Sasquatch Park
Park overview
Located north of Harrison Hot Springs, Sasquatch Park is characterized by a series of pocket lakes, a unique second-growth and birch forest, and scenic mountain ridges.
Hicks Lake and Deer Lake are ideal for motorboating and canoeing, while Trout Lake provides a tranquil fishing experience. Visitors can also enjoy camping, hiking, wildlife viewing, and picnicking.
Advisories
Dates of operation
Open to public access April 6, 2023 to October 10, 2023
Current status:Open to public access
- Facility type
- Vehicle-accessible camping
- Number of campsites
- Reservable frontcountry sites: 62
- Vehicle-accessible sites: 64
- Main camping season dates
- 2023: May 19 to September 17
- Reservable dates
- 2023: May 19 to September 16
- Service note
- opened on an as needed basis
- Winter note
- Walk-in camping is not permitted if the gate is locked.
- Facility type
- Boat launch
- Main operating season dates
- 2023: Dates are not yet available
- Facility type
- Day-use area
- Main operating season dates
- 2023: April 6 to October 10
- Facility type
- Vehicle-accessible camping
- Number of campsites
- Reservable frontcountry sites: 54
- Vehicle-accessible sites: 72
- Main camping season dates
- 2023: April 28 to October 10
- Reservable dates
- 2023: April 28 to October 9
- Winter note
- Walk-in camping is not permitted if the gate is locked.
- Facility type
- Boat launch
- Main operating season dates
- 2023: Dates are not yet available
- Facility type
- Group camping
- Number of campsites
- Reservable frontcountry sites: 1
- Groupsites: 1
- Main camping season dates
- 2023: April 28 to September 24
- Reservable dates
- 2023: April 28 to September 23
- Winter note
- Walk-in camping is not permitted if the gate is locked.
- Facility type
- Vehicle-accessible camping
- Number of campsites
- Reservable frontcountry sites: 40
- Vehicle-accessible sites: 42
- Main camping season dates
- 2023: April 6 to October 10
- Reservable dates
- 2023: April 6 to October 9
- Winter note
- October 14 - March 28; winter camping fees in effect.
- Note
- The park gate to Hicks, Trout and Deer Lakes is open from April 29 - October 10. Outside of these dates, access is by foot traffic, only. Please note that the lakes are 5km in from the park gate. Hicks day use and campground gates are closed, as well as the gate to Bench, but the main campground road gate will remain open until the 16th. Of October.
Safety info
Swimmer’s itch may be present in Deer Lake and Hicks Lake. For more information on swimmer’s itch and other swimming-related health risks, see the staying safe page.
Special notes
- Quiet hours are 10pm to 7am. Music, generators, and other sources of noise must be shut off completely between these hours.
- ATVs and other off-road vehicles (including those registered under the Off-Road Vehicle Act ) are not permitted within the park.
- There is no overnight parking at Green Point. All vehicles will be towed.
Camping
- Total number of campsites
- Total reservable frontcountry sites: 169
- Total vehicle-accessible sites: 178
- Total groupsites: 1
All campsite and group camping reservations must be made through the BC Parks reservation service. When reservations are not available, all campsites are available on a first come, first served basis.
Campsites
Campsite reservations are accepted and first come, first served sites are also available. To learn about booking a reservation, see the frontcountry camping page.
Groupsites
Group campsite reservations are accepted at this park. To learn about booking a groupsite, see the group camping page.
Check-in
Your reservation is held until 11am the day after your scheduled arrival. If you do not occupy your site by this time, your reservation is cancelled. All fees are forfeited, and the park operator makes the site available for other visitors.
There is one group campsite available at Hicks Lake. This groupsite is separated from other campsites and it can accommodate 15 to 40 people. There is a covered shelter available but there are no barbeque attachments on the picnic tables.
For more information on groupsites, see the group camping page.
Youth group camping is available for parties of at least 12 people. To qualify, your party must be associated with a school, recreation centre, or non-profit youth organization located in B.C. Youth group camping charges per night are $1 per person (six years of age and older), with a $50 minimum and $150 maximum.
Regular group camping charges per night are $80 per night, plus $5 per adult (16 and older) and $1 per child (six to 15). There is a minimum charge for 15 adults. Children under six camp for free.
Sasquatch Park offers vehicle-accessible campsites. Campsite reservations are accepted and first come, first served sites are also available. To learn about making a reservation, see the frontcountry camping page.
Campgrounds
There are three campgrounds at this park: Hicks Lake, Bench, and Lakeside (Deer Lake). There are no pull-through or double sites available. Campsites have tent pads and are located among trees.
Parking
A maximum of two vehicles can be parked at a campsite. There is no parking available for extra vehicles.
Check-in
If you have a reservation, ask staff or check the reservation board (at the entrance of each campground) to locate your campsite.
For first come, first served camping, ask staff to help you find a site. If no staff are a available, find a campsite with no ticket number on the post. Staff will come by to collect camping fees.
There is no gate house and the gate is not locked during the camping season.
Fees
| Hicks Lake, Lakeside (Deer Lake), and Bench campgrounds | |
|---|---|
| Vehicle-accessible camping | $23 per party per night |
| BC Senior Camping Discount rate (day after Labour Day to June 14 only) | $11.50 per senior party per night |
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for these areas of the park:
Sasquatch Park features day-use areas in Hicks Lake and Lakeside (Deer Lake) campgrounds, which are ideal for picnicking. The Green Point day-use area has picnic tables and a parking area. There are grassy regions at Green Point on Harrison Lake and the Hicks Lake day-use areas. The beaches are sandy at Hicks Lake and Deer Lake, and rocky at the Green Point area.
