Crooked River Park

Welcome to the new BC Parks website

Park overview

Crooked River Park is found an hour drive north of Prince George. The Crooked River lies within the Fraser Basin, a terrain of gently rolling hills and shallow lakes covering much of North Central B.C. Three beautiful lakes are contained within this 963 hectare park.

A popular area at the park is Bear Lake. The fine, sandy beaches along the lake offer some of the best swimming spots in the region. There are also superb opportunities for fishing, hiking, camping and nature study.

Visitors like to hike to nearby Square Lake or along the Crooked River which was a pathway for early explorers. A natural feature in the park is Livingston Springs, a cold water springs that run year-round.

Established date: October 5, 1965
Park size: 963 hectares

Advisories

Dates of operation

All dates are subject to change without notice.

Open to public access year-round

Current status:Open to public access

Be sure to check advisories above before visiting

Crooked River Campground

Facility type

Vehicle-accessible camping

Number of campsites

Reservable frontcountry sites: 29
Vehicle-accessible sites: 65
RV-accessible sites: 1

Main camping season dates

2023: May 12 to September 24

Reservable dates

2023: May 19 to September 23

Service note

Opening date is subject to snow melt

Winter note

Day-use area gate is open year-round for winter activities, but no services are provided. The area is user-maintained.

Safety info

Stay safe

Safe swimming practices are a must! Visitors are encouraged to remain within the designated area. As no lifeguard is on duty, children should be watched at all times and solo swimming should be avoided.
To avoid problems with nuisance animals such as bears, please lock food in your vehicle at night and be sure to use the garbage containers provided. Never feed or approach bears.
As the park is situated in open pine forest, it is tempting to walk off the trails. Visitors should keep in mind that it is easy to lose your bearings in pine forests as the terrain is unvarying and can be confusing.

Leave No Trace

Help protect the park land. Enjoy Crooked River Park but please leave it as you have found it so that future visitors may also enjoy the park.

Park rules

For safety reasons, firearms are not permitted in the park. Crooked River Park is closed to hunting.
No alcohol is allowed on the beach or in the day-use area.
Pets are not permitted in the day-use area and must be kept on a leash at all times in any other area of the park.

Camping

Reservations

Campsite reservations are accepted and first come, first served sites are also available.

All campsite reservations must be made the BC Parks reservations system. When reservations are not available all campsites function as first come, first served.

Vehicle-accessible camping

This park offers 65 private and secluded vehicle accessible campsites. This campground will accommodate larger RVs. Campsite reservations are accepted and first-come, first-served sites are also available.

Vehicle Accessible Camping Fee: $22.00 per party / night

BC Senior’s Rate (day after Labour Day to June 14 only): $11.00 per senior party/night. Read the User Fees Policy for information on Senior Camping Discounts.

Long stay camping

Available sites: 1-16 and 30-43

A minimum of 4 consecutive weeks must be booked. The long stay program is available from May 15 to September 11 in this park. Please contact the park operator to book one of these sites.

Information on other parks participating in this pilot program, or a link to the Long Stay Policy document, is available on the Frontcountry Camping Policies and Fees webpage.

Long-stay camping available. $65/week

Facilities

Accessibility information

Accessibility information is available for Crooked River Park and Hart Lake.

Picnic areas

There is a day-use and picnic area along the north shore of the lake. It has flush toilets, running water, a sandy beach, picnic tables, garbage cans, picnic shelter, horseshoe pits (bring own horseshoes) and an adventure playground. The paved and gravel parking lot can accommodate 530 vehicles.

Pets are not allowed in the day-use areas. Alcohol is not permitted in the day-use area.

Pit or flush toilets

Pit and flush toilets are located throughout the park.

Showers

This park has hot showers.

Drinking water

Cold well-water is available for cooking and drinking; taps are located throughout the campground and day-use area.

Playground

There is an adventure playground located at the south beach area of the campground.

Sani-station

During the collecting season a sani-station/dump is available and a fee is charged for the service.

Sani-station Use Fee: $5.00 per discharge

Campfires

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.

Activities

Hiking

Those who enjoy hiking and walking can explore this beautiful park along the 9 km of marked trail.

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.

There are three main trails to chose from, each taking about an hour round trip.

One trail takes visitors to and around Square Lake, an excellent spot for nature viewing. The lodgepole pine forests, lakes and wetlands of the park provide excellent habitat for a number of mammals and birds. River otters, beavers, muskrats, squirrels and chipmunks are the most common residents. Lynx, red fox, coyote and black bear may also be seen. Many birds frequent the park including bald eagles, ospreys, tanagers and chickadees.

A second trail overlooks the willow-fringed Crooked River, the park’s namesake. This meandering river, once the corridor of the famous explorers Alexander Mackenzie and Simon Fraser, is popular with canoeists. Elegant Trumpeter swans visit the river in the winter.

The third trail encircling Bear Lake is a great place for an evening stroll.

Get the park brochure and map for more details.

Swimming

For swimmers and sunbathers, the 460 metres of natural sandy beach of Bear Lake is the main attraction. Nearby change houses, picnic tables, and firepits make it easy to spend a full day enjoying this natural playground. The pristine setting is safe and quiet since power boats are not permitted in the park. There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks.

Canoeing

Canoes and kayaks are welcome.

Fishing

Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. Crooked River, Square Lake and Hart Lake provide good angling for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden or Rocky Mountain whitefish. Gate to Hart Lake parking lot is open at this time. Only Square Lake is available for ice fishing and is a popular lake among the locals. Hart Lake is closed to ice fishing. Check the below regulations for specifications.
Please note: There have been regulation changes regarding the amount of fish allowed to be kept. Please view the Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations Synopsis for specific information.

Wildlife viewing

There is no viewing platform but the abundant trail system allows access to lakes and Crooked River, which has lots of wildlife and scenic viewing possibilities. In winter, the Crooked River is a wintering ground for Trumpeter Swans.

Pets on leash

Pets/domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. No pets are allowed in the day-use area. 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.

Cycling

Bicycles are allowed on all park roads, however, they are only allowed on trails that are signed for bicycle use (very few trails are signed for bikes).

e-Biking

Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are permitted on signed or designated trails within Crooked River Park, provided they meet the definitions and criteria for e-bike use as outlined in the BC Parks cycling guidelines.

Windsurfing

Great place to windsurf as there are only non-motorized vessels allowed in the park.

Winter recreation

All hiking trails and the campground loops are available for snowshoeing.

Only Square Lake is available for ice fishing and is a popular lake among the locals. Hart Lake is closed to ice fishing.

Maps and location

View a more detailed map.

The park is located 70km north of Prince George on Highway #97. This is approximately a one hour drive. The closest communities, towns and cities are Bear Lake and Prince George.

Park and activity maps

Bathymetric Maps:

Square Lake Bathymetric Map [PDF 1.42MB]

Learn more about this park

Park details

Date established: October 5, 1965
Size: 963 hectares

Park contact

This park proudly operated by:
Quartz Contracting
northquartz@aol.com
250-964-3489

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Nature and culture

History: Crooked River Park was originally established to protect its attractive lakes and surrounding landscape. The lakes are a result of the melting of the glacial ice blocks.
Cultural heritage: The Crooked River was once the corridor of the famous explorers Alexander MacKenzie and Simon Fraser.
Conservation: The gently undulating landscape is covered by a thick layer of glacial drift supporting a forest of white spruce, lodgepole pine and douglas fir, known as the sub-boreal spruce zone. The forest cover within the park boundaries consists mainly of lodgepole pine, alder, birch, aspen, and spruce. It sits atop a sand and gravel soil, the result of thousands of years of glacial activity in the area.
Wildlife: One of Crooked River Park’s trails takes visitors to and around Square Lake, an excellent spot for nature viewing. The forests, lakes and wetlands of the park provide excellent habitat for a number of mammals and birds. River otter, beaver, muskrat, squirrels, and chipmunks are the most common residents. Lynx, red fox, coyote, and black bear may also be seen. Many birds frequent the park including bald eagles, ospreys, tanagers, and chickadees. In the winter, Crooked River is visited by trumpeter swans. Park users should always be aware of bears and other wildlife in our park environment. Never feed or approach bears or other wildlife. For more information on staying safe, visit the wildlife safety page.

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.