Loon Lake (Lillooet Land District, British Columbia)

Loon Lake is a 6.936 km2 (2.678 sq mi) lake north of Cache Creek in British Columbia, Canada, and is part of the "Land of Hidden Waters".[1]

Loon Lake
Loon Lake is located in British Columbia
Loon Lake
Loon Lake
LocationBritish Columbia V0K 1K0, Canada
Coordinates51°06′12″N 121°15′12″W
Basin countriesCanada
Surface area6.936 km2 (2.678 sq mi)
Max. depth64.9 m (213 ft)
Surface elevation817 m (2,680 ft)
ReferencesLoon Lake

In July 2017 some of the resort areas were damaged by wildfires.[2]

Geography

Loon Lake in the Lillooet Land District is one of eight Loon Lakes in British Columbia. It is located in a steep valley between the Bonaparte Plateau to the northwest and the Arrowstone Hills to the south and east on the larger Thompson Plateau. The north side consists mainly of Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine, mixed with lesser amounts of poplar, alder, and common mountain juniper. The south side of Loon Lake is composed mainly of Engelmann spruce and Douglas fir.

The entire length of the west shore has been developed with resorts, permanent homes, and summer residences. There are approximately 50 cabins as well on the east shore, accessible only by water with no power or phone connections. Some of the cabins were damaged or destroyed by a forest fire in July 2017. There is a ranch at the northeast end and a First Nations reserve to the southwest (Bonaparte No. 4). There are approximately 200 permanent residents year-round, with the population swelling to over 1000 in peak holiday periods. Many families have owned summer homes on Loon Lake for three or four generations. Local government is provided by the Thompson-Nicola Regional District; local policing is from Clinton; and the closest hospital is at Ashcroft.

Travelers can reach Loon Lake off of Highway 97, about 20km north of Cache Creek, and travel through the Bonaparte Valley and Loon Creek Valley to arrive at Loon Lake 18km from the Highway turnoff.

Loon Lake is a long, narrow, deep, and clear lake. The shoal area extends out into the lake for about 5 meters (16.4ft.) and then drops off quickly. The shoal area contains sedge and bulrushes. Dense stands of coniferous forest mixed with small stands of deciduous growth and some rock outcroppings comprise the immediate shoreline surrounding the south shore of the lake.

Facilities

The services at the lake include eight resorts with stores, boat rentals, gas and propane, RV parking, and camping. A few resorts offer wireless Internet connections. There is a public boat launch at the east end of the lake.

The oldest operating resort is the Evergreen Resort, established at the west end of the lake in the mid-1930s. It was followed by the establishment of Loon Lake Resort by Ed and Pearl Dougherty in 1938, along with The White Moose by N. Fowler.

Loon Lake is also the base location for trips up to HiHium Lake.

Fishing

Loon Lake supports rainbow trout fishing up to 1.5kg. Many freshwater shrimp, dragon flies, nymphs, chironomids, and mayflies make this a good fly-fishing lake; however, trolling with flatfish and spinning lures are the most popular methods used on the lake.

References
  1. "Loon Lake". Land Without Limits. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
  2. "B.C. fire-zone photos show what's left at Loon Lake". CBC News. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
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