There are barbeque attachments on the picnic tables. Bring your own barbeque and briquettes. There are no fire pits and open fires are not permitted in day-use areas.
There is a beach area open to off-leash dogs near the boat launch areas. The Deer Lake campground has a playground on the beach. The day-use areas are accessible by foot if the gate is locked. The nearest stores are at Harrison Hot Springs.
There are pit toilets throughout Sasquatch Park, including at the campgrounds. Flush toilets are available at the Green Point day-use area.
Cold-water taps are located throughout Lakeside (Deer Lake) and Bench campgrounds. There are hand pumps at Hicks Lake and Bench campgrounds. The only day-use area with water taps is Green Point.
An adventure playground is located in Lakeside (Deer Lake) Campground.
Sasquatch Park has boat launches at Hicks Lake, Green Point, and Deer Lake. All boat launches are single wide. There is a marina nearby to moor boats overnight. Boats can be left in the water or beached overnight at the owners’ risk.
There are ‘dead slow’ speed restrictions near the boat launches and swimming areas.
Hicks Lake
Hicks Lake day-use area has a paved boat launch. Motors with a maximum of 10 horsepower are allowed.
Green Point
Green Point day-use area has a paved boat launch, which is open all year.
Deer Lake
Deer Lake has a gravel, car-top boat launch. Only electric motors are permitted.
Harrison Lake
There are no motor restrictions for boating on Harrison Lake. This is the only area of the park where waterskiing and windsurfing are available.
Trout Lake
Motor boats are not permitted on Trout Lake.
A sani-station is available at Sasquatch Park during the collecting season. It is located on the main park road between Trout Lake and the turnoff to Hicks Lake Campground. There is a $5 per-discharge fee.
Campfires are permitted only in the fire rings provided at each campsite. Firewood can be purchased in the park or you may bring your own wood.
Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be put in place when the risk of forest fires is high. No campfires are permitted in the day-use areas.
We encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using camping stoves instead.
To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please do not gather firewood from the area around your campsite or anywhere else 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 valuable organic matter to the soil.
Activities
Sasquatch Park has two easy hiking trails and one interpretive trail:
- Hicks Lake Trail is approximately four-kilometre return with an estimated hiking time of one-and-a-half hours.
- Deer Lake Trail, which does not go all around the lake, is approximately two kilometres return.
- Beaver Pond Interpretive Trail is an approximately 500m loop.
For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Taking shortcuts destroys plant life and soil structure.
There are no lifeguards on duty at BC Parks.
Swimming areas are provided at a few areas in the Sasquatch Park. These areas are marked by buoys. Deer and Hicks Lake are relatively warm during the summer but Harrison Lake can be cool. Hicks lake and Deer Lake have sandy beaches, while Harrison Lake has a rocky beach. High winds can come up quickly on Harrison Lake.
Swimmer’s itch may be present in Deer Lake and Hicks Lake. For more information on swimmer’s itch and other swimming-related health risks, see the staying safe page.
Canoeing is welcome at this park. There is no canoe or kayak-specific camping available.
There is freshwater fishing for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and brook char. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.
The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has a fun, hands-on, Learn to Fish Program that teaches basic angling skills to youth under 16 years old. Contact the park operator for information.
There are wildlife viewing opportunities available on the Beaver Pond Trail. Please keep your distance when viewing animals.
For more information on viewing animals, see the wildlife safety page.
Inside the boundaries of Sasquatch Park, domestic animals must be leashed at all times. Pets are allowed to be off-leash only when they are swimming. Pets are not allowed in picnic areas, on beaches, or in park buildings.
We do not recommend bringing pets into the backcountry as this can create conflicts with wildlife. Please do not leave pets unattended. You are responsible for your pet’s behaviour and must dispose of their excrement.
In the Green Point day-use area, dogs are allowed on-leash only, in areas indicated on the Green Point dog rules map [PDF]. On-leash dogs are permitted at Hicks Lake on the east side of the boat launch and Deer Lake on the south side of the boat launch.
Bicycles must keep to roadways within Sasquatch Provincial Park. In particular, bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy is for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.
Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
There are waterskiing opportunities available on Harrison Lake.
There are windsurfing opportunities available on Harrison Lake.
Maps and location
Sasquatch Park is located off highway seven, six kilometres north of Harrison Hot Springs. Follow the signs through Harrison Hot Springs and Green Point.
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: May 2, 1968
- Size: 1229 hectares
Park contact
This park is operated by Greenshades Enterprise. To contact the park operator, email
sasquatchpark@hotmail.com.
Nature and culture
History
Sasquatch Park was originally created by Order-in-Council in 1959. The park encompassed 20 hectares on the east side of Harrison Lake, a freshwater inland fjord. At that time, the park was named Green Point Park. In 1960, a picnic site was developed at the lakefront. The site included picnic tables, change houses, a pressurized water system, a boat launch, and parking for 200 cars. The adjacent lands containing Hicks, Deer, and Trout lakes were added in 1968 and the park was renamed Sasquatch Park after the legendary Bigfoot, who is alleged to have roamed the area.
Wildlife
The diversity of habitats at Sasquatch Park supports a large variety of wildlife species including beavers, mountain goats, woodpeckers, warblers, and vireos. Several rare species have been observed in the park, including the bald eagle, tailed frog, and black petaltail dragonfly. The lakes and streams in the park provide excellent fish habitat for over 10 species of fish from the sturgeon, smelt, salmon, catfish, and stickleback families.
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.