Just north of Quesnel in the Cariboo lies the beautiful Ten Mile Lake Provincial Park, a very popular recreational destination. Attractions include a large picnic area, three sandy beaches and a great lake for fishing, swimming, water skiing, and boating.
The lake and park are named after the milepost on the Pacific Great Eastern Railway that stood here in the early 1900s. There is still evidence of the abandoned rail grade in the park; the tracks had to be relocated because of difficulties in crossing the Cottonwood River north of the park.
Ten Mile Lake Provincial Park is situated within the Fraser Basin, an irregular shaped depression of gently rolling hills and shallow lakes covering much of North Central BC The park lies in a transition area between the wetter Quesnel Highlands to the east, and the dry Chilcotin Plateau to the west, leading to a wide diversity of plant species. You can find white spruce, Douglas-fir, trembling aspen and lodgepole pine, while the forest floor is home to shrubs like red osier dogwood and saskatoon.
There are 10 kilometres of hiking trails, including the 2-km Beaver Pond Nature Trail that leads through forest and along an abandoned rail grade to a large beaver pond, providing a very rewarding hike and a view of a beaver lodge and a series of beaver dams. Ducks Unlimited has placed waterfowl nesting boxes and platforms around the beaver pond. In the winter the park’s trails are transformed into cross-country ski runs, with snowshoeing and winter camping being popular winter activities.
The 260-hectare park has two treed campgrounds; Touring, set in the forest and Lakeside, situated near the waters’ edge. Both campsites provide access to all the facilities, which include a children’s playground, horseshoe pits, picnic tables, fire pits, firewood, water, showers, flush toilets, and a sani-station. Campsite reservations are accepted at the Lakeside Campground and first-come, first-served sites are also available.
Campground Dates with Full Services and Fees:
Lakeside campground – May 15 to September 30
Touring campground – June 1 to September 5
The park is closed and gated after September 30th.
Rainbow trout are caught throughout the year, although early spring or most evenings throughout the summer are the best fishing times. A boat launch is provided beside the Lakeside campground entrance. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have the appropriate fishing license.
Ten Mile Lake Provincial Park is located in the Cariboo, 7 miles (11 km) north of Quesnel on the Cariboo Highway 97, British Columbia.
Nearby Regions & Towns
Park Notices
