Heffley Lake

## What the Heff? A mountainside lake 30 minutes from downtown? Yep.  Located just down the road from Sun Peaks Resort and 30 minutes from the city of Kamloops, Heffley Lake is a quaint and quiet spot surrounded by thick forests and stunning mountains. The calm, protected waters here are the perfect place for paddlers looking to enjoy a relaxing day. Local paddleboard expert Bodie Shandro describes Heffley Lake as a constant visual feast and says that while paddling there he’s seen moose swimming across the lake as well as eagles, loons, osprey, and herons. The lake is 195 hectares and its entirety can be paddled in half a day. For kayak anglers, there’s also opportunities to go after the rainbow trout that are stocked in the lake. The higher elevation of Heffley Lake means that it freezes over in the late fall and thaws in late spring, but during the summer months it offers a cool escape from the hot weather. Heffley Lake is located north-east of Kamloops on the road to Sun Peaks Resort and is a 30-minute drive from both locations. It was once two lakes but the installation of a dam for irrigation purposes created the larger reservoir that exists today. The narrow lake has many shoals and small bays to explore and is home to rainbow trout, painted turtles, frogs, deer, moose, fox, bear, osprey, loons, eagles, and more.