Ministry of Environment - Crooked River Provincial Park

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Attention Visitors - Important Notice!

As of May 28, 2008:

There will be 29 campsites open by May 30th (Loop 1).
There is still clean up from the Pine Beetle wood removal project, so Loop 2 area of the campground is still closed.
The ice went off Hart Lake approximately May 14th. Access to the lake can be gained by parking on the shoulder of the highway or the parking lot gate and walking through the forest. Please do not block access in to the parking area. Make sure the forestry workers know you are there before walking around through the forest. Thank you.

Park Info:

Crooked River lies within the Fraser Basin, an irregularly shaped basin of gently rolling hills and shallow lakes covering much of the North Central B.C. Three beautiful lakes are contained within this 970 hectare park. The centre of activity of this park, an hour's drive north of Prince George, is beach-fringed Bear Lake. The fine, sandy beaches are some of the best in the region and are favourites of swimmers and sunbathers. Fishing, hiking, camping and nature study are also popular activities with outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors like to hike to nearby Square Lake or along the willow-lined Crooked River, the original route of early explorers. A natural feature in the park is Livingston Springs (is a cold water springs that run year round).

Park Size: 970 hectares

Special Notes:

Help protect the park land. Enjoy Crooked River Park but please leave it as you have found it so that future visitors may also enjoy the park.
For safety reasons, firearms are not permitted in the park. Crooked River Park is closed to hunting.
No alcohol is allowed on the beach or in the day-use area.
Pets are not permitted in the day-use area and must be kept on a leash at all times in any other area of the park.

Management Planning:

Management Planning Information

Approved Purpose Statement and Zoning Plan.
Please note - As of January 2006, Squaw Lake has been renamed Square Lake.

Location:

Location Map

The park is located 70 km north of Prince George on Highway #97. This is approximately a one hour drive. The closest communities, towns and cities are Bear Lake and Prince George.

Map/Brochure:

Any maps listed are for information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

Location Map
Park brochure and map (PDF)

Nature & Culture:

History - Crooked River Provincial Park was originally established to protect its attractive lakes and surrounding landscape. The lakes are a result of the melting of the glacial ice blocks.
Cultural Heritage - The Crooked River was once the corridor of the famous explorers Alexander MacKenzie and Simon Fraser.
Conservation - The gently undulating landscape is covered by a thick layer of glacial drift supporting a forest dominated by white spruce, lodgepole pine and Douglas-fir, known as the Sub-boreal Spruce Zone. The forest cover within the park boundaries consists mainly of lodgepole pine interspersed with alder, birch, aspen and spruce. It sits atop a sand and gravel soil, the result of thousands of years of glacial activity in the area. Flowers, trees and shrubs are part of the park's natural heritage.
Wildlife - One of Crooked River Provincial Park's trails takes visitors to and around Square Lake, an excellent spot for nature viewing. The lodgepole pine forests, lakes and wetlands of the park provide excellent habitat for a number of mammals and birds. River otter, beaver, muskrat, squirrels, and chipmunks are the most common residents. Lynx, red fox, coyote and black bear may also be seen. Many birds frequent the park including bald eagles, ospreys, tanagers and chickadees. In the winter, Crooked River is visited by trumpeter swans. Park users should always be aware of bears and other wildlife in our park environment. Never feed or approach bears or other wildlife
General Wildlife, Marine & Outdoor Ethics Information

Visitor Safety:

Safe swimming practices are a must! Visitors are encouraged to remain within the designated area. As no lifeguard is on duty, children should be watched at all times and solo swimming should be avoided.

To avoid problems with nuisance animals such as bears, please lock food in your vehicle at night and be sure to use the garbage containers provided. Never feed or approach bears.

As the park is situated in open pine forest, it is tempting to walk off the trails. Visitors should keep in mind that it is easy to loose bearings in pine forests as the terrain is unvarying and can be confusing.

Visitor Safety Information (park safety, hazards, wildlife safety information, health risks)

Reservations:For parks that accept reservations, all vehicle accessible campsites (with the exception of
group sites) must be reserved through Discover Camping.

Campsite Reservations:
Campsite reservations are accepted and first-come, first-served sites are also available.

Explore Parks: Fees, park listings, what you should know before you go and other useful links.

