Thompson. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Safety information
- Roadways can be very busy. Whether you are walking, cycling, roller-blading, skateboarding, or driving, please be careful. Always yield to the slowest mode of travel e.g. cyclists yield to walkers. Obey all traffic regulations and rules of the road.
- Trails are located along many roadsides for walkers, please use them.
Special notes
Security
During peak periods, security is on a 24-hour basis. During peak periods, security can be contacted at the gate office between 7am and 10pm and at the main gate from 10pm to 7am.
Quiet hours
Quiet hours are 10pm to 7am. Music, generators, etc. must be shut off completely between these hours. Disturbances will not be tolerated and those who cause a disturbance may be fined or evicted.
Alcohol
It is an offense to possess or consume alcohol in a public place.
Hibachis and campstoves
Hibachis and campstoves can burn the picnic tables. Please do not use them on the tables.
Valuables
When left unattended or at night, valuables should be stored out of sight and locked up at all times. Please report all thefts to the park facility operator as soon as possible.
Forts and chalk
The building of forts in the wooded areas and using chalk on the roadways are not permitted.
Traffic safety
The speed limit within the park is 20km per hour.
Parking
Parking is prohibited on the side of the road. Please park on the gravelled portion of your campsite or in designated parking spaces. Vehicles parked in the day-use area after 10pm may be towed.
Motorcycles
Motorcycles are permitted on park roads only. Motorcycles must be properly licensed and must be operated by a licensed driver only. Helmets must be worn.
Water levels
Depending on late spring or early summer rainfall, there may be limited beach area due to high water levels of the lake.
Generator policy
As of 2010, BC Parks implemented a generator policy for our parks. This policy restricts the recreational use of generators in parks, conservancies, protected areas, and recreation areas.
Our policy restricts generator use to the hours of 9am to 11am, and from 6pm to 8pm. Reducing the hours of generator use has helped to reduce air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, fuel consumption, and noise levels in protected areas.
Generators can also be very noisy and disruptive to a visitor’s experience. Even the very quiet models of generators can be disruptive to other visitors, as even slight noises can carry in a park, especially during quiet time.
Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.
Visit responsibly
Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:
Maps and location
Getting there
On the north shore of the main arm of Shuswap Lake, and includes Copper Island. Leave Hwy #1 at Squilax, and drive 19km on paved roads. Note that Copper Island is only accessible by boat.
Camping
Frontcountry camping
This park offers large, vehicle-accessible campsites. There are 44 double camping sites. No pull-through sites are available. Almost all sites offer shade at different periods throughout the day. Campsite reservations are accepted. The campground has a gatehouse that is manned from 7am to 10pm during the peak periods.
Frontcountry campgrounds
Group camping
There is a group campsite at this park. The group site has a covered shelter and large grassy area. There are several individual campsites to allow some privacy in the group site. Reservation information
Youth group camping charges per night are $1 per person (6+), with a $50 minimum and $150 maximum. Read the youth group policy about criteria for youth groups.
Regular group camping charges per night are the base rate for the site, which is $120.00 per group site per night, plus $5 per adult (16+, minimum charge for 15 adults), plus $1 per child (6 to 15). Children under 6 are free.
Groupsites
Winter camping
Things to do
There are numerous walking and biking trails, and one self interpretation trail in the park. Copper Island has a 2.8km hiking trail for viewing surrounding areas. Access to Copper Island is by boat only. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.
There is 1 km of sand and pebble beach, and a swimming area marked by buoys. Shuswap Lake is very busy. Swimmer’s Itch is present at times. It can best be avoided by towelling off as soon as you leave the water, or by applying baby oil to your skin before you enter the water. In the summer months the water temperature is very inviting for swimmers. Snorkeling is popular.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Canoeing is popular on the lake. Please note that lake conditions can change quickly. Pay close attention to changing weather and wind conditions. Large waves can develop quickly. Boat, canoe, and jet-ski rentals are available from businesses in the local area.
Kayaking is popular on the lake. Please note that lake conditions can change quickly. Pay close attention to changing weather and wind conditions. Large waves can develop quickly.
Shuswap Lake offers excellent recreational fishing opportunities for species such as lake trout and rainbow, bull trout, kokanee, burbot, and whitefish. Licences and bait can be purchased locally. Refer to the British Columbia Fishing regulations for limits, closures, and restrictions. There are special regulations for Shuswap Lake.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Regularly scheduled interpretive programs may be available during July and August.
The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has a fun, hands on, Learn to Fish program that teaches basic angling skills to youth under 16 years old. Check back to this page or ask the park operator for more information.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas, beach trail or park buildings. While the day-use area and beach are off-limits to dogs and other domestic animals, a stretch of beach is available adjacent to the boat launch where visitors may swim with their dogs. Please remember you are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement.
Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
Only specific trails are open to bike use. Ensure all bikes stay on trails. With heavy vehicle use on park roads, ensure youngsters are supervised. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
To protect the park vegetation, cyclists are not permitted on the nature trails, grassy areas, or on the shoulders and banks of park roads. Cyclists are permitted on the park perimeter trail and the beach trail but must give way to pedestrians and hikers. All bike paths are gravel.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Shuswap Lake Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy will be for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for this park.
There are two children’s bike parks available for the use and enjoyment of visitors staying in the campground.
Shuswap Lake Park boat launch
A paved double boat launch, no limit to size (vehicle towed) located within the day-use area. Hours are 7am to 9:30pm. There is a no fee large parking lot (no overnight storage).
During times of low lake water levels, usually September to April, please check the section of boat launch underwater to ensure launching can be completed successfully with your unit.
The launch is not steep. Boats are prohibited from staying overnight on the park beach. There is a marina to the parks immediate west and there are several other marinas located around the lake. Water skiing and windsurfing are allowed on the lake. Safe boating procedures should be practiced at all times. Be aware of swimming areas. Get a weather forecast, and be alert to changing weather. Personal watercraft must obey all boating regulations.
Fires are prohibited in the day-use areas.
Firewood can be purchased in the park or you may bring your own wood. Fees for firewood are set locally and may vary.
To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park. Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.
You can conserve firewood and air quality by keeping your campfire small. Be prepared to bring a portable stove for cooking.
Campfire bans may be in place. Before lighting a fire, check for bans or restrictions on BC Wildfire Service and on local or Indigenous government websites.
Cold water taps are located throughout the park. Taps are shut off during the off-season. There are hose hook-ups for campers and trailers located at the sani-station.
Sites #1 to 19 and #23 to 37 offer electrical hookups. An additional service charge of $8.00 per night, applies to these sites regardless of whether electrical service is used.
This park has a day-use and picnic area. The day-use area has tables, a change house, and flush toilets. This area also offers a grassy play area, an adventure playground, an amphitheatre, a self-guided nature trail, and a boat launch. The day use area offers no covered shelters, BBQs, fire pits, or water taps. There are no horseshoe pits. This park has a large sandy beach in the day-use area. The day-use area is open between 7am and 10pm. The gates will be closed and access will be prohibited outside of these hours. Fires are prohibited in the day-use areas.
The sani-station is located is along the entrance road near the service yard. There are hose hook-ups for campers and trailers located at the sani-station.
About this park
Shuswap Lake Park was established in 1956 and was named for the Shuswap Natives, whose artifacts are found in this area.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.
Contact
| Reservations, changes, and cancellations | Our call centre is open from 7 am to 7 pm Pacific Time. There is a $5 fee for reservations, changes, or cancellations made by phone.
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| Park operator | This park is operated by Shuswap Adams Parks Ltd. |
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
