Highlights in this park
Roche Lake Park has seven world-class stocked rainbow trout lakes. Two of these lakes are served by maintained gravel roads, on the Thompson Plateau. The park includes rustic campsites that are located on Horseshoe Lake and Roche Lake.
This is a year-round recreation area, noted for camping, hunting, wildlife viewing, fishing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.
Know before you go
Advisories
Safety information
- The park is natural habitat for black bears. Campers must keep all food in vehicles and deposit garbage in bear-proof garbage cans.
- As of August 29, 2013, the backcountry of Roche Lake Park has multiple hazard trees that pose a potential safety risk. Camping outside of managed campgrounds is not recommended at this time. For more information, contact BC Parks at 250-371-6200.
Special notes
- A pay telephone is available at Roche Lake Resort, which is located on the same gravel road that is used to access the park, just follow the signs.
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
Getting there
This park is 36 km southeast of Kamloops, accessed via gravel road from Highway 5A at the north end of Trapp Lake. Communities close to the park are Kamloops, Quilchena and Merritt.
Dates of operation
The park is open year-round
- Facility type
- Frontcountry camping
- Number of campsites
- Vehicle-accessible sites: 4
- Main operating season
- 2024: April 26 to September 29
- Winter season
- No services
- Winter season note
- During the off-season, no fees are collected and no services are provided.
- Facility type
- Frontcountry camping
- Number of campsites
- Vehicle-accessible sites: 8
- Main operating season
- 2024: April 26 to September 29
- Winter season
- No services
- Winter season note
- During the off-season, no fees are collected and no services are provided.
- Facility type
- Frontcountry camping
- Number of campsites
- Vehicle-accessible sites: 21
- Main operating season
- 2024: April 26 to September 29
- Winter season
- No services
- Winter season note
- During the off-season, no fees are collected and no services are provided.
- Service note
- Services may be available and fees charged later/earlier than these dates, weather permitting. For confirmation, please use the contact the park operator.
Camping
- Total number of campsites
- Total vehicle-accessible sites: 33
- Total groupsites: Informal (see Group Camping below)
This park offers vehicle accessible campsites on a first come, first served basis. Campsite reservations are not accepted.
There are three rustic campgrounds: Roche Lake North (8 sites), Roche Lake West (21 sites) and Horseshoe Lake (4 sites).
| Vehicle-accessible camping fee | $13 per party per night |
| BC seniors’ rate (day after Labour Day to June 14 only) | $6.50 per senior party per night |
For information on the BC seniors’ rate, see the camping fees page.
As of August 29, 2013, the backcountry of Roche Lake Park has multiple hazard trees that pose a potential safety risk.
Camping outside of managed campgrounds is not recommended at this time. For more information, contact BC Parks at 250-371-6200.
Things to do
There are many informal trails for cycling. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Roche Lake 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.
Lakes are stocked with rainbow trout. This is a world-class rainbow trout fishing area.
Ice fishing is sometimes available. Ensure that ice is safe before attempting this activity because aeration is used in some of the lakes to prevent winter kill.
The Freshwater Fishing Society provides more information on fishing at Roche Lake.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Hunting is permitted only during lawful game hunting season. Check the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis for regulations.
Swimming is available in this park.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
There are many informal unset trails for cross-country skiing and for snowshoeing. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails.
Ice skating is available in this park. Ensure that ice is safe before attempting this activity because aeration is used in some of the lakes to prevent winter kill.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for these areas of the park:
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.
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.
Campfires must not exceed half a metre in height. Keep fires small, save trees and conserve firewood. Do not leave your campfire unattended. This is a high-risk forest fire area.
Campfire bans may be in place. Before lighting a fire, check for bans or restrictions on BC Wildfire Service and on local or Indigenous government websites.
About this park
History
Established April 30, 1996 as a result of recommendations made in the Kamloops Land and Resource Management Plan.
Conservation
The park protects a series of world-class recreational trout fishing lakes in a plateau setting, and encompasses small stands of old-growth interior Douglas fir forest, highly productive habitat for moose, waterfowl and perching birds.
Wildlife
Black bear, moose, mule deer, white-tailed deer and birds such as the Canada goose, mallard, common snipe, vesper sparrow and mountain bluebird all make their home in the park.
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
This park proudly operated by:
Shuswap Adams Parks Ltd.
parkinquiries@telus.net
250 320-9305