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Campbell Lake

Campbell Lake, or Lower Campbell Lake, is one of the largest artificial lakes on Central Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The area is peaceful enough to sit on the lakeshore or top of a mountain with a great Campbell Lake view. The magnificent reflections of mountains and trees, specifically pine forests, on the lake create photogenic scenes.
These breathtaking landscapes make Campbell Lake a perfect spot for camping. The lake has several campgrounds; at least nine well-supported sites, which include boat launches. At the top of the list are Loveland Bay and Miller Creek Recreation Site.
If you are a fan of fishing, it is possible all year round. You can catch some fish by the shore or rent a boat. Do fishing, swimming, or just relax and enjoy nature, all making you feel as if you've left urban life far behind.


Campbell Lake Location

Campbell Lake is located on the eastern side of Vancouver Island, about 27.5 km (17 miles) west of the Campbell River city. At the lake's northernmost point, where Loveland Bay Provincial Park is placed, you can park your vehicle. Then, take a walk toward Campbell Lake and enjoy the forest. There are at least five recreation sites from the north of the lake to the southwest of it.
The area consists of several lakes. You can drive to some nearby lakes less than an hour apart, including Upper Campbell Lake, Boat Lake, Quinsam Lake, Fry lake, and John Hart Lake. To relax and spend time with your companies, bars and restaurants are available within 30 km (18.6 miles).


How to Get to Campbell Lake by Car

From Nanaimo:
Getting to Campbell Lake from Nanaimo is via BC-19 N. It is 182 km (113 miles) and takes about 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Take Third St to BC-19 N for 3.3 km (2 miles). Turn right onto BC-19 N (signs for Campbell R) and drive 164 km (101.9 miles). Continue your way to Lower Campbell Lake Rd, and after 14.8 km (9.1 miles), you will reach Campbell Lake.

From Victoria:
The fastest route from Victoria to Campbell Lake is Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N and BC-19 N. It is 292 km (181.4 miles) and takes about 3 hours and a half.
Get on BC-19 N in Nanaimo from Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N and drive 106 km (65.8 miles). Merge onto BC-19 N and go on for 172 km (106.8 miles). Drive to Lower Campbell Lake Rd, and after 14.8 km (9.1 miles), you will reach Campbell Lake.


The Hike to Get to Campbell Lake

There is no designed hiking trail to reach Campbell Lake.


History of Campbell Lake

Campbell Lake was constructed in the late 1950s. One of the residents named David Alm built an earthen dam to impede the outflow of Campbell Creek. The Ladore Dam was built in 1958, and it was flooded in for a huge hydroelectric project then. It impounds Campbell Lake.


Things to Do around the Campbell Lake Area

Whether locals or tourists, everyone has a chance to enjoy the opportunity to do several activities in the Campbell Lake area. It provides some excellent plans such as wildlife viewing and bird watching, swimming, and fishing tours. Also, there are magnificent sites nearby to improve your adventure levels, such as Elk Falls Provincial Park.

Nearby Lakes

Buttle Lake

Buttle Lake

Are you struggling with spending a ton of time searching for the best family-friendly vacation? Then you need to visit Buttle Lake and get better results camping around it. Learn how Buttle Lake gives you an unfair advantage with camping, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing in Strathcona Provincial Park, the oldest provincial park on Vancouver Island.

Campbell Lake

Campbell Lake

Campbell Lake is one of the largest artificial lakes on Central Vancouver Island. The area is peaceful enough to sit on the shore or top of a mountain with a great view. The magnificent reflections of mountains and trees, specifically pine forests, on the lake create photogenic scenes and a camping hot spot. Fishing is possible all year round. Have excellent swimming at the start of summer.

Brewster Lake

Brewster Lake

The first step to find happiness in nature is to get connected with it. An outdoor adventure can be found anywhere, but for relaxation, rest, and tranquillity, don't skip Brewster Lake. This serene lake with mountain views is the right place for canoeing, paddle-boarding, kayaking, power-boating, or anything you expect from a beautiful lake.

Campbell Lake Activities

Fishing

Guided fishing is a fantastic opportunity in Campbell Lake. Campbell River is also known as the "Salmon Capital of the World" because it is home to Salmon's five species. In the summer, the Discovery Passage is dotted with small fishing boats trying to catch their luck.

Wildlife Viewing/ Birdwatching

Campbell Lake includes various wildlife. You can see animals such as bears, cougars, elk, deer, wolves, and eagles. There are fantastic birds and also an abundance of wildflowers.

Camping

Lower Campbell Lake has at least nine well-maintained campgrounds with boat launches.

Swimming

The camps around Lower Campbell Lake offer safe swimming.

Hiking

Hiking in designated trails is possible at Elk Falls Provincial Park. Feel yourself in nature and the charming environment of Elk Falls from the swinging suspension bridge and serene old forest trails and feel like a dwarf by the sky-high trees.

Campbell River Whale Watching

Campbell River is one of the best places for whale watching, specifically Orcas and Humpbacks. You have the chance to watch other types of marine creatures such as dolphins and sea lions.

What You Can Expect to Do Near Campbell Lake

Hiking on the Mount Menzies Access Road

Hiking on the Mount Menzies Access Road

Hiking on the Mount Menzies Access Road through a logging road and having a forest walk is a challenge you can take near the Campbell River. The trail and the view from the lookout are incredible in colours. Get away from the humans by going on a beautiful trail which is nice and quiet!

Hiking on the Riley Lake to Lookout Loop to Lost Frog

Hiking on the Riley Lake to Lookout Loop to Lost Frog

In an area with several hiking options having the experience of hiking a relatively long trail would be great as it is rich in natural beauties. Besides hikers, Riley Lake to Lookout Loop to Lost Frog is proper for mountain bikers and nature trip lovers. Just find yourself northwest of Campbell River and get the most out of your backpacking trip.

Hiking on the Beaver Pond Elk Falls Circular Route

Hiking on the Beaver Pond Elk Falls Circular Route

With access to the Campbell River and the Quinsam River at the Elk Falls Provincial Park, hiking on the Beaver Ponds Elk Falls Circular Route makes you a fantastic day. The great scenery within the protected area and lots of activities with waterfalls, a park, rivers, a lake, and a campground have exceeded all expectations for nature lovers and hikers.

Hiking on the Quinsam River Hatchery Trail

Hiking on the Quinsam River Hatchery Trail

Have a nice easy hike in the forest with lots of river access points while you have chances for watching wildlife in Quinsam River Hatchery Trail. It is known as one of the most spectacular hiking trails in the area of Campbell River city. Fishing, nature trips, walking, and bird watching are other options for hiking along the river.

Hiking on the Elk Falls via Millenium Trail

Hiking on the Elk Falls via Millenium Trail

The Elk Falls via Millenium Trail is a family-friendly loop. This excellent hike with spectacular views includes waterfalls, Suspension Bridge, sitting areas and the Campbell River. Hiking this trail certainly tests your nerves. It is well maintained with several facilities. Get in touch with beautiful scenery along the river, and enjoy the stunning park with all family members while you are just a few kilometres away from downtown.

Hiking on Elk Falls Viewing Platform Trail

Hiking on Elk Falls Viewing Platform Trail

With a five-kilometre distance from the city, hiking on the Elk Falls Viewing Platform is an opportunity. It is among several hiking trails you can follow and explore in Elk Falls Provincial Park. This easy trail forest walk is age-friendly and features a waterfall and Suspension Bridge with a great view from the point.

Hiking on the Campbell River Canyon View Trail

Hiking on the Campbell River Canyon View Trail

Just outside Campbell River, step into an exciting hiking trail in the middle of a provincial park. It is where the stunning view of Douglas-fir forests comes with a wide variety of wildlife to watch. Find your way alongside the river in a loop which in some parts would be a challenge. It would be great if you plan to be there in the afternoon with a view of the sun when you cross the river.

Mount Adrian Snowmobiling

Mount Adrian Snowmobiling

As one of the highest points of Vancouver Island, Mount Adrian offers great snowmobiling, among other winter activities. It has two summits that feature Strathcona Provincial Park in every direction—looking for a place to have winter excitement? Nowhere is better than Mount Adrian.

