Lower Mainland. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Safety information
- South Fraser Trail Conditions Report [PDF] (May 10, 2025). Scroll down to the Cultus Lake Provincial Park entry.
- ATVs and other off-road vehicles are not permitted within the park. This includes vehicles registered under the ORV Act.
- Swimmer’s itch may be present in Cultus Lake. To learn more, visit the HealthLink BC swimmer’s itch information page.
- Sudden drop off close to shore. There is a sudden change in depth of water which may cause swimmers to quickly become out of their comfort zone and swimming ability. There is an elevated risk of drowning.
Special notes
Take all your equipment with you when you leave, including recyclables, to help keep the park clean for everyone. Dumping large items, like chairs and tents, is not permitted.
Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.
Visit responsibly
Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:
Maps and location
- Park map [PDF] (updated June 2008)
- Westside Group location park map [PDF]
- Park brochure [PDF]
- Delta Grove and Clear Creek campground map [PDF]
- Entrance Bay campground map [PDF]
- Maple Bay campground map [PDF]
- Map Bay cabins [PDF] (updated 2019)
- Horse trail map [PDF]
- Google Earth KMZ file of the hiking trails (for use in Google Earth and/or and Google Maps)
Getting there
Cultus Lake Provincial Park is 11km southwest of Chilliwack. Access to the park is off Highway 1 at the Yarrow or Sardis exits. It is 16km to the park entrance from Yarrow and 10km from Sardis via the Columbia Valley Highway, which bisects the southeast section of the park.
Things to do
There are five main trails for you to enjoy and admire the wonders of nature:
- Teapot Hill Trail is located near the Honeymoon Bay group site. There are some steep sections making this trail moderately difficult. This trail is a 5km round trip (2 hours) viewing Cultus Lake and Columbia Valley.
- Seven Sisters Trail connects Entrance Bay and Clear Creek campgrounds. Along the trail, stands a group of large Douglas-fir trees, once numbering seven (2 hours return).
- Cultus Lake Horse Trail is 20km round trip (5 hours), traveling from Edmeston Road to Watt Creek, which joins the north and south ends of the park. The trail was closed in August 2013 due to an active landslide in the area. BC Parks installed warning signage and reopened the trail to the public, however; we strongly recommend visitors do not cross the landslide area during periods of intense rainfall.
- Giant Douglas-fir Trail begins 150 metres west of Delta Grove campground. The walk leads to this forest goliath and also connects with Clear Creek campground (45-minute return walk).
- Maple Bay Trail starts near the day-use parking lot and provides a self-guiding interpretive stroll past some of the park’s natural wonders (30 minutes).
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.
Check the current trail conditions report before heading out.
Swim only within the buoyed swimming areas. There are wharfs available in the Entrance Bay and Maple Bay day-use areas. Beaches are sandy. Please note that there are steep, dangerous drop-offs along the lakeshore.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddle boards are permitted on Cultus Lake.
There are kayaking opportunities in this park.
Cultus Lake provides good sports fishing for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden. Nearby Chilliwack Lake is noted for steelhead as well as whitefish and Coho salmon.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Find fun summer outdoor learning experiences with Discover Parks Ambassadors here all summer long. For specific dates, along with many more seasonal and year-round activities, visit discoverparks.ca.
The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has a fun, hands on, Learn to Fish Program that will teach basic angling skills to youth under 16 years old.
Pets/domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in park buildings or beach areas except for Entrance Bay and Maple Bay dog 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 wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
Bicycles are permitted on some of the Cultus Lake trails, especially the horse trails. Many of the other trails are for pedestrians only. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
For details on e-biking within Cultus Lake Park, see the e-biking section.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are permitted on signed or designated trails within Cultus Lake Provincial Park, provided they meet the definitions and criteria for e-bike use as outlined in the BC Parks cycling guidelines.
Waterskiing is available on Cultus Lake. Travel on the lake is restricted to counter clockwise.
A maintained horse trail, also used by hikers and cyclists, connects Edmeston Road at the north end of the park with Watt Creek Trailhead. Please note that horses are not permitted on Road 918. The Cultus Lake Horse Trail is open all year but the parking lot is closed during the off-season. There are approximately 20km of compact gravel and shale horse trails. Camping and stop-overs in day-use areas are not permitted with horses.
The trail was closed in August 2013 due to an active landslide in the area. BC Parks installed warning signage and reopened the trail to the public. We strongly recommend visitors do not cross the landslide area during periods of intense rainfall.
About this park
Cultus Lake was known as Swee-ehl-chah or Tsowallie by local First Nations. Cultus is a Chinook word derived from the Salish word Kul, meaning 'bad' or 'worthless'. The lake was considered 'bad' in a First Nations legend.
The park was given Provincial Park status in 1948.
The park lies in the transition zone between the Coastal Western Hemlock and Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zones. Douglas-fir and broadleaf maple are the dominant species. Hemlock is evident in the understory, largely on the wetter east side of the lake. A recent park expansion added 202 hectares including important foreshore habitat for the endangered Cultus Lake Sockeye, and the threatened Cultus Pygmy Sculpin.
The park provides habitat for a variety of wildlife including coyote, blacktail deer, beaver, shrew mole, and 100 species of birds. Cultus Lake contains rainbow, Dolly Varden, steelhead, and cutthroat trout, and all five varieties of salmon.
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.
Contact
| Reservations, changes, and cancellations | Our call centre is open from 7 am to 7 pm Pacific Time. There is a $5 fee for reservations, changes, or cancellations made by phone.
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| Park operator | This park is operated by Sea to Sky Park Services Ltd. |
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
