Neskonlith (also spelled Niskonlith) Lake lies northwest of the Village of Chase.   An 8.5 km gravel road can be driven to Neskonlith Lake Provincial Park.    Other access points to the lake are on private land on on the Reserve.   The park is gated so we can only access the boat launch from late April to the end of September.    Check the BC Parks website – Niskonlith Lake Provincial Park – for more information.

Route/Boat Launch:

• From Chase or Kamloops, cross the South Thompson River to Shuswap Road.    The turn to the Bear Creek – Loakin Road is 4 km from Chase.   Climb the hill for 2.7 km and turn left onto Louie Road which leads into the park.
• Continue past the first camping area to the boat launch.    There is a ramp down to the water to unload boats and parking above.

 

The Lake:

• The lake is about 5 km long and less than a kilometer wide.   This is a longer paddle to do the shoreline so I usually do half of the lake each year.
• Hills rise above the lake on 3 sides.    A forest fire burned some of the forest around the lake.    At this time the hills are grazing lands, grassland hills, and forested hills.
• There are 29 campsites along the west side of the lake.

 

Pros:

• The lake is fairly quiet, except on weekends during prime time.
• There are often lots of birds and waterfowl, especially near the marshy areas on the northeast end.
• It is a moderate sized lake, suitable for a longer paddle.
• Motorboats have a 10HP limit.
• There are no homes or cabins along the entire eastern side of the lake.

 

Cons:

• A shorter paddling season.
• It can be busy at the boat launch at prime times on weekends.

 

Some Images:

 

 

A Video: