The sparkling waters of Canim Lake lie between rugged hills at the edge of the Fraser Plateau.
From the early 1900s, resorts on the lake welcomed the rich and famous from Hollywood. More recently, it is young families and adventurous couples who come to swim, boat and picnic.
The fishing and the clean water remain as they were in the early days. Rainbow trout are caught casting from the shore in the evenings, and heavy lake trout are regularly wrestled from the deeper water.
For day-trippers, the day-use provincial park on the north side of the lake has a child-friendly sheltered beach, a number of picnic tables and a wheelchair-accessible outhouse. Bring your barbecue for cooking.
For longer stays, there are excellent lakeside resorts and bed-and-breakfasts providing accommodation from RV sites to well-furnished housekeeping cabins. Many have boat-launching facilities.
Public boat launches are on the north side at Hinterland Road for skiffs, and on the south side for larger craft about four kilometres past the well-stocked Canim Lake store.
Canim is also a “jumping-off” spot for the real backcountry, where many small, stocked lakes offer great rainbow fishing for the canoeist and light-boat user.
Maps are available from the South Cariboo Visitor Centre in 100 Mile.
For more information on events in this area, pick up a copy of the 100 Mile House Free Press or go to the Free Press website at www.100milefreepress.net.
