Nazko Lake Provincial Park

• May 29, 2019

  Nazko Lake Park has been reopened

  This park was burnt over by the 2017 wildfires. The park and canoe circuit have now been reopened, with limited facilities. Tanikul South Campsite will remain closed due to the severity of the burn. Safety assessment and site rehabilitations were completed in 2018 and replacement of infrastructure are being planned.

  Caution – be advised that there are significant risks associated with entering areas that have been burnt over by the 2017 wildfires. Potential risks could include:

  • danger trees and overhead hazards – the integrity of trees whose trunks, roots or branches have been damaged by wildfire is unreliable
  • terrain instability resulting in landslides and falling or shifting debris and rock
  • amplified runoff after rainfall or snowmelt which could result in a rapid increase of water course depth and flow rates or flooding conditions
  • ash pits – may be deep and difficult to see
  • respiratory effects caused by breathing soot and charcoal for extended periods of time

  Post-wildfire hazards may last for several years or longer after a wildfire and may be triggered at any time with little or no warning.

Nazko Lake Park provides canoeing, fishing, camping and wildlife viewing in a natural environment, while protecting extensive wetlands for moose and aquatic fur-bearers. This is a wilderness park, offering a two to three day wilderness canoe circuit, along with three rustic, vehicle-access campgrounds at Summit, Loomis and Deerpelt Lakes. A pit toilet and picnic tables are provided at each site, but firewood and potable water are not available. Please note that Summit and Loomis Lakes are NOT connected to the canoe chain.

Park Size: 12,419 hectares

Stay Safe

• A very narrow, steep track with poor visibility travels along one side of Deerpelt Lake to Nazko Lake. This track offers little room to maneuver a vehicle or turn around, and is very slippery when wet. It is recommended that canoeists park at Deerpelt Lake to access the canoe chain.

Special Notes

• Hunting is not permitted between July 1 and August 31. Hunters must have a current licence and observe all regulations.
• Garbage must be packed off the lake chain and out of the park. No garbage facilities exist in Nazko Lake Park. Garbage left at the sites attracts bears and other mammals. Please take all your garbage with you.
• There is no boat launch at Deerpelt Lake; a steep trail leads from the campsite to the lake.

Please note: Any maps listed are for information only – they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

• Location Map

The park is located in the northern part of the Chilcotin Plateau northwest of Alexis Creek. Access is on logging roads and a dirt track. Drivers of two wheel drive vehicles should have no problems, provided they do not go beyond Deerpelt Lake. Described below are two access routes. The first route is a little quicker, with less travel on dirt roads, but in the spring and fall it can be very muddy and slippery. The alternate route is recommended during wet weather.

Nazko Lake Park Access
Take Highway 20 west from Williams Lake. Pass through the village of Alexis Creek (111 km from Williams Lake). Bull Canyon Park is six km further on. At the top of the hill past this small park, look for the Alexis Lakes Road and turn right. Travel approximately 32 km on the Alexis Lakes Road then turn left onto the 4600 Road (Clusko-Aneko Forest Service Road). The road to Loomis Lake and the Nazko Lake Canoe Chain is at kilometre 11.5, on the right, just past the 4645 marker sign. Loomis Lake is 11 km from the 4600 Road, and Deerpelt Lake, where the Canoe Chain starts, is about another 2.5 km.

Alternate Route
Travelling west on Highway 20 approximately 67 km west of Williams Lake (or 21 km west of Riske Creek), turn right on the 1300 Road (also called Bush Road or Alex Graham/Raven Lake Forest Service Road). Continue on the 1300 Road for approximately 44 km. Just past the 45 marker sign on the 1300 Road turn left onto the 4600 Road. Travel for 45.5 km. The access road to the Nazko Lake Canoe Chain is on the right, just past the 4645 marker sign. Continue as above.

These roads are active haul roads, and you may encounter logging trucks at any time. Please drive carefully and use your headlights.

Any maps listed are for information only – they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

• Park Map [PDF]
• Brochure with Map [PDF]

• History: This area was managed as a wilderness canoe route by the Forest Service until it became a park in 1995, resulting from recommendations in the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan.
• Conservation: Nazko Lake Park protects wetlands to the east of the canoe chain, and along portions of the lakeshores and river. Wetlands are important for waterfowl, shorebirds, aquatic fur-bearers and moose, as well as amphibians, fish and insects which live and breed in the park.
• Wildlife: The American White Pelican feeds on the lakes within Nazko Lake Park and other lakes in the Chilcotin. Pelicans are legally designated as an Endangered Species in British Columbia. The one nesting site in British Columbia is closed to the public during spring and summer, as the pelicans are very susceptible to disturbance when nesting. Nazko Lake Park is a feeding area for the birds, and they may be seen feeding on fish morning and evening by dipping their bills into the water while swimming or when standing in shallow water. They also feed on frogs, salamanders and crayfish.

• Management Planning Information
• Approved Purpose Statement and Zoning Plan [PDF 36.3KB] for Nazko Lake Provincial Park

Canoeing

Cycling

Fishing

Hiking

Pets on Leash

Swimming

Boat Launch

Campfires

Pit or Flush Toilets

Vehicle Accessible Camping

Walk-In/Wilderness Camping