Mount Washington Snowmobiling

Mount Washington Snowmobiling

Snowmobilers and sledding enthusiasts have the chance to go snowboarding in the morning and waterskiing in the afternoon. The warm dressing is critical during snowmobiling in Mount Washington. Besides, the fantastic view there is fabulous for photography.

Mount Washington Snowboarding

Mount Washington Snowboarding

As the second busiest winter recreational destination in BC, Mt. Washington Ski Resort in Comox Valley offers a wide range of snowboarding facilities. Mountain climbing enthusiasts who choose Mount Washington for snowboarding have the chance to look across the Strait of Georgia and other spectacular views, such as the Strathcona Provincial Park region.

Mount Washington Snowshoeing

Mount Washington Snowshoeing

Being the busiest winter recreational destination in BC, Mount Washington provides you with incredible winter activities, including snowshoeing. While you are on the snow, enjoy a 360-degree panorama of the Strait of Georgia and the Sunshine Coast from Powell River to Sechelt. Moreover, several nearby resorts are ready to offer service to visitors annually.

Mount Washington Skiing

Mount Washington Skiing

As one of the biggest and most visited ski resorts in Comox Valley, The Mount Washington resort is a summer-winter destination primed with several facilities to serve skiing followers. The high rate of snowfall and spectacular views of the ocean, and ample facilities for winter activities multiply the attractiveness of Mount Washington.

Camping in Buttle Lake Campground

Camping in Buttle Lake Campground

Home to many campsites with all kinds of facilities and services right on the shoreline, Buttle Lake campground offers you the best opportunities to explore the shore. There you can do a lot of activities and enjoy seeing marine creatures.
Annually, the campground welcomes RV and vehicle campers. Also, you can have a good time camping in your tents.

Camping in Ralph River Campground

Camping in Ralph River Campground

Camping in Ralph River Campground offers a bit more comfortable experience of exploring the park. It's adjacent to Buttle Lake, with numerous campsites all along the glorious shoreline of it. It is where you will feel a sense of being in the wilderness with beautiful sights and spectacular views from several sites over the valleys.

Camping in Baby Bedwell Lake Campground

Camping in Baby Bedwell Lake Campground

Located in the Strathcona Provincial Park near Bedwell Lake, camping is possible in a nice backcountry campground on Baby Bedwell Lake, set in the lush forest surrounded by majestic mountains. Beautiful alpine forest, perfect swimming, breathtaking view of the trail, small ponds and lakes surrounded by glacial mountain peaks are some of the area's attractions. They are enough to fascinate visitors and campers.

Campbell Lake Outline

Specifications

Climate

Water Temperature

Timing


1. The numbers are estimated on average.
1- All the numbers are for surface temperature.
2- The numbers are estimated on average.

What You Can Expect to See Near Campbell Lake

Buttle Lake

Buttle Lake

Are you struggling with spending a ton of time searching for the best family-friendly vacation? Then you need to visit Buttle Lake and get better results camping around it. Learn how Buttle Lake gives you an unfair advantage with camping, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing in Strathcona Provincial Park, the oldest provincial park on Vancouver Island.

Campbell River

Campbell River

Campbell River is the fourth largest city on Vancouver Island. It has long been called "the Salmon Capital of the World." Campbell River has a reach ecosystem and beautiful waterfalls. Fishing, skiing at Mount Washington, playing golf, and seasonal activities like bear and whale watching are among the best things you can do in Campbell River.

Campbell Lake

Campbell Lake

Campbell Lake is one of the largest artificial lakes on Central Vancouver Island. The area is peaceful enough to sit on the shore or top of a mountain with a great view. The magnificent reflections of mountains and trees, specifically pine forests, on the lake create photogenic scenes and a camping hot spot. Fishing is possible all year round. Have excellent swimming at the start of summer.

Mount McBride

Mount McBride

Mount McBride with 2083 m (6834 ft.) height is the seventh highest mountain on Central Vancouver Island. Atop Mount McBride, the 360° panoramic view of Strathcona Provincial Park is rewarding, besides vistas of the highest mountains on Vancouver Island, including Golden Hinde, Mt Colonel Foster, King's Peak, Elkhorn Mountain, and Rambler Peak.

