Top 10 Watery Adventures
- While away the hours soaking up the sun on the Kettle River
- Pan for gold in the Kettle River, near Rock Creek
- Explore the north shore of Christina Lake in a kayak, canoe or motorboat. Discover ancient pictographs left our original inhabitants and visiting tribes along the way
- Go for a dip, paddle in peace and quiet at Jewel Lake
- Enjoy the cool water at Grand Forks‘ Granby River, beat summer’s heat
- Rent a cabin or a campsite, extending a day trip into a week-long adventure at Christina Lake or Jewel Lake Resort. You can even rent a pontoon boat to cruise Christina Lake in style
- Plunge into Kettle River Recreation Area’s famous swimming holes on a warm summer day
- Cast your fly in Jewel Lake, fishing for Rainbow and Brook trout
- Go on a hike and explore our waterfalls near Midway and Christina Lake
- Run the white water rapids of the Granby River’s S-curves or Staircase in late June and early July when river levels are at their highest
Good to Know Before You Go: Tubing
- If you choose to float the Kettle River near Christina Lake, exit the river before reaching Cascade Falls. This is an extremely dangerous section of the river
- In the Rock Creek area guests of Byman’s Bend B&B and the Kettle Valley RV Park can sign-up for a river shuttle. Otherwise, there are no river shuttles here, so you’ll need to arrange to be picked up at your final destination before you head out
- Respect private property along rivers and access points
- Float times are estimated and may be slower in August and September.
- Do not jump from bridges! Water depth, debris and river hazards change from week to week
- The Kettle River crosses the Canada/US border at Midway. Plan to pull out in advance of the crossing
- You can borrow life jackets at the Grand Forks Recreation Department Office.
Christina Lake
- Christina Lake Provincial Park’s public beach is open from the beginning of May to mid-September, with parking available for up to 200 vehicles
- Gladstone Provincial Park at Christina Lake is open from May to mid-September
- Boats can be launched at the Christina Lake Marina, where boat and equipment rentals are available, and at Texas Point near the entrance to Gladstone Provincial Park
- WildWays Adventure Tours offer stand-up paddleboard (SUP) and kayak rentals.
Jewel Lake
- Jewel Lake Provincial Park restricts watercraft to 10 HP motors only
- A car top boat launch and parking for up to 10 vehicles is available
- 26 vehicle accessible campsites are available at Jewel Lake Provincial Park while Jewel Lake Resort offers 35 RV and tent campsites and a selection of cabin rentals
- Jewel Lake Resort also offers motor boat, canoe, paddle and rowboat rentals
Make a Splash in our Lakes & Rivers
Adventure is unlimited here in Boundary Country where stories abound of sun-soaked vacations and unhurried days spent playing in our lakes and rivers. There’s an abundance of recreational activities here.
Getting here is easy. There are some great road trips that take you around and through Boundary Country. For those heading to Boundary Country from Kelowna, go towards Big White, and take HWY 33 for a scenic drive to Rock Creek, and then connect to HWY 3.
Our Lakes
The lakes in Boundary Country were made for total relaxation. Tap into old summer memories or create new ones. Christina Lake and Jewel Lake are two of our most popular summer destinations.
Christina Lake — Canada’s Warmest Tree-Lined Lake
If you haven’t been here yet, it’s time to bring the family and discover Christina Lake. Bring your own boat or rent one at the Christina Lake Marina. Spend the day exploring near the shores via kayak or canoe.
In the summer water temperatures often climb beyond 23°C (73°F). What are you waiting for? Gather up your friends and family and be prepared for an amazing summer.
Families have made Christina Lake their summer home-away-from-home for decades. Come stay in one of the lakeside cabins, B&Bs or camping resorts. Even the hottest summer day is made cooler here. Teach your kids to swim, fish, kayak and canoe, or to land a perfect cannon ball right from the dock. Play along 45 km (28 mi) of tree- and beach-lined shores, or take a dip and enjoy the day.
Water-Fuelled Fun at Christina Lake
You can explore Christina Lake one paddle stroke at a time. SUP (stand-up paddle board), kayak or canoe its quiet northern shore. Feel the wind whip through your hair as you wake-board or ski across the lake. Cruise the lake by pontoon boat. Take your time and stop for swim breaks or a picnic on shore.
