Park overview
This park is a small but popular park that almost encircles attractive Kelly Lake. Views of mountains, and 2,245 metre Mount Bowman, a spectacular mountain ridge visible from the nearby Jesmond Road, give the park a remote atmosphere, though it is located close to Clinton.
This 14-site vehicle-accessible campground was re-built in 2015 and re-opened to the public in May of 2016. Swimming in Kelly Lake is enjoyable from the long sandy beach. Angling for rainbow trout is a popular past time. Many visitors use the park as a stopping place as they travel the Pavilion Mountain Road, which connects the Cariboo to Lillooet. This scenic alternative to Highway 99 is unpaved, narrow and switch-backed and best suited for compact 4x4 vehicles.
The park land was donated to the people of BC by C. S. Downing in 1970, and his family still owns adjacent property. Please respect this private property by keeping to the road when walking between the day-use area and campground.
Nearby parks also offering campgrounds include Green Lake and Big Bar Lake. Visitors can also travel along the Jesmond Loop, by travelling north-west from the park to Jesmond Road. This scenic drive passes by the historic townsite of Jesmond, where the OK Corral – one of the oldest ranches in the area – is situated, and continues past Little Big Bar Lake. The loop also accesses the Jesmond fire lookout by way of a narrow four-wheel drive road, from which adventurous visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, including Marble Range and Edge Hills Provincial Parks. This route eventually connects with Highway 97 and provides a scenic trip for travellers heading to Green Lake or beyond.
Established Date: July 9, 1970
Park Size: 139 hectares
Advisories
Dates of operation
Open to public access May 13, 2023 to September 15, 2023
Current status:
Open to public access
- Facility type
- Vehicle-accessible camping
- Number of campsites
- Vehicle-accessible sites: 14
- Main camping season dates
- 2023: May 13 to September 15
- Winter note
- Gate closed during the off season.
- Facility type
- Day-use area
- Main operating season dates
- 2023: May 13 to September 15
Safety info
Stay Safe
- Kelly Lake is subject to strong winds throughout the year. Keep this in mind if you venture out onto the water to fish or swim.
The public should be alert when driving in an area that has had a recent wildfire. Be observant of washed out bridges or culverts, roads below steep banks are susceptible to landslides. Watch for collapsed pavement, mud, fallen rocks and other indications of debris flows. On forest land where a wildfire has occurred, avoid camping on floodplains, beside small streams, on alluvial fans or at the base of burned slopes. Rapid spring snowmelt and intense rainfall are common triggers that present a greater risk of post-wildfire events. Be aware of forecasts that may include heavy rainfall. This bulletin provides general information only, additional information resources are available at:
Special Notes
- Please note: The maximum unit size for this park is 30 feet.
- Please respect the Downing property by keeping to the road when walking between the day-use area and the campground.
- ORVs are prohibited in this park. ORVs include ATVs, off-road motorcycles, snowmobiles and side-by-sides.
Camping
- Total number of campsites
- Total vehicle-accessible sites: 14
This park offers 14 new gravelled campsites on a first-come, first-served basis; campsite reservations are not accepted. Staff will be at the campground at least once a day during the camping season to collect and clean. There is no pay phone at the park and the closest store is approximately 18km away in Clinton.
Please Note:
The maximum unit size for this park is 30 feet.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for the Downing Park campground and the Day Use site.
Activities
Kelly Lake has rainbow trout and is popular with anglers. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.
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 Downing 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.
Maps and location
The park is located 18 km south-west of Clinton. Turn off Hwy 97 at the south end of Clinton onto the Kelly Lake Road, which is paved as far as the park. The closest communities, towns and cities are Clinton, 100 Mile House, Ashcroft and Cache Creek.
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: July 9, 1970
- Size: 139 hectares
Park contact
This park proudly operated by:
Shuswap Adams Parks Ltd.
parkinquiries@telus.net
250 320-9305
Nature and culture
- History: The park was donated by C.S. Downing in 1970, and his family still owns the adjacent property.
- Cultural Heritage: The park is located within the traditional territory of the Secwepemc (Shuswap) People. While no heritage sites are known within the park, please remember it is illegal to damage such sites or remove artifacts.
- Conservation: Although the focus is on recreation at Downing Park, it is close to two larger parks with important conservation values. The Jesmond Road, which leaves Kelly Lake Road just east of the park, winds through the corridor between Marble Range and Edge Hills Parks. The Marble Range features karst landscapes, known for limestone cliffs and outcrops, while Edge Hills is a grassland park on the east bank of the Fraser River.
- General Wildlife, Marine & Outdoor Ethics Information
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.