Outdoors
Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit
A one-way wilderness loop of ten lakes joined by rivers and portages, starting with the portage to Kibbee Lake and passing lakes including Indianpoint, Isaac, Lanezi, Sandy, Spectacle and Swan before finishing on Bowron Lake. It is an expedition in grizzly country with 10.8 km of portages; a shorter West Side route takes two to four days.
- Where
- British Columbia, Canada
- Distance
- 116 km circuit
- Time
- 6-10 days
The route
Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit (full circuit).
The registration centre is at the north-east corner of Bowron Lake, about 117 km east of Quesnel and about 30 km from Wells. Every paddler must register and attend the orientation there (8:00 to 12:00 daily), and the first portage starts beside the centre; canoes, kayaks and carts can be rented in summer.
When to go
The registration centre is open from 15 May to 30 September; the lakes are usually ice-free by mid-May, snow is likely by late September, and bugs peak from mid-May through August.
Permits and fees
Reservations are strongly recommended for parties of 1 to 6 and required for groups of 7 to 14, and departures are limited (at least 4 first-come drop-in spaces a day). Fees in 2026: $60 per person for the full circuit ($30 for the West Side), plus an $18 non-refundable reservation fee per boat.
Before you go
- Book at least three months ahead; the busiest period runs from the last week of June to the first weekend of September.
- Canoe carts may have an axle no wider than 75 cm and the load in the canoe must not exceed 28 kg; backpack the rest, as some portages are over 2 km.
- No drink cans, bottles or glass are allowed, and dogs are banned on the circuit.
- There is no mobile coverage; six emergency radios are placed around the circuit.
What to bring
- A buoyancy aid, worn rather than stowed
- A dry bag for your phone and keys
- Water and snacks
- Sun cream, a hat and sunglasses
- A warm layer, even on a hot day
- Camping, cooking and navigation kit for every night, or check exactly what your operator provides
Getting ready for it
Several days in a row with a loaded pack or boat is a different kind of tired from one long day.
Do at least one full day out with all your kit a few weeks before, and fix anything that rubs, leaks or slows you down.
Staying safe
- Grizzly and black bears are present all round the circuit; store anything with a smell in the metal bear caches.
- Cold lakes, sudden storms and fast rivers with sweepers and deadheads mean a capsize far from shore is serious; every paddler needs solid skills, including canoe-over-canoe rescues.
- Check the wind and water forecast before launching.
- Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
Route details checked September 30, 2026 against bcparks.ca, bcparks.ca, bcparks.ca, bcparks.ca, nrs.objectstore.gov.bc.ca and en.wikipedia.org. Rules and closures change, so check before you go.
