Murtle Lake- Canoe Only Park
Canoe and Cart
Rentals
Due to overwhelming
requests for this info, I'm
directly posting  it here- We
do not endorse nor have any
connection to any of these
businesses.

Note!
Matt Nicol-Blue River
Wilderness Outfitters is no
longer offering canoe rentals.


Blue River
Campground-Ralph Budgell
250-673-8203
www.bluerivercampground.ca
Welcome to Murtle Lake,
North Americas Largest
Canoe Only Lake.

Here's what you need to know:

Murtle Lake is accessed by travelling highway 5 to Blue
River and then following a twisting, rough gravel road 27
Km's to the portage Parking lot.  This is where you leave
your vehicle, and transfer your gear down a "wheelchair
accessible" 2.5 KM trail to the lagoon launch,
WHERE YOU PAY YOUR CAMPING FEES at the self
registration station.

Camping fee is currently: 5 DOLLARS PER PERSON PER
NIGHT(Kids
under 13 free), in Cash, in Advance- No credit
cards!

The lake is still a further 1.5 Km's away, But you can
paddle through the lagoon to it.  If you're hiking into
campsite 1 for an overnight stay or just a look at part of
the lake,  you've got a another short walk to make.
1. Take an Envelope out of the box
These are some of  the rules to
know:
NO DOGS OR PETS
ALLOWED on Murtle Lake
2. Fill it out with the provided pen or pencil
3. Enclose money remove receipt portion of
envelope and deposit envelope in the vault- keep the
receipt handy for us to check- you will be asked to
show it to us
No Commercial Guided Groups
No glass containers on Murtle Lake
Cutting down your own Firewood (trees) is
grounds for fines and eviction- so is
possession of a firearm or a chainsaw.
Some firewood may be supplied by staff.
This is not a complete list of rules, so
consult with BC Parks Official Website
before going to the lake.
What do you do in an
emergency?
Get in touch with the
PFO Staff, either on the
lake or at their cabin
near site 4. The PFO
staff have radio
communication with
emergency services,
and have a detailed plan
for dealing with
Medivacs, forest fires,
and other problems.    
The Stats:
Camping locations: 19(shows 20 on
map, But #19 does not exist and
Fairyslipper Island is closed)
Capacity:70 or so canoes(2-4 people)
What's there: fire rings,  outhouses
Hot spots:Leo Island, Tropicana, Strait
Creek
Average number of parties per
night:
10 June/Sept, 20 July,45 August
Things not to miss:The West Arm, the
Far North Arm, Fishing, Loon's, one hike
The useful info:

CELLPHONES DON'T WORK

.. And you'll need a really good radio, if you want one.

Canoes and related gear can be rented in Blue River(see Links).

Murtle Lake offers a very rustic camping experience, however
there are Outhouses at every campsite, as well as ground
mounted Bear Caches, and fire rings. No picnic tables as of yet,
But this may change.

Campsites are Patrolled and Maintained daily. There will be toilet
paper in the outhouses.

The portage trail is good, But its not short. This is where you'll do
most of the work on your trip. Get a canoe cart, it's well worth it.
The trail is about 2 metres wide and is of good fine gravel or sand,
all creeks are bridged and all slopes  are not too long or steep.

A new Canoe cart lock up and launch has just been completed at
the Lagoon. Locking up of carts is Mandatory, so bring a lock and
chain.

There is one cabin for public use on the lake, and that is in the
west arm at Diamond Lagoon, But watch it , this is actually in the
Murtle River, so unless you're confident with your canoe skills,
don't go there. The cabin has bunks for about 6 people.

The fishing is pretty good!  Its all rainbow trout, and several
locations yield 1-4 lb fish. Locations? Ask the PFO staff when you
meet them on the lake, they'll tell what gear is hot and where the
bite is on.

The West Arm of the lake gets the most use by a ratio of about 3
to 1. This is due to the warmer water, sandy shallows and yellow
sand beaches.

The North Arm is usually very quite, has a few beaches itself and
by far the most spectacular mountain scenery. The very tip of the
North Arm is absolutely stunning, with towering mountains and a
huge moose meadow that has frequent wildlife visitors, eagles and
moose being among them.

More questions? See FAQ's Below or contact us
at:
info@explorewellsgray.com
What does it mean by "canoe cart lock up is
mandatory
"?

At the canoe launch there are a series of posts that
you  can lock your canoe cart to. If you rent a cart,
a lock will be supplied by the rental company.

If you bring your own, bring along a lock suitable for
locking up a Bike.

IF you have your own collapsible cart, you can just
take it with you on the lake if you wish.
Bear caches like this one are located at every site
Murtle Lake FAQ’s        

1 how do I get there?

