Bowron Lakes Circuit

Basic Logistics - Bowron Lakes Circuit
Gear - Bowron Lakes Circuit
Navigation and Maps - Bowron Lakes Circuit
Leadership - Bowron Lakes Circuit
Weather - Bowron Lakes Circuit
International Travel - Bowron Lakes Circuit
Flora and Fauna - Lakes Circuit
Previous Adventures - Bowron Lakes Circuit 

Disclaimer

There are significant dangers associated with both Open Water and Moving Water canoe outings.  Units undertaking a Scouting Adventure on either a large body of water or moving water need more than just the basic skills and knowledge required by the BSA to conduct such a trip safely.

Our Troop has several adults with extensive experience and professional training in watercraft use, sailing and whitewater.  If you are planning a Canoe trip and do not have an experienced adult leader able to assess flow rates, wind and "read water", you should reconsider a water outing until you have the proper resources and people to make your trip safe. 

We are happy to talk to you if you have questions. 

Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit in Canada 

Bowron Lakes is considered one of the the top 5 paddling adventures in the world.  It ranks up there with the Barrier Reef (Belize), The Amazon, the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, and a few other epic adventures in the world.  It may not be as exotic as the Mekong River, but the way the Circuit is set up and mix of big lakes, manageable portages, moving water, marshes with moose, a touch of optional white water and incredible scenery, it is often the the top paddling destination on most lists. 

If you are setting up The Big Finale to your Scouting Journey, it would be hard to top Bowron.  That said, you will also need a backup plan as you are not the only one who knows about Bowron and they only launch one large group each day on the Circuit.  

Reservations book up immediately after the lottery opens. 

Nitty Gritty

• 550 miles north of our unit

• 10 lakes

• 116 km (72 mile) of paddling

  • A shorter, 2-to-4-day West Side circuit is also available

• 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) of portage trails

• 6-8 day trip

  • If you are traveling with a large group, your sites are predetermined 

    • 8 days and 7 nights

    • It is possible to combine the last 2 days to complete a 20 mile canoe journey with 3 small portages - but isn't feasible for most

• Plan in September/October

• Buy in and commitment by end of year

  • Have everyone who is interested place a $50 deposit in a troop account PRIOR to the lottery

    • Refund deposits if you don't get a spot

    • If you get a spot, it is possible to change reservations later, but if you drop below 7, you lose any refund past that point

      • Example: if you have 8 paddlers and you drop to 6, you only get refunded for one person minus a $5 admin fee

      • You may or may not get refunded for canoe deposits 

    • Refunds - if any will be calculated 45 days prior to launch

      • This reduces the admin fee from doing multiple changes to your reservation and evens things out a bit if you drop below 7

      • If reducing canoe numbers, inquire about refund for that

  • Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit in Canada tentatively opens around November 4 at 7 a.m. PT - but varies from year to year

  • When does registration open?

    • Nobody seems to know until about a week or two prior

    • You must be flexible and be ready to register as soon as it opens or it will be too late

• On the day reservations open – book/secure your desired week

  • Be ready to book a split second after reservations open

  • Expect the reservation site to crash immediately - be ready and don't panic

  • Maybe have multiple people register at the same time

• Timing of Circuit

  • July-August is generally the best window 

  • June and July can have heavy bugs

  • September can be colder

  • We heard about paddlers who lost control of their boat on the Cariboo River when it had high flows in June

Restrictions and Things to Know

• All Participants will need a Passport or Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) or Enhanced Identification Card (EID) for U.S. citizens

  • Note: History of DUI or other criminal infraction can result in denied entry at the border

  • You should have a passport, regardless of age, in case you need to fly someone home

• A maximum of three people can travel in any single canoe (four people may be allowed if two of them are small children)

  • Plan on 2-person canoe teams

    • If you have an odd number, such as when someone will inevitably drop before launch - someone else may need to drop to even out boats

  • Few paddlers are able to keep up if paddling solo

    • Solo paddling should only be considered by expert paddlers using a double paddle

      • Canoes require a longer double paddle that are harder to find

• Camping is allowed only on tent pads or established campsites at campgrounds along the circuit

  • Tent pads are a maximum of 4x4m (approx. 13x13') and can accommodate two tents and four people in total

  • Big car camping tents won't work

  • Hammocks are acceptable and we had 2 at each site 

    • Hammocks sometimes covered a tent pad

• For parties of seven or more people, you need to make a group reservation 

  • Must be made in the fall prior to adventure - it's a lottery so good luck

  • Group sites are predetermined and you can not deviate except for an emergency 

    • Site 7 - 7 Tent Spots

    • Site 14 - 7 Tent Spots

    • Site 21 - 6 Tent Spots

      • Known Bear site - we found fresh tracks on beach

    • Site 29 - 5 Tent Spots

      • There is a cabin in the middle of 29

      • The portage trail runs right next to tent pads

      • Pads also next to "The Chute" which allows for entertainment, rapids training, and swimming

    • Site 33 - 6 Tent Spots

      • There is a cabin across the creek next to the individual sites

    • Site 42 - 7 Tent Spots

      • Site 41 next to this was empty when we went

      • This area is filled with berries!