If fishing is what you’re after, chat up the locals at the Christina Lake Marina to find out the best spots to catch Rainbow trout and Kokanee, whitefish or burbot.
Jewel Lake
Discover the tranquility of Jewel Lake in Jewel Lake Provincial Park, where watercraft restrictions mean you’ll find nothing but peace and quiet, and kilometre-after-kilometre of pure get-away-from-it-all.
Paddle in Peace — Jewel Lake
Paddle your kayak or canoe past Jewel Lake’s pristine shores. Watch Great Blue Herons fish from the shore, awestruck by their wingspan when they finally take flight. Cast your fly on a quest to land Rainbow and Brook trout. Try to beat the record for fishing Gerrard trout — a whopping 23.6 kg (52 lbs) is the largest ever landed here. Wrap up in a warm blanket, fall asleep under the stars and wake to the call of the loon. Marvel that so much serenity can be found at a lake that’s no more than 3 km (1.8 mi) long.
It may be near Greenwood, but Jewel Lake is pure BC wilderness. Home to Jewel Lake Resort, it’s where families and groups of friends gather in summer, unwinding and reconnecting with each other, RV or tent camping, or staying in rustic cabins dotting the shores. Stay for the weekend, or, if you only have a day to play, pack up a picnic and your best summer read, lounging on the secluded beach at Jewel Lake Provincial Park at the north end of the lake.
Our Rivers
Escape big city stresses. Daydream your cares away as you enjoy the Kettle and Granby Rivers. Go for the gold — pan the Kettle River sifting its sand and rock bottom searching for traces of gold. Float from sand bank to sand bank, drifting at the speed of each river’s current.
The Kettle and Granby Rivers
Jump right in, the water’s fine! Splash about. Go for a swim or tip your friends into the drink. Watch eagles soar the thermals above the river. Experience good, clean and wet family fun.
The Kettle River cuts its watery swath through the heart of Boundary Country. Beginning in the Monashee Mountains, it winds south and east, across the international border at Midway then back into Canada again at Grand Forks, where the Granby River joins it. Drive, ride or hike past its shores on a warm summer day and you’re bound to see pockets of activity, where people have gathered to beat the heat in the river’s cool, running waters.
Christina Lake’s Provincial Parks
There’s more to explore than lakes and rivers. 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. Explore endless shorelines covered in old-growth cedar and hemlock at Gladstone (Texas Creek) Provincial Park. Discover that time spent at Christina Lake is as restorative as any day at the spa.
Enjoy our Waterfalls
You never know what you’ll find around the corner on your next hike. Once you’ve explored our lake & rivers, it’s time to be awed by our waterfalls. Hikes around Midway and Greenwood and south of Christina Lake include spectacular scenery and waterfalls.
Boundary Creek Falls
Take a hike around Boundary Creek Falls, halfway between Midway and Greenwood. About 31 m (100 ft) upstream from the falls is the remains of an old dam that once generated power for Greenwood. Go exploring around the small canyon and view the 12 m (40 ft) falls from the canyon rim.
Cascade Falls
Cascade Falls is another great area to explore. It is located just south of Christina Lake and slightly north of the Canada/USA border. This 31 m (100ft) cascading waterfall has quite a history behind it. Long ago it was a meeting place and trading ground for First Nations people and a great source for fishing. In the early 1800s a state-of-the-art hydro project was built here. This was one of the very first locations to pioneer 3-phase 60-cycle alternating current generators and was operational until 1919. It was a based on Nikola Tesla’s revolutionary model of alternating current. Some say this project was what finally settled a rivalry between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison on the AC/DC debate. Today you may still find some remnants of the old plant as you explore the beauty of this area.
Fisherman Creek Falls
Located not far from Grand Forks right off the Great Trail is Fisherman Falls. Travel several kms northwest either by foot or bike and just before the junction of the Fisherman Creek Forest Service Road there is a cool and shady path to the left. Follow your ears until you hear the falls. The Fisherman Creek Tunnel and old railway bunkhouse is not far past this point.
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