Conkle Lake Park

There are 2 group campsites at this park. The walk-in area and a vehicle accessible site at the entrance to the campground across from the information shelter. There are 7 small sites around a larger central opening. There are two pit toilets and a large central fire pit. The picnic tables can be arranged to suit a variety of groups. The sites are best suited to trucks with campers or tents. Reservation information»

This park offers 34 vehicle-accessible campsites, including four double sites, all available on a first-come, first-served basis. The park is maintained during the main camping season and, while camping is permitted year-round, access is very difficult. Roads in the campground are gravel and the sites are rustic and natural to offer an old-fashioned camping experience not often found in the busy Okanagan Valley. The medium sized sites are well spaced and set in a thick young forest of Douglas fir, larch, cedar and lodgepole pine that offer shade and contribute to privacy. The sites are found in a strip overlooking the lake, views are through the thick forest, with a small loop at the western end. Steep trails lead roughly 100 m down to the lake. Cell service is generally spotty in the park and the nearest services are in Rock Creek.

Accessibility information is available for this park.

The day-use area is a natural sandy beach at the north end of the lake. The beach was created by wave action, the result of strong southerly winds that are a regular phenomenon at this altitude. There are stairs down from the large gravel parking area found 100m above the beach. There are also steep trails with some stairs leading down from the campground. It is possible to drive down and drop people off at the beach. There is no parking at the beach/boat launch. There are four picnic tables and two benches on the large beach. The view down the lake is beautiful. An open grassy area separates the picnic tables from the surrounding forest. A few widely spaced trees offer some shade along the beach. There is a handpump for drinking water by the boat launch and four pit toilets back in the trees behind the tables. There are no buoys to mark the swimming area.

This park only has pit toilets; no flush toilets. The toilets are conveniently located throughout the campground for easy access by all of the sites.

There is one hand pump in the park located in the campground.

There is a boat launch at this park. Boats with motors exceeding 10 hp are not permitted on the lake and the boat launch is most suited to small trailered boats or car top boats. It consists of a small, single wide section of beach marked by rocks. There is a turn-around area and parking is 100m back up the road in the large gravel parking lot that also serves the beach and the walk-in group tenting site.

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.

There is limited hiking available in the park. Starting between campsites 32 and 33 inside of the park, there is a 2 km trail travelling part way around the lake to a waterfall, which is outside of the park. Please use extreme caution while approaching the steep and hazardous cliffs at the waterfall. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.

The large beach and cold, clear water of Conkle Lake make it a good place for swimming. There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks.

There are paddling, canoeing and kayaking opportunities at this park enhanced by the motorboat size restriction.

Conkle Lake is a destination for fishing. It is stocked with rainbow trout fry by the Summerland Trout Hatchery. The three kilometre long lake is framed by steep hillsides and fed by East Creek. Conkle Creek drains the lake and eventually joins the Kettle River. There is ice fishing, though access is difficult. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.

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.

Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.

Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Conkle Lake Provincial Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy will be for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.

The regular southerly winds create windsurfing opportunities.

There is some snowmobiling along the forest service roads that lead into the park. There is ice fishing, though access is difficult. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.