Little Slocan Rec Site

A small, semi-open, lakeside campsite.

Driving Directions:The most popular access to Little Slocan Lakes campsite is from Passmore along Highway 6. As you drive through Passmmore heading north turn left off of the highway onto Passmore Upper Road. Cross the river and follow the road for 3.7 km. Turn left onto the Little Slocan Forest Service Rd.. Stay on the main road for approx 21 km to the recreation site on your right.

Milford Lake

Milford Lake is a small site at a sub-alpine lake that is accessible by 4wd high clearance vehicles. The site offers scenic views down Kootenay lake and 2 campsites.

Driving Directions:The Milford Lake road leaves the west side of Highway #31, 9.4 km north of Kaslo. Travel up Milford Lake Road for 8.0 km to a junction. Turn right at this junction and continue for another 0.8 km to the lake. Although there are some steep rough sections, the road is suitable for 2wd high clearance vehicles.

Oliver (Johny Connors) Lake

This is a small site located in a scenic alpine basin with a shallow lake. There is a short trail on the east side of the road to the shallow lake and around it. Access can also be gained to the surrounding ridges, although there are no developed trails.

Driving Directions:From the community of Crawford Bay, head south for 200 meters on Highway3A, and then turn left on Oliver road just past the Gray Creek store. Follow this road for 300 meters and then turn right, crossing Grey Creek. Follow this road , now called Anderson road, for 1.3 km, turning left at the junction. Follow the main Grey Creek road 15.0 km to the campsite.

Pebble Beach Rec Site

This is a popular sunbathing, swimming, and camping site. It is located in a small protected bay on the east shore of Kootenay Lake with a pebble beach surrounded by exposed rock. The site offers fishing, hiking, camping, picnicking, and swimming.

Driving Directions:From the community of Riondel on the East shore of Kootenay Lake, take a right turn onto Eastman Avenue and proceed to Tam O’Shanter Cr. Take the Kootenay Lake East Forest Service Road for 3.2km to the trail head. Park your vehicle on the left side of the road by the trail head sign. A moderate 2.0km trail located on the west side of the road leads into the site. This site is also accessible by boat.

Ross Lake Trail

The Ross Lake trail offers a sub-alpine experience for the whole family. This is a short,but rough, trail that ends at a small alpine lake and provides access to the surrounding ridge system. The primary activities are hiking, fishing, and camping.

Driving Directions:From the ferry terminal at Balfour, travel west on highway #3A for 2.7 km to Beggs Road on the right. Keep to the left, and follow Beggs road for 0.8 km to a fork in the road. Stay left and drive 0.3 km to Redfish Forest service road on the left (cross over Laird Creek). Follow Redfish forest service road (keep right at the junction with the Redfish Research Area) for 10.3 km to a bridge. Drive across the bridge and drive the remaining 1.0 km to a road that leads to the right. The bridge across this road is damaged, so you will need to walk the remaining portion of the road to the trailhead. The trail begins on an old skid trail to the north-west.

Sasquatch Lake Rec Site

Sasquatch Lake Recreation Site offers attractive campsites big enough for group gatherings. The semi-open site is spacious enough for small motor homes and trailers. This site is popular with huckleberry pickers and picnickers. A rock slide along the lake shore gives access to the warm water, making this a popular swimming hole.

Driving Directions:Travelling north on Highway 6 from Appledale, watch for the “Kokanee Glacier Lemon Creek” Provincial Park signs. Just before the bridge over Lemon Creek, follow the signs and turn right onto a good 2 wheel drive gravel road. Follow the “Kokanee Glacier Park” signs on the “Lemon Creek Forest Service Road”. At about 14.5 km turn right onto a dirt road signed “Sasquatch/6 Mile Lakes”. A half kilometre up this road, turn right at the sign to the Sasquatch Lake Recreation Site.

Sunshine Bay Recreation Site

Sunshine Bay has a long history. Two kukuli across the road from the recreation site attest to occupation by First Nations people long before recorded history. The remains of a log cabin on the site is of more recent vintage. Sunshine Bay offers a crescent shaped, south facing beach and protected campsites under a pine stand. Nearby, the mouth of Sunshine Creek promises good fishing. The road past Sunshine Bay offers good hiking. When the water in the Lower Arrow Lake is down, beach combing is a relaxing past time. It is difficult to get a boat down to the water at Sunshine Bay, as the bank drops off abruptly. A flight of stairs goes from the campsite to the beach. A canoe, kayak or inflatable zodiac would be your best bet. The closest good boat launch is at the Renata turn-off, at 18.7 km.