Contact Information:

Quartz Contracting
E-mail address: northquartz@aol.com
Phone: (250) 964-3489

This park offers 90 private and secluded vehicle accessible campsites. This campground will accommodate larger RV’s. Campsite reservations are accepted and first-come, first-served sites are also available.

Vehicle Accessible Camping Fee: $15.00 per party / night
BC Senior's Rate (Shoulder Season only): $7.50 per senior's couple/night

Campground Hours of Operation All dates are subject to change without notice
Opening and Closing Campground Dates: (campground is accessible but may not offer full services such as water, security, etc.)	June 1 - September 30 (Please note: Opening date is subject to snow melt and removal of pine beetle trees)
Campground Dates with Full Services and Fees:	June 1 - September 30 (Day-use area gate is open year round for winter activities but no services are provided)
Campground Reservable Dates:	June 1 - September 15
Total Number of Vehicle Accessible Campsites:	90
Number of Reservable Campsites, if applicable: (all remaining sites are first-come, first-served)	30
Note: The above information is for the campground only. Park users can still walk into the park if conditions such as weather permit. Check the "Attention Visitor Notice" above for park alerts.

There are no wilderness/walk-in campsites at this park.

No group campsites.

There is a day-use/picnic area along the north shore of the lake. The area was rebuilt and modernized in 2007. It has flush toilets, running water, a sandy beach, a paved and gravel parking lot for 530 vehicles, picnic tables, garbage cans, picnic shelter, horseshoe pits (bring own horsehoes) and an adventure playground. PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE DAY-USE AREAS. Alcohol is not permitted in the day-use area.

Some facilities in the park including washrooms are wheelchair accessible.

Cold well-water is available for cooking and drinking; taps are located throughout the campground and day-use area.

Pit and flush toilets are located throughout the park.

This park has hot showers.

During the collecting season a sani-station/dump is available and a fee is charged for the service. Sani-station Use Fee: $2.00 per discharge

While campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite, we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using campstoves instead. Firewood can be purchased in the park or you may bring your own wood.Fees for firewood are set locally and may vary from park to park. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don't gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.

There are no electrical hook-ups in this park.

There are no regularly scheduled interpretive programs at this park.

Click here for hiking/trail information. For your own safety and preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.

There is an adventure playground located at the south beach area of the campground.

For swimmers and sunbathers, the 460 metres of natural sandy beach of Bear Lake is the main attraction. Nearby change houses, picnic tables and firepits make it easy to spend a full day enjoying this natural playground. The pristine setting is safe and quiet since power boats are not permitted in the park. There are NO LIFEGUARDS on duty at provincial parks.

Canoes and kayaks are welcome.

No boat launch is available at this park. Cartop boats, canoes and inflatables are permitted. You have to carry your boat from 200 m to 1500 m to access the various lakes. POWER BOATS (GAS OR ELECTRIC MOTORS) ARE NOT PERMITTED ON BEAR AND SQUARE (formerly named Squaw) LAKES. ELECTRIC MOTORS ARE ALLOWED ON HART LAKE.

Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. Crooked River, Square Lake and Hart Lake provide good angling for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden or Rocky Mountain whitefish. Gate to Hart Lake parking lot is open at this time. Only Square Lake is available for ice fishing and is a popular lake among the locals. Hart Lake is closed to ice fishing. Check the below regulations for specifications.

Please note: There have been regulation changes regarding the amount of fish allowed to be kept. Please view the Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations Synopsis for specific information.

Bicycles are allowed on all park roads, however, they are only allowed on trails that are signed for bicycle use (very few trails are signed for bikes).

No horseback riding at this park.

Pets/domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. 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.

There is no viewing platform but the abundant trail system allows access to lakes and Crooked River which has lots of wildlife and scenic viewing possibilities. In winter, the Crooked River is a wintering ground for Trumpeter Swans.

Caledonia Cross-Country Ski Club track sets early in the season as this area receives early snow. The campground road loops are set for skating and classic techniques. All hiking trails and the campground loops are available for snowshoeing.

No SCUBA diving or snorkelling opportunities.

Great place to windsurf as there are only non-motorized vessels allowed in the park.

No waterskiing opportunities.

No hunting in the park.

No climbing or rock climbing opportunities.

No spelunking or caving opportunities.

No cabins, yurts or lodges for public use.