Did you know that Babine Lake is so large that it spans multiple provincial parks? Situated near the communities of Burns Lake and Houston, Babine is renowned for its pristine waters, ample fishing opportunities, and spectacular scenery, draining into a river of the same name.
B.C.’s longest natural lake
The lake can be enjoyed at three parks: Babine Lake Marine Park, Topley Landing Park, and Red Bluff Park. According to Visit Houston, it measures around 153 km in length and between 2 and 10 km in width, making it the longest natural lake in B.C.
Babine Lake Marine Park covers 492 hectares along the shores of Babine Lake, which consists of six independent sites. This includes Smithers Landing, Pendleton Bay, Pinkut Creek, Hook Bay (also known as Deep Bay), Pierre Creek, and Sandpoint — all of which are a couple of kilometres apart and offer lakeside camping.
Topley Landing Park is much smaller, at just 12 hectares. But visitors here can lounge on a large natural beach or venture to the nearby Fulton River to catch spawning sockeye salmon in the fall. However, keep in mind that the park was established for preservation purposes, and recreational use is not encouraged by B.C. Parks.
On the other hand, Red Bluff Park is one of the most popular provincial parks in the area, named for the iron-stained cliffs that jut out perpendicularly into the lake.
According to B.C. Parks, visitors here can swim, sunbathe, and enjoy plenty of fishing and boating opportunities.
No matter where your vantage point is on the lake, you’re guaranteed some beautiful mountain scenery, as well as a picturesque shoreline that’s dotted with sandy beaches and sheltered bays. Play your cards right, and you’re likely to see no shortage of rainbow trout, ling cod, lake trout, sockeye salmon, and many more intriguing species.
How to get there
From Burns Lake, Babine Lake can be reached by driving 34 km on Babine Lake Road, or by heading west on Highway 16 and north on Highway 118 to Granisle.
How to get there: Drive 14 hours and 40 minutes from Vancouver to Babine Lake via Cariboo Highway/BC-97 N.
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