Driving Directions:Just before the yellow gates in Syringa Creek Provincial Park, turn right onto the “Deer Park Forest Service Road”. Follow this narrow, good 2 wheel drive gravel road to the community of Deer Park. In Deer Park, turn right. There is a small “Renata” sign, pointing the way. Within a half kilometre, the road forks. Take the upper fork to the right, continuing along this road. At 18.7 km the road forks again. Left takes you to the lake shore, and the boat launch to Renata. Go right to continue on to Sunshine Bay. From here the road deteriorates, and a high clearance vehicle is recommended. At 25 km you pass through the old fruit growing community of Broadwater. At the junction in Broadwater, take the right fork onto the “Sunshine Creek Forest Service Road”. Continue along this road, staying right at the fork just before the 31 km sign, and passing over the Two Bit Creek bridge. The last 3 km descend steeply to Sunshine Bay Recreation Site at 34 km.

Wragge Beach

Popular Drive to Campsite on Slocan Lake

Wragge Beach is one of the prettiest beaches on Slocan Lake. The spacious campsites along the lake shore are shaded by trees. A wide beach curves gently for several hundred meters in both directions, inviting beach walking. A rocky outcrop extends out into the lake, making a scenic shoreline. This site is a popular destination campsite for vacationing families. The lake offers good fishing, boating, swimming and board sailing. The wide sandy beach, sloping gently down to the water, is safe for youngsters and provides a perfect volleyball court or frisbee field. If one tires of lazy beach days, a hike into Shannon Lake or Wragge Lake should satisfy the urge to stretch the legs.

Driving Directions:From the junction of Highway 6 and 31A in New Denver, travel north on Highway 6 for 15.2 km to Hills. Turn left onto “Bonanza Road”. Follow the asphalt over the bridge, onto gravel at the beginning of the “Shannon Creek Forest Service Road”. Turn right onto this road, and zero your odometer here. Follow the main line for 2.9 KM and go left here at the fork, turning onto Wragge Creek Road. At 4.2 KM on the odometer, go left at the junction. At 5.4 on the odometer, go left at the junction. At 7.5 KM proceed straight on the main line. At 9.4 KM find Wragge Beach. (note your vehicle odometer reading will not be the same as the Forest Service Road KM markings)

Bannock Point

Two Options: Bannock Point and Bannock Lookout.

Bannock Point, on the shores of Slocan Lake has special appeal. Walk-in camping is accessed via a 700 meter (1/2 mile), moderately steep trail. A small day-use area and 20 campsites are spread out along the treed and rocky lakeshore. There are also a few campsites located at the parking lot. Early in the morning expect to see eagles and osprey fishing. A small pebble beach catches the afternoon sun. A summer day can easily be whiled away diving in the clear water of Slocan Lake or sun bathing on the huge boulders. A favorite campsite for younger groups from Nelson and Castlegar with relatively short access.

Bannock Lookout Trail, is accessed from the same parking lot but instead of dropping down the lake follows a beautiful forest ledge system out to a series of incredible viewpoints. This is one of my favorite hikes in the Slocan Valley. The trail is about 45 minutes each way with always something different along the trail ending at a 300 ft rock cliff looking south down the Slocan Lake.  From the parking lot head straight south. There is a good map board at the parking lot. There are no signs to the trail from anywhere before you get to the parking lot (2015).

Driving Directions: Road Access: From the bridge on Highway 6, in Silverton, travel south along the highway for 4.5 km. Turn right off the highway at the “Bannock Point Trail” sign ( no sign present 2015 ). It is about 3/4 km from the highway to the parking. Access the parking via the lane on the west side of the gravel pit. If you are driving a vehicle with a long wheel base, or towing a trailer, park at the gravel pit and walk down the road to the trail head. Otherwise, you can drive past the gravel pit to the trail head. Park only in designated parking areas to avoid erosion, compaction, and damage to vegetation. Boat Access: From Silverton’s public boat ramp, travel south along the east shore of Slocan Lake for about 4 km. Look for a sheltered bay and the “Bannock Point Recreation Site” sign on the beach.

( Recreation Sites and Trails BC )

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