Crown Land in the Similkameen

12 crown land sites 8 fishing spots 8 campgrounds

The Similkameen follows Highway 3 east from Manning Park through Princeton, Hedley and Keremeos toward Osoyoos, and Princeton, where the Tulameen River joins the Similkameen, is the valley's main town. The Tulameen runs past downtown, and recreation sites start right outside town: Martin Lake (4 km, 14 sites), Dewdney (6 km) and Granite Creek near Coalmont (13 km, 21 sites). Bromley Rock Park is about 19 km east, Otter Lake Park near Tulameen 23 km, and E.C. Manning Park, 83,670 ha, lies to the west along Highway 3. There are 54 recreation site campgrounds within 50 km, among them the two Old Hedley Road sites and Pickard Creek along the river toward Hedley. With 102 mapped lakes and streams within 25 km, it is also small-lake trout country. This page rounds up the region's public land, fishing spots, campgrounds and road trips.

Map

Crown Land Nearby

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Martin Lake
Recreation Site
4 km
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China Ridge Longhouse
Recreation Site
6 km
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Dewdney
Recreation Site
6 km
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THE KEEPER
Recreation Site
10 km
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WHIPSAW CREEK ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
11 km
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China Ridge Hut
Recreation Site
11 km
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JAMESON LAKE
Recreation Site
12 km
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WHITESANDS
Recreation Site
12 km
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Granite Creek
Recreation Site
13 km
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BLAKEBURN CREEK
Recreation Site
17 km
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BROMLEY ROCK PARK
PROVINCIAL PARK
19 km
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Riddle Creek Snowmobile Parking Area
Recreation Site
22 km

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Around Princeton, the hills are Crown forest and grassland with recreation sites such as Martin Lake (4 km) and the China Ridge trails (6 km), and Bromley Rock and Otter Lake parks are 19 and 23 km away.

Seven recreation site campgrounds lie within 25 km of Princeton and 54 within 50 km, including Martin Lake (14 sites), Granite Creek (21) and the two Old Hedley Road sites on the river (14 each). Crown land camping is limited to 14 days at one site.

Yes, with a BC freshwater licence, but rainbow and cutthroat trout are catch and release on both, bait is banned from April 1 to October 31, and the Similkameen is closed from July 30 to September 15.

Be careful: Martin Lake is aerated, and the synopsis warns of dangerous thin ice. The limit is two trout a day.

Offline maps around Similkameen

Public land near Similkameen runs well past the last cell tower. Export the area as a geo-referenced PDF and read it in BorealMaps to keep your GPS position on the map when the signal drops.

Try PDF Export How geo-referenced PDF maps work

Regulations

A valid BC freshwater fishing licence is required; Princeton and the Similkameen are in fishing Region 8 (Okanagan). Recreation site and Crown land camping is limited to 14 days at one site. Aerated lakes in the area carry thin-ice warnings in winter, and the valley is dry in summer, so check fire bans before lighting a campfire.