Omineca. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Safety information
- Boaters are cautioned to keep a close eye on the weather as Stuart Lake is subject to sudden heavy winds that can transform the lake into dangerous whitecaps. Those with small boats are advised to stay close to shore.
- Bring your own water as there is no potable water available.
- Campfires are not permitted. Please bring your own camp stove.
- There are no developed trails in this park.
Special notes
- This park does not have a boat launch. Boat launches are available at Paarens Beach and Sowchea Bay Provincial Parks as well as Fort St. James.
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
NTS map references:
- Stuart Lake – 93K/7, 93K/8, 93K/9, 93K/10, 93K/11
- Tachie River – 93K/10 & 93K/15
- Trembleur Lake – 93K14 & 93K/15
- Middle River – 93K/14
- Takla Lake – 93M/1, 93M/8, 93M/9, 93N/3, 93N/4, 93N/5
Getting there
- Two Islands Site – located close to the midpoint of the lake, these are the two nearest island due south of the Stuart Lake site; UTM zone 10: 394000E - 6050000N (NTS map reference: 93K/10).
- Stuart Lake Park – 32 km northwest of Fort St. James on the north shore of Stuart Lake; road access from Fort St. James is 30 km on Tachie Road and south 2 km to the lake on Hibiscus Road (NTS map reference: 93K/10).
- Jus K’etl’o Bay – located on the north shore 15 km west of the Tachie River on the northwestern arm of the lake. Boat access only. UTM Zone 10: 371000E – 6057000N (NTS map reference: 93K/10 & 93K/11).
- North Arm Site – located on the north shore 12 km northwest of Jus K’etl’o Bay and 27 km west of the Tachie River on the northwestern arm of the lake.Boat access only. UTM Zone 10: 361000E – 6060000N NTS map reference: 93K/11).
Camping
Wilderness camping
Wilderness camping is allowed. No facilities are provided.
Practice Leave No Trace camping:
- If you pack it in, pack it out
- Choose a camp spot that will not do damage to live vegetation
- Dispose of personal waste or waste water at least 100 metres from the lake or from any creek
When visiting the backcountry, always follow Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. To learn more about staying safe in the backcountry, read our backcountry guide.
Things to do
There are no designated swimming areas.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
There are opportunities for canoeing or kayaking in this park. Boaters are cautioned to keep a close eye on the weather as Stuart Lake is subject to sudden heavy winds that can transform the lake into dangerous whitecaps. Those with small boats are advised to stay close to shore.
There are opportunities for canoeing or kayaking in this park. Boaters are cautioned to keep a close eye on the weather as Stuart Lake is subject to sudden heavy winds that can transform the lake into dangerous whitecaps. Those with small boats are advised to stay close to shore.
Popular sport fish found here include rainbow trout, lake trout (char), kokanee, freshwater ling cod (burbot), and mountain whitefish.
Refer to the current BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis for specific catch quotas and regulations. The Stuart-Trembleur-Takla chain of waterways is in Region 7 (Omineca-Peace) Zone A.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. 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.
Cycling is permitted. Helmets are mandatory in British Columbia and must be worn at all times.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Stuart 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.
Hunting is permitted only during lawful game hunting season. Check with Hunting and Trapping Synopsis for regulations.
Anyone hunting in British Columbia must comply with BC hunting regulations. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
About this park
Although settled by Europeans almost 200 years ago, the Dakelh-ne people had inhabited the area for years prior. To the fur traders, these people became known as the Carrier people, referring to the custom of widows who carried the ashes of cremated husbands with them until a traditional potlatch could be held.
The Carrier people traditionally led a semi-nomadic life, congregating along lakes and rivers in the warmer months to pick berries, hunt and tan hides, and catch and process the salmon that was an important staple of their diet. The winter was spent ice fishing and trapping in smaller family units.
Several Carrier groups reside in the Stuart-Trembleur-Takla lakes area including the Nak’azdli, Yekoochet’en, Takla, and Tl’azt’en. Traditional trails, culturally altered trees, and pictographs can be found throughout the area.
For many years prior to the arrival of European explorers, the Stuart-Trembleur-Takla lakes area was home to the Dakelh-ne people. In 1806, Simon Fraser brought the fur trade to this area with the establishment of the Stuart Lake Post for the North West Company.
The company merged with the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1821, and in 1822 they named the settlement Fort St. James. Fort St. James, once the economic capital of the colony of New Caledonia, saw its importance as a fur trading centre diminish in 1869 when gold was discovered 100 miles north in the Omineca Valley.
With the miners came a new economic prosperity for the area that has largely been replaced by the forest industry today. Tourism is also growing, and hunting and fishing lodges can be found on all three lakes.
The three small sites of Stuart Lake Marine Park and Stuart Lake Park protect natural areas and contribute to the role of the Stuart-Trembleur-Takla lakes system as a backcountry boating destination area.
Diversity of the terrain and types of vegetation support abundant wildlife populations. Moose and black bear are plentiful. Other more secretive species include mule and white-tail deer, wolf, and grizzly bear. Furbearers in the area include lynx, fox, beaver, marten, fisher, otter, and wolverine.
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
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
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