Three lakes lie near the 50 km mark on the Jamieson Creek Forest Service Road on the Bonaparte Plateau.   Mayson Lake is a short drive down a BC Recreation Site road.   There is a boat launch at this small campsite.

The distance around the shoreline is 8km if you choose to paddle into each small bay.   This is  a quiet area, even though the Horse Council of BC and BC Rec Sites have developed a nice campsite on the northeast corner of the lake.   There are a number of rough horse trails from Mayson Lake, around Bogmar Lake, and over to Allen Lake.

Much of the lakeshore has marshy areas, but is fine for canoes or kayaks.   Lily pads, reeds, smart weed, and an assortment of aquatic plants fringe the shallows.   Loons, eagles, and an osprey hunted the lake and riparian zones.   Small fish jumped and plopped in the lake.  Dragonflies and blue damselflies hovered for emerging insects.   There was a quiet over the lake, high on the plateau, a long way from the busy city.

 

In the heat of summer, the lakes of the Bonaparte Plateau are a quiet retreat to the high country.

To get to Mayson Lake, go out Westsyde Road and turn up the Jamieson Creek FSR.   This is an active logging area, but the road is wide and in good shape.   Be cautious on curves, though.   Mileage markers can be seen along the way.   Near the 50 km mark, watch for the sign (see above) and turn down to the lake.