August 5, 2023 Update: Congratulations to Sproat Lake near Nanaimo on Vancouver Island for beating out 47 other bodies of water to win CBC’s Best Lake in BC title.
August 1, 2023 Update: We’re down to the final four, including two lakes in the Thompson-Okanagan region, one near Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, and one that’s a 30-minute drive north of Squamish, followed by a five-hour hike into the mountains.
Since July 24, CBC has hosted The Search for B.C.’s Best Lake, a two-week contest powered by public voting. The competition began with 32 nominated lakes, including Bowron, Kootenay, and Osoyoos in the Interior, Buntzen Lake near Vancouver, and Comox Lake on Vancouver Island.
Since then, the field has been narrowed to four finalists, including Shuswap Lake east of Kamloops, one of the province’s most popular houseboating destinations, and Kalamalka Lake between Kelowna and Vernon. Kalamalka is a favourite among paddleboarders thanks to its calm water, warm weather, and spectacular scenery. It’s also home to the annual Kalamalka Classic Paddleboard Festival. Shuswap and Kalamalka are now competing for the title of Best Lake in BC’s Interior.
Competing for top spot in BC’s southwest region are Sproat Lake and Garibaldi Lake. Garibaldi is a bucket-list destination for hikers who trek from Garibaldi, just north of Squamish, past the iconic Black Tusk to reach its brilliant turquoise waters. While paddling opportunities are limited there, adventurous visitors occasionally carry packrafts into the backcountry.
Sproat Lake, northeast of Nanaimo, on the other hand, is a fantastic paddling destination with its own canoe club. Visitors enjoy calm water, rainforest scenery, abundant wildlife, and excellent camping and fishing opportunities.
To vote for your favourite of these four British Columbia lakes, visit CBC’s The Search for BC’s Best Lake contest page.
Of course, everyone has their own definition of what makes the “best” lake. With more than 20,000 lakes across British Columbia, there’s no shortage of worthy contenders. Here are nine more lakes that Paddle BC highly recommends:
- Alice Lake, Squamish – The perfect training ground for beginner paddlers.
- Lower Arrow Lake, Castlegar – Home to the largest kokanee salmon ever caught.
- Bowron Lakes, Cariboo Chilcotin – The province’s most famous canoe circuit.
- Heffley Lake, Kamloops – Crystal-clear water and cool summertime temperatures.
- Williams Lake – Home to the Scout Island Nature Centre and located beside the city of the same name.
- Okanagan Lake, Kelowna – Features the 27-kilometre Kelowna Paddle Trail, connecting more than 20 beaches, parks, and two bird sanctuaries.
- Lake of the Woods, Hope – Also known as Schkam Lake, this peaceful lake makes a perfect midday paddling stop.
- Powell Lake, Sunshine Coast – An inlet-like lake offering endless paddling opportunities, including the spectacular qathet Canoe Route.
