pine are found in Tyaughton and Gun Creeks. R ich fossil occurrences in the Tyaughton Cr. and Castle Peak area are highly valued by the scientific community.
  
  
• Wildlife - The extensive habitat from valley bottoms to alpine meadows assists in creating high wildlife values for grizzly bears, California bighorn sheep, mountain goat, mule deer and wolverine. Combined with the Big Creek Provincial Park area, it is one large contiguous unroaded core grizzly management area.
  
  There are wild stocks of rainbow and bull trout in the lakes and bull trout in the river and creek systems.
  
  
• General Wildlife, Marine & Outdoor Ethics Information

• This protected area is not regularly patrolled. Visitors should be totally self-sufficient.
• Visitors should ensure they make their presence known if there are signs of bear and food should be properly cached.
• In some locations of the protected area, you will be several days from any form of help. Bring a good first aid kit and exercise caution.

General Visitor Safety Information (park safety, hazards, wildlife safety information, health risks)

Reservations:

Campsite Reservations:

Reservations are not accepted at this protected area - all campsites are on a first-come, first-served basis. For parks that accept reservations or information on the reservation service, click here.

Group Camp/Picnic Reservations:
No group camping/picking reservations.

Explore Parks: Fees, park listings, what you should know before you go and other useful links.

	No vehicle accessible camping facilities at this protected area
	Wilderness, backcountry or walk-in camping is allowed, but no facilities are provided. There are six areas in the protected area that are designated wilderness backcountry sites. These sites are user maintained. Some, but not all sites provide a rustic picnic table and pit toilet. These sites are at the following locations: North end of Spruce Lake South end of Spruce Lake Gun Creek Grassland Hummingbird Lake Trigger Lake Jewel Bridge All sites are well treed and provide an opportunity to cache food. There are no designated backcountry camping sites in alpine areas. Visitors should practice no impact camping. Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.
	There are no group campsites at this protected area.
	No day-use or picnic facilities.
	There are no wheelchair accessible facilities at this protected area.
	Bring your own drinking water as potable water is not available in the protected area. Drinking water is available from the area’s numerous lakes, streams and creek. Visitors should filter, boil or treat the water prior to consuming.
	This protected area only has pit toilets - no flush toilets. There are user maintained pit toilets at some of the designated backcountry sites. Visitors should exercise proper backcountry sanitation procedures when no facilities are available. Deposit human waste in cat holes. Cat holes are 6 to 8 inches deep and should be located at least 100 feet from any water source. Thoroughly cover and disguise cat holes when finished. Bury toilet paper as well. Do not burn it.
	There are no showers at this protected area.
	No sani-station/dump facilities.
	Campfires are permitted. Campers must use existing fire rings and obey all fire closures.
	There are no electrical hook-ups in this protected area.
	There are no regularly scheduled interpretive programs at this protected area.
	For your own safety and the preservation of the protected area, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure. For more specific information on the trails, click here. Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.
	This protected area does not have a playground.
	Swimming is in the various lakes in the protected area. There are no lifeguards on duty in Provincial Parks.
	There are no opportunities for canoeing or kayaking in this protected area.
	This protected area does not have a boat launch.
	Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. There are a number of recreational opportunities available in this protected area (including horseback riding expeditions, hunting trips and fishing). Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.
	Cycling is permitted. Mountain biking is available on the numerous trails in the protected area. Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.
	Horseback riding is available on most trails in the protected area. There are a number of recreational opportunities available in this protected area (including horseback riding expeditions, hunting trips and fishing). Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.
	Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
	No wildlife viewing opportunities.
	There are winter camping opportunites throughout the protected area.
	No SCUBA diving or snorkelling opportunities.
	No windsurfing opportunities.
	No waterskiing opportunities.
	The protected area is open to hunting. Anyone hunting in British Columbia must have the appropriate license. Check the BC Hunting Regulations for seasons and closures. There are a number of recreational opportunities available in this protected area (including horseback riding expeditions, hunting trips and fishing). Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.
	No climbing or rock climbing opportunities.
	No spelunking or caving opportunities.
	No cabins, yurts or lodges for public use.