Christina Lake
Pure Get-Away-From-It-All
Top Christina Lake Experiences
- Walk the longest trestle on the Kettle River to take your picture above Cascade Falls
- Stand beneath the story pole at the Christina Lake Welcome Centre. Absorb our history through art. Take a selfie on the 3D train trestle floor mural
- Unwind Christina Lake-style with a beach blanket and a good book. Relax on public beaches or in the secluded cove of your vacation rental or B&B
- Kayak or canoe the northern end of the lake, searching for ancient pictographs along the eastern shore
- Take a swing – golf Christina Lake Golf Club 18-hole course or Cascade Par 3 executive course
- Angle for 19 species of freshwater fish in all four seasons
- Bring the family along to our annual Homecoming Festival Summerfest, celebrating the very best of summer, the arts, and Christina Lake
- Hike, ride horseback or cycle any of the trails that merge here – the historic Dewdney, and the Trans Canada Trail, offer everything from bushwhacking to a pleasant stroll, depending on the trail
- Ask a local where the best free-styling is and they’ll direct you to their favourite mountain bike trails. Or you can drop into Wildways, our local experts
- Discover another side of Christina Lake in winter. Cross-country ski or snowshoe along the Trans Canada Trail and at Community Park
Good to know before you go
- Accommodations in Christina Lake include family cottage, cabin and home rentals, B&Bs, motels, lakeside inns, RV resorts and campgrounds
- Fresh-water fishing is regulated in BC and fishing licenses are required. Visit Boating & Fishing for information on Christina Lake tackle shops, and local regulations
- Visit Trails for more information about hiking and biking the Trans Canada Trail and other area trails
- Winter Recreation offers additional information on snowmobiling and skiing in Boundary Country
- When travelling in Christina Lake, look for a comprehensive list of weekly events, activities and festivals posted at the Visitor Centre, tourism businesses, RV parks and campgrounds
Winter, spring, summer or fall, Christina Lake makes a great home away from home. Staying here is a pure Boundary Country, get-away-from-it-all experience.
Your backdrop is the Monashee Mountains, where Ponderosa pine, fir, and cedar forests slope down towards wide sandy beaches. Travellers are naturally drawn here to play along 45 km (28 mi) of shoreline. It’s here where the historic Columbia and Western Rail Trail, part of the Trans Canada Trail, and Dewdney Trails merge, enticing you outdoors. Laidback and relaxed, time is unhurried at Christina Lake.
There are plenty of choices when it comes to where to stay in Christina Lake. You’ll find lodges, cottages, RV parks and campgrounds, B&Bs, vacation homes, resorts, and motels here.
Create a Fun To-Do List
Creating a To-Do list is lots of fun at Christina Lake. There’s so much to do in and on the water, like swimming, fishing, SUP, and kayaking. There’s even more outdoor fun with hiking, biking, golfing, horseback riding and more! Explore our arts community and enjoy our hospitality at one of our fun-filled events.
Christina Lake is now the Official Pickleball Capital of Canada! There are new Pickleball courts on Park Road. Drop-in is Monday to Friday, 10 am to noon.
Glimpse into the Past
Over the last 200 years, many intrepid explorers have visited Christina Lake and the surrounding area. Christina Lake was part of the region inhabited by the Sinixt First Nations, also known as the Arrow Lakes People. They were an Interior Salish people whose territory stretched roughly from the Monashees to Kootenay Lake, from Revelstoke to north-east Washington.
Age-old pictographs are at several places along the northeast lakeshore—evidence of these first inhabitants and visiting tribes. They offer a tantalizing glimpse into our past.
Water Fueled Fun
Christina is the warmest tree-lined lake in all of BC. Dive right in or explore Christina Lake one paddle stroke at a time. Investigate the north shore by kayak or canoe and discover ancient pictographs left by First Nations people. It’s also a great area to try SUP (stand-up paddleboard). For something a little larger, rent a pontoon boat for the weekend and cruise Christina Lake in style. Stop for swim breaks or have a picnic on a stretch of quiet shoreline.
Rent Big and Little Toys
You can also rent a speed boat for a day, a weekend, or your entire stay. Feel the wind whip through your hair as you zip across the lake on your wakeboard or water-skis. The Christina Lake Marina has a complete line-up of water toys available for rent or purchase.
Beach Time
Spread your beach blanket in a secluded cove or on a broad, sandy beach. This is how we unwind Christina Lake-style. A Christina Lake getaway builds family connections and warm summer memories that last the whole year through. Come and discover why people say time spent at Christina Lake is restorative as any day at the spa.
Outdoor Recreation
Whether it’s by the water, up the mountain, or on a golf course, there’s so much to do outdoors in Christina Lake. Pick your passion and then head out into the wilds of Boundary Country and reconnect with yourself.
Fishing Christina Lake
Once an important fishing ground of the Sinixt First Nation, Christina Lake has a well-earned reputation amongst today’s anglers. It is the premier spot to land rainbow trout, Kokanee salmon, large and smallmouth bass, whitefish, and burbot in either summer or winter.
Chat up the locals to find where the fish are biting. Then cast your line into the lake or its tributary creeks. Try your luck at the outflow Christina Creek or the Kettle River. While away the day, hoping your fish tale won’t be a story about the one that got away.
