Champion Lakes Provincial Park

The opening for the 2025 camping season is delayed due to the exciting upgrades being done by BC Parks.  The scheduled opening date is June 1, 2025

Please obey all in park signs, limit your campsite to 8 people total 24/7, work to maintain physical distancing, frequently wash your hands and most of all, be kind to all.

Champion Lakes is an undiscovered gem for those that truly appreciate a more rustic experience. It is an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts with its chain of picturesque small lakes and mature forest. This park offers an all-inclusive recreational package to visitors including fishing, canoeing, hiking, mountain biking and swimming.

Two of the three lakes in the chain are ideal for canoes, kayaks and car top boats. Sorry no propellers are allowed. The lakes are stocked with Rainbow Trout which makes fishing one of the main attractions. You can also enjoy a slow, tranquil paddle through the marshy shallow areas covered in pond lilies featured in both the 2nd and 3rd Lakes.

There are 6.5 km of easy, well maintained walking trails linking the lakes together. The winter cross country trails and deactivated logging roads adjacent to the park make for great mountain biking. The Champion 3rd lake with its two day-use areas is known for warm water and is popular with the local communities of the Lower Columbia.

Be sure to take time to check out the new interpretive panels along the 3rd Champion Lake Rd on the importance of conserving the Western Painted Turtles  population at Champion Lakes. The panels were the result of a working Partnership between Columbia Basin Trust, Wildsight, RAP Park Contracting, Pink Dog Designs and most importantly, the Salmo Elementary school.  The goal of the program is to encourage better stewardship practices to follow while enjoying the local park.

Firewood is available for $10 per basket.  In compliance with the BC Parks Act an an overnight fee of $12.00 will be charged for all additional vehicles parked in sites.  The alternative is to park additional vehicles for the night in the boat launch area.

Come and enjoy the best of winter at Champion Lakes!  Cross country skiing on a network of trails maintained by the Beaver Valley Ski Club.  The warming hut is open for all with plenty of firewood on hand to stoke the fire.  Please use with care!

 Local Places to Explore:

Fruitvale Close to the park, Fruitvale is a full service community with a compact pleasant downtown core. There are several parks and playgrounds, baseball complex, soccer fields, arena and all season sport courts.

Liberty Foods – 1950 Main Street, Fruitvale, B.C.  250.367.9911   Offering a large variety of local organic & gluten-free products, in store Bakery, Deli & Meat. Quality fresh produce   Store hours:  Monday – Sunday: 9:00am – 6:00pm

Salmo  A small friendly community 20 minutes from the park, Salmo has groceries, hardware, liquor agency and 2 great restaurants, the Dragon Fly and Salomon Grill open 7 days per week.

Trail, B.C.  Take a walk through Trail the national award winners of Communities in Bloom for their show gardens and home of interesting historical Rock Walls. Lots to explore!

Discover B.C. Lower Columbia  The lay of the land offers great circle routes that can be explored in single day excursions with lots to side track you along the way.

Kootenay Columbia Trails Society  Has all the information on the extensive regional network of trails around the Columbia Valley including the challenging Seven Summits Trail.

Natural & Cultural Values

History

In the early 1900s the area belonged to The Columbia and Western Railway but reverted to the crown in 1919.

During the 30’s and 40’s the local rod and gun club stocked the lakes and improved trails to allow access for recreational purposes. The park was established in 1955 and the lakes and creek are named for James W. Champion, an early settler and orchardist of the area. Champion Lakes Park lies in the Ktunaxa/Kinbasket, Okanagan and Sinixt first nation traditional territories.

Wildlife

Champion Lakes is home to an important population of the colorful Western Painted Turtles. On warm days you may see the turtles swimming in the shallow water or basking on logs and rocks. Human activities and pets on or near the nesting areas reduce the chance of survival. Visitors to the park can help to protect the turtles by only observing them from a distance and by keeping pets under control at all times.

Birds are quite prevalent with Nighthawks, Woodpeckers, Canada Jays, Belted Kingfishers, Western Tanagers and Oregon Junkos being the most common. Loons, Mallards, Widgeons and the Great Blue Heron are more likely to be seen early in the season. In spring and fall, migrating waterfowl specifically Canada Geese rest on the lakes during their journeys north and south.

A diverse population of small mammals such as squirrels, chipmunks and porcupines can be spotted in the park. On occasion see moose, deer and bears.

Before venturing out into the park please take a few minutes to review the Wild Life Guidelines laid out by BC Parks

Park users should always be aware of wildlife in our natural park environment and never feed or approach bears or other wild animals, please view from a safe distance. The best way to avoid incidents with wildlife is always look ahead on the trails, make noise; talk to your friends, or sing your favorite song, make your presence known. If you see an animal, take a detour and leave the area immediately.

Wildlife viewpoints are located at both Second & Third lakes as well as a lookout at the top of the Lookout Trail that overlooks the Park. All three locations have a park bench. Loons and Mallards are common through the summer rearing young in addition to a large variety of forest bird species.

View wildlife safely by following a simple code of Conservation Ethics:

Please be considerate of wildlife and use binoculars to view from a distance rather than approaching them to closely.

