Horsefly Lake
Horsefly Lake is 34 miles long and is known for its crystal clear water and gentle nature.
Located approximately an hour from Williams Lake, Horsefly Lake has an excellent Provincial Park on the north shore. The park is clearly marked as Horsefly Lake Provincial Park at every intersection, starting at 150 Mile House on Highway 97.
The water in Horsefly Lake is so clear that you can see the bottom of the lake at a depth of 20 feet (or more), making it an excellent swimming lake. It is a little cold but absolutely refreshing. Each summer in August there are Red Cross swimming lessons at the Horsefly Lake Provincial Park.
Horsefly Lake offers excellent family-oriented recreation. There is a great variety of scenery along the lake and it is ideal to explore with any size of boat, or a canoe or kayak. It is narrow and forms a rough “S” shape so storms don’t have any large area to really build up to become dangerous. Always be prepared when out on the lake though, and prepare to take shelter at the shore if necessary.
Little Horsefly River is the outflow of Horsefly Lake and it is a very pretty paddle out of the lake, through the shallow river and under the bridge, on to Little Horsefly Lake and back into the river. You can easily go a few km further down the little river before you encounter a log jam. Extreme sport enthusiasts could journey out to the big Horsefly River and on to Quesnel Lake (10 or 12 miles).
Birch Bay is another pretty area on Horsefly Lake that is easily accessible from the Horsefly Lake Provincial Park area and is home to the Cariboo Country Inn and Ranch. Only the lower ¼ of the lake is developed with roads, cottages and homes with the remainder being mostly wilderness Crown Land.
As you journey up Horsefly Lake you will pass through the “Narrows” where the peninsula at the False Arm forms a narrow passage that is the only access up the lake. Beyond there you will see Hansen Island with its resident Eagle Nests, then Spirit Island which is a very scenic, private property. In this area there are many sandy points and lovely beaches.
Further up the lake you will notice the lake become wider and see Horn Bluff on your left. You will be heading north-east past Goetjen Island and the Twin Islands. On the left is Suey Bay which is a little bit of Hawaii in the Cariboo. It is a ½ mile long, wonderful sandy beach that is shallow and warm. Across the lake, Archie Creek empties into the lake, and without too much trouble you will find Archie Creek waterfall which is a short hike through the forest. In this area you will be about ¾ of the way up the lake and see snow capped mountains or alpine meadows towering all around you.
Note the peaks of Big Slide Mountain, Ilahee, Dutchman, Watchman and Isosceles Mountains and Eagles Nest Peak. You are fairly close to the boundary of the Wells Gray Park and will see Caput Mountain, McCallum Peak, Mount Hutch, Mount Perseus, and Eureka Peak.
From Suey Bay on Horsefly Lake there is a walking trail to Slate Bay on Quesnel Lake. It is about 4 miles across and goes past Suey Lake.
Horsefly Lake is such an exceptional area to explore and enjoy that people come back year after year and recommend it to friends and family.