Provincial Parks
Gather the whole clan for a day at Christina Lake Provincial Park, where the 350 m (1,148 ft) golden beach slopes gently into the shallows. Go for a dip. Paddle your kayak or canoe, searching for ancient First Nations pictographs still visible along the eastern shore, north of Texas Point. This park is completely outfitted with abundant parking for 200 vehicles. There are a large camp and picnicking site, bathrooms, and a shower.
Explore the north end of the lake and an endless shoreline covered in old-growth cedar and hemlock at Gladstone (Texas Creek) Provincial Park. Nature abounds here with Kokanee spawning areas, old-growth cedar and hemlock, and it’s a winter range for deer and elk. There are several walking trails from the campground down to Christina Lake.
Hiking & Mountain Biking
It’s easy to get out and explore the wilderness and natural wonders of Boundary Country here. Roam along a creekside, or scale the heights to Old Glory, Mt. St. Thomas, or Gladstone Mountains. Take a leisurely ride on the Trans Canada Trail. Feel the rush of blasting downhill on trails with built-up stunts, long cross-country rides, or scenic hikes on the height of land.
Ramble through the Gilpin Grasslands, a non-motorized area where bighorn sheep, elk and deer roam freely. Take the Cascade Gorge Trail and stroll across the Kettle River’s trestles and the one that straddles the Cascade Gorge. Marvel at Cascade Falls teeming through a narrow gorge 185 m (200 yds) below. Gazing at the falls, you’re reminded why getting away from it all was such a great idea.
Explore by Horseback
Explore Christina Lake from high on the saddle on a guided horseback adventure at Owl Mountain Ranch. Follow in the hoof prints of Canada’s earliest explorers. Cross the Kettle River riding your horse belly-deep through the water.
Ride into the coolness of the forest on a hot summer day. Go for a gallop with a real cowboy. Hear the local legends that colour our history while drinking in views of Cascade Falls and Cascade Canyon and the fragrant forests surrounding Owl Mountain’s base.
Winter Fun
Winter at the lake is tranquillity defined, with snow-filled days just made for sledding and skiing mountain trails. Just above Christina Lake, you can snowshoe the Trans Canada Trail. Take in the scenic winter vistas, or loop through the nature park along the lakefront.
Climb aboard your snow machine, and point your sled to Paulson Summit, where mountain peaks stretch out all around you in a brilliant winterscape. Fill up on fresh powder at the lake, where forest service roads on the west side of BC Highway 3 become snowmobile superhighways, straight up to snow-filled bowls.
Drink in the crisp frosty air. Glide silent trails under a bright winter sky. Breathe in the scent of the winter forest, and wonder how long it’s been since animals left tracks in your path. Cross-country ski or snowshoe the network of trails surrounding the lake.
Since you’re already here, you might as well experience winter in the most Canadian fashion — out in the great outdoors. The Trans Canada Trail and the Community Park on Christina Lake’s eastern shore, and nearby Paulson Trails (dog-friendly and with three warming huts) are just three favourite trails to experience winter in Christina Lake.
Golfing
Two area golf courses add up to one great day on the links at the Cascade Par 3 executive course or the Christina Lake Golf Club.
Meander along the shores of the Kettle River, drinking in views of the Christina Hills and Monashee Mountains after every swing of your club. Christina Lake Golf Club, known for its black sand traps, is carved from a pine forest. Les Furbur designed this 18-hole course, known as one of the top courses in BC.
Take a swing on Cascade Par 3, nestled in the mountains. The 9-hole course was designed with strategically placed water hazards and bunkers and has a gorgeous large green. You’ll be tested a little with the elevation changes, but the executive course makes it well worth the effort.
Come Feed Your Soul
Feed your soul and explore Christina Lake’s Arts and Artisans Society by taking a stroll through the Christina Lake Welcome Centre’s Arts On 3 Gallery. It’s here where you’ll discover emerging and established artists and the eye-catching 3-D floor mural. Or stand beneath the Story Pole that chronicles Christina Lake’s story from its ancient beginnings to the present.
There’s also the Little Burro Western Art Gallery on Hwy. 3. Here you’ll find the works of some very talented local artists, most with a western theme. Art includes oil paintings, bronze sculptures and metal art.
Visual arts aren’t the only thing on display here. Summer concert series, workshops and classes give you plenty of reasons to visit. Check out the events page for up-to-date information.
Celebrate With Us!
The water’s not the only thing warm about Christina Lake. So is the hospitality. Celebrate with us and experience Christina Lake the way the locals do. We celebrate year-round here.
We start in January with Winterfest. By the time April rolls around we have spring flings, concerts, Easter egg hunts, and open mic nights start. Or fishing Derby is in May.
June is the time for the Christina Lake Triathlon. July is filled with summer fun events. Come and dance on the beach at the Christina Lake Homecoming Summerfest. It’s a time to celebrate local talent, arts and culture. And we do it all at the water’s edge. Discover emerging artists and the diversity of our community. There are more concerts and live music in the park too.
August is our famous sandcastle competition, as well as the Pasta Fiesta and more live music in the park. In the fall there’s our Halloween Bonfire and Fireworks as well as our spaghetti dinner and dance. Once winter rolls around, we celebrate with a December craft fair.
Get a comprehensive list of local events, activities and at the Christina Lake Visitor Centre. We have some events listed on our event page.