CampHostJobsCooley Lake Recreation Site
Near Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
Who runs this site
No operator is listed in BC government records. The site may be maintained by a government contractor or by its users.
About Cooley Lake
The drive up to Cooley Lake is a good outing, even if you are not a fisherman. The Goose Creek swimming holes by the bridge (at km 1.5) are worth stopping at on a hot day. Near the 10 km sign on the "Goose Creek Road", the road traverses an open ridge giving panoramic views of the Bonnington Range, the Valhallas, Shoreacres, Crescent Valley and Krestova.
Cooley Lake is a very popular fishing lake that is stocked with rainbow trout. Access to the lake shore is on a short hiking trail through a dense sub-alpine forest. Fishing is done from logs jutting out from the shoreline. There are no tent sites at the lake. Campers stay at the trailhead, just off the road.
- Type
- Recreation site
- Campsites
- 1 campsite
- Upkeep
- Maintained by an operator or contractor
- Access
- Road: 4 Wheel Drive
- Nearest town
- Nelson, British Columbia
- District
- Kootenay-Boundary (Recreation Sites and Trails BC)
- Established
- 1986
- Location
- 49.49112, -117.64688
- Site ID
- REC2126
Activities
Facilities
Getting there
From the junction of Highway 3 and 22, at the overpass in Castlegar, travel east on Highway 3 and Highway 3A towards Nelson for 5.1 km. Turn right at the "Syringa Creek Turn Off" sign onto the "Robson Access Road". Follow this road for 2.8 km. Turn right onto the "Pass Creek" road. Follow this winding paved road for 11.5 km. Turn left onto the "Goose Creek Road". The pavement soon gives way to a good 2 wheel drive gravel road that climbs steadily. At 7 km stay right, crossing over Gander Creek. At 9 km stay right, crossing over another small bridge. At 9.3 km stay left, following the main road. At 13.3 km you will get glimpses of Cooley Lake on your right. The parking area for the trail to Cooley Lake is at 13.6 km.
Official page at Recreation Sites and Trails BC
Host jobs
Hosts at BC recreation sites are hired by the site operator. BC also recruits live-in fee-site operators by request for proposals on BC Bid.
Host jobs near Cooley Lake:
- Campground Host, Syringa Provincial Park RAP Park Contracting Ltd. (BC Parks operator), 23 km away
- Campground Host, Champion Lakes Provincial Park RAP Park Contracting Ltd. (BC Parks operator), 35 km away
- Campground Host, Kokanee Creek Provincial Park RAP Park Contracting Ltd. (BC Parks operator), 39 km away
Nearby recreation sites
- Sproule Creek Area 17 km
- Little Slocan 17 km, 6 campsites
- Saddle Cabin (Snowater) 21 km
- Giveout Creek (Morning Mountain) 21 km
- Bonnington Steed (Traverse) 21 km, 2 campsites
- Steed Hut 22 km
Information from Recreation Sites and Trails BC open data (BC Data Catalogue, Open Government Licence – British Columbia), retrieved 2026-10-09. Conditions change: check the official page before you travel. CampHostJobs is not affiliated with the Government of British Columbia.