Loon Lake (Lillooet Land District, British Columbia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Loon Lake |
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 Loon Lake
Location in British Columbia
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| Coordinates | 51°06′12″N 121°15′20″W / 51.103384°N 121.255543°W |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Surface area | 6.936 km2 (2.678 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 64.9 m (213 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 817 m (2,680 ft) |
Loon Lake is a beautiful lake in British Columbia, Canada. It covers about 6.936 km2 (2.678 sq mi) and is located north of Cache Creek. In July 2017, some parts of the lake area were affected by wildfires.
Contents
Exploring Loon Lake's Geography
Loon Lake is found in the Bonaparte Plateau region. It's good to know there are actually eight other lakes named Loon Lake in British Columbia! This particular Loon Lake sits in a deep valley. This valley is surrounded by the Bonaparte Plateau to the north and west. To the south and east are the Arrowstone hills, which are part of the larger Thompson Plateau.
Nature Around the Lake
The northern side of Loon Lake is mostly covered with Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine trees. You can also find smaller amounts of poplar, alder, and common mountain juniper plants there. The southern side of the lake has more Engelmann spruce and Douglas fir trees.
Life Around the Lake
The western side of Loon Lake is quite developed. You'll find resorts, homes, and summer cabins there. On the eastern side, there are about 50 cabins. These can only be reached by water, and they don't have electricity or phone service. Sadly, some of these cabins were damaged by a forest fire in July 2017.
There's also a ranch at the northeast end of the lake. A First Nations reserve, called Bonaparte No. 4, is located to the southwest. About 200 people live around Loon Lake all year. However, during holidays, the population can grow to over 1000! Many families have owned summer homes here for a very long time, some for three or four generations.
Getting to Loon Lake
To reach Loon Lake, you can take Highway 97. It's about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Cache Creek. From the highway, you travel through the Bonaparte Valley and Loon Creek Valley. The lake is about 18 kilometers (11 miles) from the highway turnoff.
Lake Features
Loon Lake is known for being long, narrow, deep, and clear. The shallow area near the shore, called the shoal, extends about 5 meters (16.4 feet) into the lake. After that, the lake floor drops off quickly. This shallow area has plants like sedge and bulrushes. The immediate shoreline around the south side of the lake is covered with thick forests of evergreen trees. There are also smaller groups of trees that lose their leaves, and some rocky areas.
Fun Things to Do at Loon Lake
Loon Lake offers many services for visitors. There are eight resorts where you can find stores, rent boats, and get gas or propane. These resorts also have places for RVs and camping. Some even offer wireless internet! There's a public boat launch at the east end of the lake, making it easy to get your boat into the water.
Fishing at Loon Lake
Loon Lake is a great spot for fishing, especially for rainbow trout. You can catch trout weighing up to 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) here. The lake is full of freshwater shrimp, dragonfly nymphs, and different kinds of flies like chironomids and mayflies. This makes it a perfect place for fly-fishing. However, most people prefer to fish by trolling with flatfish lures or using spinning lures.
