Welcome to Murtle Lake,
    North America's 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
    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

Murtle Lake, a Canoe Only Park...
and a Fly Fisherman's Paradise
    EAT FiSH!
    100 resident
    Osprey and Bald
    Eagles can't be
    wrong!  

    Whether you wander
    a canoe up the File
    Creek trail or just
    drag a spinner as
    you paddle, you are
    pretty much
    guaranteed to catch
    a trout... or even a
    Kokanee.
    Trout range from
    Pan fry to 12+ lbs,
    Kokanee are usually
    small, but can hit a
    pound or more.
    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
New! We now rent canoes at Murtle lake!
No cart fees, no roof racks! Just drive in, park, pack your
gear or put it on one of our free gear trolleys, then pick up
your canoe at the canoe launch.
See details and rates below.
New for 2009- Murtle Canoes
Rental Service
Rent Hellman Cruisers and Prospectors!
2 days = 50 dollars per day
3 to 5 days = 45 dollars per day
6 days plus = 40 dollars per day
No more carts, no more roof racks! Just pick
up  your canoe at the Lagoon and go!

Email now to reserve a canoe or check
availability murtlecanoes@gmail.com

20% deposit in advance via visa/mc – full payment is charged to on first day
of your rental.
You must set up a  meeting time to collect your canoe - no canoes are left
on site.
Sorry- No single day rentals
Taxes included in price, 5 dollar per person per night camping fees are
NOT Included
.
20 dollar charge for a lost paddle or jacket.