Park overview
Located around 125km north-east of Kamloops in south-central British Columbia, Adams Lake Marine Park is a wilderness area with excellent boating and fishing opportunities.
The park consists of three marine sites:
Spillman Beaches
Featuring some of the best beaches on Adams Lake, this area includes an alluvial fan and the lower reaches of Spillman Creek. Away from the beaches, it offers a mix of pine forest, birch, cottonwoods, and western red cedar. There are also small pockets of grassland and shrubs.
Learn more about Spillman Beach
Poplar Point
Accessible only by boat, Poplar Point offers opportunities for lakeshore camping and day-use in a marine wilderness setting. This area includes beaches as well as an upland forest area.
Refuge Bay
Refuge Bay is one of the few secure boat landing sites on the north end of Adams Lake. It provides vehicle and boat access to camping opportunities suitable for visitors with backcountry experience.
Also nearby is the Bush Creek Site of Adams Lake Park. To learn more, visit the Bush Creek page.
Advisories
Safety info
Due to its considerable size, Adams Lake often experiences strong, gusty winds. Boating and other aquatic activities can be hazardous in particularly strong winds.
Special notes
- There are few pullouts available during the high water of May and June
- Bring your own drinking water as potable water is not available in this park
Camping
Wilderness camping is allowed within Adams Lake Marine Park. However, no facilities are provided. Many of the camping opportunities must be accessed by boat.
Vehicle-accessible camping is available in the Refuge Bay area. The camping area can accommodate a maximum of five camping units. Campsites are primitive with no tables or metal fire rings. Due to the small scale of the sites and access road, camping with large recreational vehicles is not recommended.
Wilderness camping is allowed within Adams Lake Marine Park. However, no facilities are provided. Many of the camping opportunities must be accessed by boat.
Facilities
Campfires may be allowed at Refuge Bay. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please do not gather firewood from the area around your campsite or anywhere in the park. Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil. You can conserve firewood and air quality by keeping your campfire small. Bring your own firewood and a portable stove for cooking.
This park has one user-maintained pit toilet, which is in the Refuge Bay area. There are no flush toilets.
Activities
There are natural sand and pebble beach areas on Adams Lake, notably in the Spillman Beaches area. There are no roped-off swimming areas anywhere in Adams Lake Marine Park.
There are no lifeguards on duty at BC Parks.
There are opportunities for canoeing and kayaking in this park. Exploring the park in this way also greatly increases the opportunities for camping.
Adams Lake is a popular destination for kokanee and rainbow trout fishing. The lake rarely freezes over due to its size and location.
Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.
While Adams Lake Marine Park has no formal viewing platforms, there are wildlife viewing opportunities throughout the park.
Domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to the presence of bears and other wildlife.
Adams Lake Marine Park has waterskiing opportunities. There are no motor size restrictions for boats on the lake.
Adams Lake is very large and is therefore subject to strong, gusty winds. Its water conditions can change quickly. Be aware of the weather and water conditions before waterskiing.
Because of its considerable size, Adams Lake often experiences strong winds. This makes it an ideal destination for windsurfing.
There are scuba diving opportunities in Adams Lake.
Maps and location
Any maps provided on this page are for information only. They may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.
Location
- The closest communities to Adams Lake Marine Park are Kamloops, Barriere, Sorrento, and Chase.
- The Spillman Beaches area is on the east side of Adams Lake. It can be accessed by boat only.
- Also on the east side of Adams Lake, Poplar Point is where Bugcamp Creek enters the lake. It can be accessed by boat only.
- The Refuge Bay area is at the north-west end of Adams Lake. It can be accessed by boat or by car.
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: April 30, 1996
- Size: 262 hectares
Nature and culture
Conservation
- Spillman Beaches encompasses beach frontage along Adams Lake and the lower portion of Spillman Creek. The park contains mixed Douglas fir and lodgepole pine forests, cottonwood, birch, and western red cedar.
- Poplar Point includes a portion of Adams Lake beach and an upland forest of Douglas-fir, western redcedar, and cottonwoods.
- Refuge Bay features a small, undisturbed stand of cedar, spruce, and hemlock as well as extensive Douglas fir and lodgepole pine forests of varying ages.
Wildlife
- Spillman Creek contains wild rainbow trout, with possible spawning habitat. It is also a potential sockeye spawning habitat.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.