Be considerate of Habitat – Plants are important habitat for wildlife, please do not damage, pick or trample and stay on the designated trails.

Control pets by keeping dogs on a leash and under voice control at all times in order to protect wildlife and preserve their habitat.

Park Size: 1,426 hectares

Campsites & User Fees

Camping Fee per party / night including one vehicle $ 25.00* Total number of sites – 95 Parking: Second vehicle $ 12.00* *Seniors Rate (65 years +) 50% of posted rate offered from park opening until June 15 and September 8th until September 30th) Visitor Services: Firewood per laundry basket $10 Sani Station / Dump $5.00 Sorry there are no Group Sites available at Champion Lakes at this time.

Reservations

A full listing of our 45 reservable campsites can be viewed at: https://camping.bcparks.ca/or by Phone: 1-800-689-9025. Bookings can only be made up to 90 days in advance of your arrival date. Our non-reservable sites are available on a first come, first served basis and cannot be held for guests that have not yet arrived to the park.

Camping Policy

Camping Party Definition Party size for one vehicle accessible campsite. One to four persons 16 years of age or older. At least one member of the camping party MUST be 16 years or older. A maximum of eight persons including children (15 years of age and younger). Campsite maximum is one camping party per site, unless otherwise authorized. Vehicles per Camping Party A camping party may arrive at the campsite with one of the following: a. Motor vehicle not designed as an accommodation for camping, e.g., car, truck, SUV, non-camperized van, motorcycle. b. Motor vehicle towing a trailer designed as an accommodation for camping, e.g., 5th wheel, travel trailer, tent trailer. c. Recreational vehicle (RV), e.g., motor home, camperized truck/van.- a RV with a legally towed motor vehicle; or – Motor vehicle or RV towing a trailer not designed as an accommodation for camping, e.g., utility/cargo, or boat trailer. A camping party may also include a tent or tents, if suitably accommodated on the campsite pad. A camping party may be allowed a 2nd motor vehicle not designed as an accommodation for camping on the campsite for an additional ½ of the camping fee (to a maximum of $12/night).

Facilities Available at this Park

Boat Launch There are two boat launch areas; the main ramp on the 3rd Lake is a single launch site with a concrete plank ramp, the 2nd Lake boat launch is rustic, gravel site; both offer a parking area. Campground The park has one campground between 3rd and 2nd lakes. None of the sites are lakeshore but some have a lakeview. There is a mix of small to large sites that can accommodate large RV’s, sorry no pull through sites. All the sites are evenly spaced, considered shaded and amongst a mix of fir, larch and pine trees. A park gate located at the park entrance and is closed between 11:00pm and 7:00am. Sorry there is no cell service or pay phones in the park.

Campfires & Firewood

Campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite. Firewood is for sale $10 per basket. You may bring your own but firewood transported from area to area is not recommended due to the potential spread of invasive insects and disease that can be contained in the bark. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented in the event of a high fire hazard over the hot summer months. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather firewood from anywhere in the park. (this is an offense under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil best to keep it where is lies.

Drinking Water

Cold well water is available for cooking and drinking. Water taps are randomly located in the campgrounds and day use areas. Taps are shut off during the off-season.

Picnic Area and Playgrounds

This park has two day-use/picnic areas on 3rd Lake called Main beach and Campers Beach. Some BBQ stands are available, sorry no fire pits. Main Beach located on the s.w side of the lake near the entrance and is approx. 200 m long with compact sand, grassy areas and a small buoyed wading area. There are 30 picnic tables 25 m back from the water’s edge. A toilet /change house, enclosed shelter with heater, 2 pit toilets, water tap and group picnic area are located nearby. Campers Beach is located on the south-east end of the lake. The turn-off for the access road is located in the campground beside campsite 91. The beach is approx. 100 m long with compact sand. A large unmaintained grassy area makes up the majority of the day-use area. An adventure playground is nearby as are 6 picnic tables, 2 pit toilets and a water tap.

Pets on Leash

Dogs accompanied by responsible owners are welcome at Champion Lakes. However, we ask that you help us protect our wildlife and ensure the park is a safe and pleasant environment for all visitors by adhering to the following Canine Code of Conduct. 1. Please keep your dog under control. Whether walking on the roadways, trails or in your campsite, dogs must be on a leash at all times. 2. Scoop your dogs poop as it is unpleasant for other park users, unhygienic and causes serious ecological damage to plant and animal communities. Dog waste should be placed in a tightly sealed bag and either taken home or deposited into one of the many garbage bins around the park. 3. Respect wildlife and their habitat, the park is their home. Keep your dog off the main beach area and out of streams, creeks, ponds, wetlands and shorelines. A variety of wildlife lives in these areas including fish, frogs, western painted turtles, salamanders and birds. 4. Keep your dog from digging and causing damage to vegetation and nesting habitat. 5. Unruly and noisy dogs cause disturbance to other park users. Please consider that other park users may not be as fond of dogs and that some people- especially small children- can find dogs intimidating.

Sani Dump

A sani-station / dump is available during the collecting season and is located just past the entrance into the camping area. There is a $5.00 fee for using the dump which helps the park pay for the disposal.

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