A forested area accessed from the Lac le Jeune Road, most suited to snowshoeing in winter.

Driving Directions/Trailheads:

• Drive south on the Lac le Jeune Road.    Pass the Goose Lake Road and continue up the road to the top of the hill.  Turn into a parking area on the east side.
• There is no signage.
• The area is well-used in winter, but it is a user-maintained area so there is no snow clearing in the parking area (we bring a snow shovel with us).
• The Bush Lake “trails” start across the road at the gate.
• The Dogwood Marshes are on the east side of the road.

 

Trails:

• The Bush Lake North area was established as a cross country ski trail for the 1979 BC Winter Games, but when the Coquihalla Highway was started a few years later, the Stake Lake area was established instead and access to the west of Bush Lake was cut off.   Nevertheless, the area continued to be used by a few cross country skiers and now by snowshoers.
• None of the North Trails are signed, but I have put out some trail markers to create a loop route.
• More logging has hidden the established route, but the area is fairly open and users create tracks to establish a seasonal loop.
• The Bush Lake South area follows a double track south from Bush Lake over the hills.   Various side tracks can be combined for a loop or an out-and-back loop.
• User tracks also used the Bush Lake Drainage to connect the trailhead area.
• The first users on the Bush Lake Trails usually are experienced snowshoers who know routes so they set trails for those that follow.
• Fences block access to McConnell Lake from Bush Lake or from Dogwood Marshes.
• The Dogwood Marshes area gets snowshoed early and frequently with many tracks.
• There are no signs so most snowshoers just follow established tracks.
• There are some double tracks up the hill on the east side that are used as connecting routes.
• Dogwood Marshes is possibly the the best snowshoeing area near Kamloops.
• Bush Lakes can be hiked in summer too, but it can be difficult to navigate.