Chilliwack Lake is a

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

in the upper basin of the

Chilliwack River Chilliwack ( )( hur, Ts'elxwéyeqw) is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Chilliwack is surrounded by mountains and home to recreational areas such as Cultus Lake and Chilliwack Lake Provincial Parks. There are numerous outdoo ...

southeast of the city of the same name in the

Lower Mainland The Lower Mainland is a geographic and cultural region of the mainland coast of British Columbia that generally comprises the regional districts of Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley. Home to approximately 3.05million people as of the 2021 Canadia ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. The lake, while entirely within

, is located just north of the border between British Columbia and the state of Washington and is both fed and drained by the

, which has its source in the

North Cascades The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascad ...

of Washington state and Canada, which surround the lake on all sides.

Parks and recreation

Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park Chilliwack ( )( hur, Ts'elxwéyeqw) is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Chilliwack is surrounded by mountains and home to recreational areas such as Cultus Lake, British Columbia, Cultus Lake and Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park ...

is located on the lake's shores on the Canadian end of the lake. At the south end of the lake, there is a large beach, often a partying location, where the at-this-point-

slough Slough () is a town and unparished area in the unitary authority of the same name in Berkshire, England, bordering west London. It lies in the Thames Valley, west of central London and north-east of Reading, at the intersection of the M4 ...

-like Chilliwack River enters the far end of the lake. There is also a trail that leads into an

old growth forest An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...

along the river above the lake. It starts near the lake's far end. If you head off trail and ford the river, you can find the difficult trail to Hanging Lake.

Boating

Chilliwack Lake can be ideal for canoeing, kayaking, paddle-boarding and small motorized boats. It is important to understand local conditions prior to departure as strong afternoon winds can strand unsuspecting people on the east end of this alpine lake. Also note that dangerous currents exist on the south-west corner of the lake where the water flows into the

. There is a boat launch that is suitable for boats under 20 feet in length at the west end of the lake. Water levels fluctuate throughout the year and the boat launch can become unusable due to either high water completely submerging it, or low water exposing jagged rocks - use at your own risk.

Climate

Chilliwack Lake has an

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...

( Köppen climate type ''Cfb'').

Road closures

The road on the east side of the lake leading to its far end has been closed off to all but regular vehicles. ATVs and

dirtbikes The six main types of motorcycles are generally recognized as ''standard'', ''cruiser'', ''touring'', ''sports'', ''off-road'', and ''dual-purpose''. ''Sport touring'' is sometimes recognized as a seventh category or integrated with the ''touring' ...

are not permitted on the road beyond the south boundary of Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park. In addition to that, the road has been decommissioned.

References

Lakes of the Lower Mainland Canadian Cascades North Cascades of Washington (state) Lakes of Whatcom County, Washington Lakes of Washington (state) {{BritishColumbiaCoast-geo-stub