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
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.
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.
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
Accessibility information is available for Crooked River Park and Hart Lake.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
This park proudly operated by:
Quartz Contracting
northquartz@aol.com
250-964-3489
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.