Take highway 5 to Blue River, turn in at the Esso, or one intersection north, follow the frontage road north then follow the signs
in 27Km's to the parking lot, then portage 2.5 K on the wheel chair rated trail.  The road is passable, But if you’re coming in a
car, expect to have to pick your way slowly through some rough spots.  A vehicle with a bit of clearance is recommended.(I’ve
seen everything from Ford Festiva’s and Chevy Cavaliers to 18 passenger vans in the parking lot, But the former probably had
quite a slow  fingernail biting ride in)

2. How do I pay?

You pay with cash or travelers check at a self registration station located at the waters edge at the canoe launch right at the
lake shore- exact change required.  You must pay in advance- non payment could result in eviction.

3> how much is it?

5 dollars per person (13 and older) per night. No discount for disabilities or seniors.

3a What if I want to stay longer?
When you first register, pay for as many nights as you know you're going to stay...
If you decide to stay longer, pay any additional fee directly the marine patrol on the lake.
YOU CANNOT PAY ON THE WAY OUT- this is the same as non payment of fees and could result in fines or eviction.  

4 canoe carts?
A canoe cart is basically a must on this trip. You can bring your own or you can rent one from one of several places in Blue
River:  Blue River Wilderness Outfitting, Blazing Paddles and Blue River campground being the best.  They always have lots, so
reserving one is not a necessity (except in August).

You must also lock your canoe cart up when you arrive at the launch, the rental companies will supply you with a lock and
chain, But bring a bike lock with you if you wish to leave your own cart there. A new cart lock up and launch has just been built.

6 Best places to camp?

All the sites in the West Arm get more use because of there long sandy beaches and warm swimming waters.  The North Arm
has some spectacular views and is well worth the trip, and is generally less used, it does have a few beaches, and if privacy is
what you're looking for, the North Arm is the best choice.


7 Best places to fish?

Diamond lagoon is well worth it, as are any of the creek mouths, Murtle is generally good fishing almost anywhere, with 1-4 LB
rainbow trout the major catch.

8> Hiking trails?

All hiking trails have been cleared of blowdown and are in good if sometimes slightly grown in condition. All creeks are bridged.
Good ones? MacDougall Falls is a nice level walk along the river, Henrietta Lake has fishing, But Wavy range has really
spectacular scenery and seems the most rewarding of all the hikes.  


9 What is there in the way of facilities?

Murtle is wilderness camping with the right perks. All campsites have Bear caches and outhouses with toilet paper. There are no
Picnic tables.  Diamond Lagoon features a cabin you can stay in if you get there early.

10. Animal problems?

Bears have been an occasional problem, But park staff will advise you if it’s an issue.


11. Can I bring my dog?

NO.
Dogs are banned on Murtle.

12. Cooking?  

You can’t rely on fires to cook; you must bring a camp stove.


13. Where are the nearest amenities?

Blue River has some groceries, gas, and accommodations. Don’t expect much more than that.

14. Cell Phones?

They don’t work in the park or Blue River.
The canoe launch
Useful tip 1

Get a Canoe cart, But
get a good one.
 It'll
take a lot of the work out
of the portage job. You
can rent a welded one
from a couple of places
in Blue River (see links),
and they're well worth
the small fee.  No
offense to MEC, But  
generally the carts they
sell have wheels too
small for the task at
hand... A 12 inch
diameter minimum
wheeled cart is best for
this trail. Bigger wheels
are better.
Useful tip 2
June, July and
September are the
quiet months.
August
is the busiest month by
far, because the
weather is traditionally
better. If the forecast is
good, come in June or
September to avoid the
bugs and people.
Useful tip 3
How to flag down the
PFO Boat Patrol.
Put
your paddle straight up
in the air, they move it
quickly left to right. That
usually gets our
attention.
Waving a life
jacket from shore
works well too.
Useful tip 4
Use the Park Patrol to
your advantage.
The
PFO staff are on the lake
every day in the only
powerboat you will
encounter on Murtle
Lake.  They can travel
much faster than you,  
and have current
knowledge of what
campsites are busy and
which ones are free. They
also usually know the
weather forecast, fishing
conditions,  about
firewood, where that big
group of kids is camped
and other info that may
affect your plans (Not to
mention the fact they're
very friendly).
Useful tip 5
Bring an Axe
Hatchets are a waste
of time.  Any cut
firewood you may
come across will
require at least an axe
to split.  Be careful,
Medical Attention could
be DAYS away.
How To Pay: find this fee station at the
Lagoon  
Diamond cabin
Tropicana