Lakes & Rivers > Boating
splash & paddle your way through boundary
Top Boating Experiences
- Paddle your canoe along the Kettle & Granby Rivers. Enjoy an adventure that ranges from gentle rapids to cool forests to open ranges
- Rent a pontoon boat for the weekend. Cruise Christina Lake in style
- Try to beat the record for fishing Gerrard trout. A whopping 23.6 kg (52 lbs) is the largest ever landed at Jewel Lake
- Ride your sea-doo from beach to beach to beach at Christina Lake
- Teach your children how to fish at Jewel Lake
- Compete for the big one. Enter Christina Lake’s annual fishing derby in May
- Drill a hole in the ice on Williamson, Wilgress, Xenia or Jewel Lake. Angling is a four-season sport around here!
- On Christina Lake, paddle north of Texas Point. You can spot ancient pictographs from the water
- Begin a family tradition. Teach your children how to fish in the calm waters of Jewel Lake, perfect for fishing and boating
- Join in one of the largest fly fishing drifts in BC. Take part in the annual Kettle and River fishing drift, the second weekend of July
Good to know before you go
- Fresh-water fishing is regulated in BC. You do require a fishing license
- Catch and keep or catch and release regulations vary. Chat up the locals at local marinas or bait and tackle shops to learn which rules apply
- You can get fishing tackle and live bait at the Christina Lake Marina and the Jewel Lake Resort. Another supplier is the Kingfisher Fly & Tackle Shop at Grand Fork’s Victorian Motel & RV Park. You can also get them at shops in Rock Creek, Midway, Greenwood and Grand Forks
- Jewel Lake Resort also rents boats, canoes, and paddle boats
- Launch your watercraft from boat accessible beaches, the Christina Lake Marina, and from the public boat launch at Jewel Lake
- Jewel Lake restricts motorized watercraft to 10 HP only, maximum lake speed of 8 km/hr (5 mph)
- WildWays Adventure Tours offers kayak rentals.
- River levels are at their highest during spring run-off. Exercise caution when kayaking Granby River’s Staircase & S-Curves
Get Hooked…
Get hooked on boating and fishing in Boundary Country. Christina and Jewel Lakes and the Kettle and Granby Rivers are yours to explore. Also, there are scores of other lakes and streams that dot our landscape. Getting out on the water is easy. Coming back in… well, that’s a whole different story!
Whatever Floats Your Boat
Boating means different things in different places. Here in Boundary Country, it means sunny days on Christina or Jewel Lake. It also means paddling your kayak (or canoe) down the Kettle or Granby Rivers. Give in to the lure of the water and leave your busy world and worries behind.
Christina Lake
There are a lot of ways you can make a splash at Christina Lake. Gather the clan for a pontoon or speedboat ride. Glide across the lake in style on a SUP. While you’re here, point your canoe north of Texas Point. Then paddle to your heart’s content. You can also discover ancient pictographs along the way.
Christina Lake stretches 25 km (16 mi) from tip to tip. There’s plenty of room for everyone to cruise Christina’s secluded coves. Make a day of it and stop at broad sandy beaches to cool off every once in a while. Then, watch a sunset from the bow of your boat, content after a day playing like you were a kid again. Spend your day water-skiing, sea-dooing, wake-boarding — or just enjoying the water. Begin or end your day the way the locals do, with a stop at Lisa’s Bistro.
Jewel Lake
Jewel Lake, outside of Greenwood, is a tranquil alternative to Christina Lake. There are motorized watercraft restrictions here. As a result, you can peacefully paddle your kayak or canoe for hours undisturbed. Explore every nook and cranny by boat. Do some bird watching while you’re fishing. Listen to the quiet that’s occasionally punctuated by birdsong or the sound of laughter. You won’t find an Internet connection out here. Because of that, you might just reconnect with yourself. It’s a great place to connect to the natural world and your reclaimed sense of inner peace.
Kayaking & Canoeing
Explore the Kettle River the way voyageurs once travelled and paddle your kayak or canoe on our rivers and lakes. There are plenty of routes you can maneuver between Rock Creek and Christina Lake. One of the most scenic put in points is at Westbridge. Relax as the scenery around unfolds. Your journey beings in the coolness of a coniferous forest. Soon you will find yourself in a broad valley of farmlands, ranches and alfalfa fields.
Adrenaline junkies and expert kayakers come here for some serious rapids. Drop your kayak in the Granby River’s fast running rapids at the Staircase or S-Curves. Feel the spray on your face, and your heart start to race. Hang on as you approach the narrow rock gorges and logjams. There’s some serious paddling to be done here. On the other hand, if you’d like something less heart-pounding, put in on the Granby and Kettle Rivers’ lower reaches. The water there is as gentle as the breeze.