Elkhorn Mountain

Elkhorn Mountain

Elkhorn Mountain is located in the Elk River Mountains of the Vancouver Island Ranges. It is the second-highest peak on Vancouver Island at 2194 m (7198 ft.) elevation. Atop of the Elkhorn Mountain, the commanding views of mountain peaks surrounding overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Strait of Georgia are rewarding, as well as splendid Strathcona Provincial Park.

Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens

Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens

Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens is a fantastic natural garden with delightful paths, a creek, and great open spaces. It is home to plenty of native plants, wildflowers, and birds. The garden features one of the largest collections of rhododendrons in Western Canada, with over 3000 plantings. The best time to visit is from March to the end of June when the rhododendrons are in full bloom.

Deer Falls

Deer Falls

A great place to heal and recharge on the Campbell River is Deer Falls, a little piece of heaven. Imagine the water descends into an emerald green pool with the sweetest melody that you could hear and the tall trees surrounding the falls. In summer and late spring, the rocks around the pool become moss-covered and create a fabulous view. Watching bears there in summertime eating salmon is fantastic, but don't limit your expectations; the area has a lot to offer as scenery.

Halifax Range

Halifax Range

The Halifax Range is a small mountain range consists of hills covered by gorgeous trees. The area is ornamented with wildlife like elk, dear, bear, and many bird species. While ascending the mountain, mountaineers will be refreshed by the Halifax Range's pleasant ambiance overlooking the Johnstone Strait. McCreight Lake and Pye Lake are nearby suitable for camping with facilities.

Strathcona Provincial Park

Strathcona Provincial Park

Strathcona Provincial Park is a large mountainous natural park and the oldest provincial park in British Columbia. Excellent hiking trails, coastal areas, lakes, creeks, waterfalls, snow-capped peaks, and wildlife made this park a perfect destination for adventurous travellers. Summers are usually pleasantly warm, and winters are almost mild except for the higher levels. So, it is a great place to recharge.

Lupin Falls

Lupin Falls

Words cannot describe Lupin Falls because this waterfall's beauty is beyond the world of vocabulary. The water pours gracefully on rocks and carving its way into the hard rock cliff. A forest surrounds the two drops of Lupin Falls and adds to its wonders. Visiting Lupin Falls is a big bonus as it is placed in Strathcona Provincial Park with a lot to offer.

Lady Falls

Lady Falls

Find peace at the bottom of a waterfall where there will be the magic of nature all around you. Lady Falls is a rare sight of beauty and grace. The crystal clear water runs through a lush forest, reaches a rock cliff surrounded by trees, and pours down into a canyon. From afar, it feels like the water is cascading from the trees. The combination is enough for cleansing the mind, soothing the soul, and being there for hours.

Brown's River Falls

Brown's River Falls

Along the Brown River, there is a river fall that completes its attractiveness. The river's stream cascades from rock cliffs and makes Brown's River Falls. It is also known as Medicine Bowl, a series of falls in a lush green forest. The landscape is worthy enough to sit on a rock and watch it for hours, and the sound of the waterfall is like a piece of music on repeat, which you would not become bored with it.

Myra Falls (Lower Myra Falls)

Myra Falls (Lower Myra Falls)

In the south end of Buttle Lake at Strathcona Provincial Park, you can find Myra Falls (or Lower Myra Falls), a Jewel of natural wonders. This seven-drop waterfall is beautiful all year round, and it feels like you're in a land of fantasy. The tremendous view of the place and shades of green and blue of the pool under the falls make a great scene perfect for photography.

Elk Falls

Elk Falls

With 27 m (89 ft) height, Elk Falls is as beautiful as a postcard picture placed on the west side of Campbell River among the old-growth Douglas firs and cedar trees. The moss-covered rocks, the deep clear water underneath, and Suspension Bridge stretching across the canyon are deep reflections of a fairyland. Step into the hiking trails and enjoy all other beauties like birds.

Elk Falls Provincial Park

Elk Falls Provincial Park

Elk Falls Provincial Park is a National Park, a friendly site for hiking in nature trails or enjoying lying in the sun listening to the waterfall's soothing sound. The Suspension Bridge stretching across the canyon below the falls is the highest pedestrian bridge on Vancouver Island. Old-growth Douglas firs and cedars are a prominent visit. This nature park is a year-round salmon fishing destination in Canada.

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