        • A few are poisonous - so beware

      • Bears known to visit this general area

    • Site 50 - 6 Tent Spots

      • Site 50 has an A and B Section 

        • Both were empty so we took one spot from the A site

      • There were a lot of mosquitoes here too - so beware

      • Fish, water fowl, frogs and minks splash a LOT and all night

      • It is possible to bypass Site 50 and end your trip early

        • Ending early is a mistake

          • Site 50 is an excellent campspot - minus the mosquitos

          • Doing the marsh on Bowron River the following morning

        • The combined 20 miler is too much for most and will push you into the afternoon were winds will likely pick up on Bowron Lake

        • We strongly advise that you Don't mention this option to your group

• You must attend an orientation session before starting the circuit

  • Sessions are held in the visitor centre daily from 8-12 pm

  • If you do not attend an orientation on your first reserved day, your reservation is cancelled without refund

    • They open at around 8:15am

    • Sign in everyone the day before

    • Recommend that you have all boats and gear ready to go at 8am

      • Park one vehicle near boat launch at Becker's Lodge if you like ($20 parking fee)

      • Sort bags so they are at or under 60 pounds per boat - there is an official scale at the launch site

        • After weighing each pile of gear, they will mark the bag colors on your permit

        • If you pack food in the backpack you plan to carry on your back - it should get lighter each day on the circuit

      • Load up canoes on carts minus bags to be weighed

      • Be ready to go early in the day to minimize afternoon winds

      • If you aren't first on the circuit - it is possible you will get stuck behind someone on the trail

• To paddle the circuit, you must bring or rent the essential equipment outlined in our pre-trip information booklet [PDF]

Fees

Reservation fee - There is a non-refundable reservation fee of $18.00 (plus tax) for each vessel booked. 

Circuit fees are due in full at the time of making a reservation. 

• $60.00/person

Transaction fees

• $18 vessel transaction fee per canoe

• $6 for any change or cancellation

• $5 surcharge for transactions made via the call centre 

Changes to a reservation can be made for a fee of $6.00  (plus tax) per vessel, provided that space is available. No changes are permitted 28 days or less before the departure date. 

Cancellations are subject to a $6.00 (plus tax) per vessel cancellation fee. 

Refunds– If a trip is cancelled more than 28 days before the departure date, customers receive a full refund less cancellation and non-refundable reservation fees. If cancellations are made with 28 or less days notice, no refunds apply. 

Orientation time – Upon arrival at the Registration Centre, visitors must check in for their reservation and attend a mandatory orientation session between 8:00am-12:00pm.

Reservations 

Reservations may be booked up to 2 days prior to the departure date. Visitors receive a guaranteed departure date and confirmation number and must report to Registration Centre between 8:00AM-12:00PM on their departure day. At 3:00 p.m. visitors who have not claimed their reservation are considered no-shows. No-show reservations will be given to first-come, first served visitors. 

Visitors are classified as Individual parties or Groups, as described below: 

Individual Parties- Reservations for individual parties (1-6 people) are strongly recommended.  Individual parties can travel the full circuit or west side at their own pace and select a campsite as they go.  The stay is limited to 14 nights total. In addition to reservation spots, a minimum of 4 first-come, first-served drop-in spaces per day are available. To secure a first-come, first served drop-in spot, individual parties need to show up in person at the registration centre and be prepared to wait up to 3 days for a departure time. There is no other way to get on the wait list. 

Groups - Reservations for group  parties (7 to 14 people) are mandatory, and should be made well in advance. Two groups are permitted to depart daily, one group for the West Circuit and one group for the Full Circuit. Groups must have a designated leader, responsible for registration of the group and the conduct and actions of all persons in their group. Groups are required to camp at predetermined group campsites, which will be allocated when the group arrives at the park.  Groups paddling the entire circuit must follow an assigned seven-night itinerary. If visiting the west side only, groups may stay one, two or three nights. 

Note: If partial cancellation results in less than 7 people in group (no longer a “group”  by definition), you will still be required to adhere to group policy and campsite allocations as per the reservation made and must pay for a minimum of 7 people.

Booking Information

• Online: Visit camping.bcparks.ca 

• By phone: Toll free from Canada or USA 1-800- 689-9025 

• International 1-519-826-6850 

• The call centre is open daily 7 am to 7 pm PT 

Pre Launch

Approaching from Wells, the first indication of the park is the commercial lodges. The BC Parks boat launch is at the northwest corner of Bowron Lake between two of the lodges. However, the registration centre is 2 km further on from the boat launch, at the northeast corner of the lake. 

There is a pleasant 25-site vehicle-accessible campground near the registration centre. Many park visitors stay here before setting out on the circuit. The first portage of the canoe circuit starts adjacent to the registration centre. West Side paddlers can start either at the boat launch or at the canoe dock at the provincial campground. 

All paddlers, reservation or not, must report to the Bowron Lake registration centre to register  and attend a mandatory canoe circuit orientation. Orientation sessions occur daily between 8 am and 12 pm. The registration centre is open from 8 am to 6 pm, 7 days per week from May 15 to September 30.

Fishing 

Fishing is permitted on the circuit in compliance with BC Non-Tidal Sports Fishing Regulations. Carry a valid BC fishing license, and familiarize yourself with the specific regulations that apply in the park. Licenses are not sold in the park, but may be purchased at nearby resorts and sporting goods stores. Outfitters can also provide advice on lures to best attract bull trout, kokanee, rainbow trout and lake trout.

June and September are the best months for fishing.

The lady at Bear River Mercantile recommends bright colors for clear water and silver or gold for cloudy.  After you hit the Cariboo River, everything is cloudy until you portage out of Cariboo's path (after site 42). 

BC Recreational freshwater fishing licenses 

Resources

• Canoe Circuits - Province of British Columbia

  • Bowron Lake Brochure Map 11x17 

  • pre-trip information booklet [PDF] 

  • campground map [PDF]

Learning Resources

• Video & book - Path of the Paddle – by Bill Mason (Both book and video are canoeing classics) 

• Book - Paddle Your Own Canoe - by Joanie and Gary McGuffin - A New resource with great photos clearly showing canoeing techniques. 

• Bowron Lake reference material in print: The Bowron Lakes: BC Wilderness Canoe Circuit – by Chris Harris. A photographic journey through the park.

2026 Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit