Cultus Lake Provincial Park is a picturesque camping park in the Fraser Valley just an hour’s drive from Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Set on the edge of a warm freshwater lake and surrounded by Douglas fir and broadleaf maple-clad mountains, this park is a popular hangout for swimming, boating, hiking and biking – especially during the summer months.
With temperatures peaking at 77⁰ F (25⁰ C) in the height of summer, it’s the ideal location to enjoy some waterside recreation. Wharfs and sandy beaches can be found at the Entrance Bay and Maple Bay day-use areas with designated swimming areas, grassy lawns and plenty of opportunity for picnicking, sunbathing, fishing, and windsurfing. With a boat launch area on-site, you can bring your own watercraft to enjoy tubing and water skiing, or you can canoe and kayak along Kettle's lake.
There are four main campgrounds at Cultus Lake Provincial Park as well as four group campsites, all of which are RV-friendly. The campsites are basic and offer no hookups, but a dump station and drinking water taps are available for campers.
Please note that the campground gates are closed during the off season, but the park itself remains open for hiking, fishing and wildlife watching. Along the scenic trails you can spot shy blacktail deer, coyotes, beavers and 100 species of birds, while the lake is filled with rainbow, dolly varden, steelhead, cutthroat trout, and five varieties of salmon for anglers. Pensioners can take advantage of the seniors discount in the off season!
Cultus Lake Provincial Park can be found seven miles (11 km) southwest of Chilliwack in British Columbia, Canada. The park entrance is located along the Columbia Valley Highway, which can be reached from Highway 1 via the Yarrow or Sardis exits.
Inside the park, the roads are narrow and the campsites are short which may be difficult for big rigs to access. Keep an eye out for low-hanging branches.
Once you’ve set up your RV camp, you can get around by hiking or biking along the park trails or launching your boat to explore from the water.
Parking is available at each of the campgrounds if you’re staying overnight as well as at the Watt Creek Parking lot, Maple Creek picnic area, Entrance Bay picnic area, and the registration and gate house.
There are four group campsites available at Cultus Lake Provincial Park. Two can be found at Honeymoon Bay, accommodating 15 to 45 people, and two at Westside which can accommodate up to 30 people each. The latter area also has an area for RVs and tent campers to enjoy the lake.
A dump station is available nearby with a nominal charge to use it (closed during the off season). Toilets and hot showers with good pressure are available in accessible washrooms, while the day-use area has cold showers only.
Group campsites are open from March to October and can be booked in advance. The campsites are pet-friendly but pets need to be kept on a leash at all times.
Entrance Bay Campground is the second of the two main campgrounds at Cultus Lake Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. The turns in this campground are tight so it is not recommended for those in large rigs.
Entrance Bay has no hookups at any of the sites, but each campsite has a picnic table and fire pit and one of the campsites is accessible. Water taps are available throughout the loop but they do not have threads so you will have to use a water thief to fill your tanks.
The campground is located across the road from the day-use area where a boat lunch, picnic area, a children’s playground, a toilet, changing room, and a designated swimming area can be found. A dump station is available at the park entrance with a nominal charge to use it (closed during the off season). Toilets and hot showers with good pressure are available in accessible washrooms. The campsites are pet-friendly but pets need to be kept on a leash at all times.
Delta Grove Campground is one of the two main campgrounds at Cultus Lake Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. Delta Grove is the only campground in the park with water views of the lake, but the sites are not located directly on the water. As the park roads within the campground are narrow and there are many short campsites, Delta Grove is not ideal for big rigs.
There are no hookups at any of the sites, but each campsite has a picnic table and fire pit and water taps are available throughout the loop. The taps do not have threads so you will have to use a water thief to slip onto the tap if you want to fill your tanks.
A dump station is available at the park entrance with a nominal charge to use it (closed during the off season). Toilets and hot showers are available in accessible washrooms. The campsites are pet-friendly but pets need to be kept on a leash at all times.
Bring your own bike along and enjoy some fantastic cycling and mountain biking adventures in the off season. Cycling can be enjoyed on various trails around Cultus Lake Provincial Park. Bicycles are permitted on the horse riding trails and some of the hiking trails, but many are reserved for foot traffic only so enquire at the park office beforehand. Please note that wearing a bicycle helmet is mandatory in British Columbia.
A maintained horse riding trail is available all year round in Cultus Lake Provincial Park, however the parking lot will be closed in the off season. The Cultus Lake Horse Trail is a 12-mile (20 km) round trip from Edmeston Road to Watt Creek; this gravel and shale trail takes about five hours. Horses are not permitted on Road 918. Horse riders are advised to stay well clear of the landslide area during or after it rains.
The hiking trails at Cultus Lake Provincial Park can be enjoyed all year round. If you’re looking for a leisurely walk, take the self-guided half-hour Maple Bay interpretive trail that starts near the day-use parking lot, or the Giant Douglas-fir trail starting near Delta Grove that takes about 40 minutes. We’d recommend the Teapot Hill trail near the Honeymoon Bay group campsite if you’re looking for a challenge. This trail takes approximately two hours for the return trip. The Seven Sisters trail between Entrance Bay and Clear Creek has some wonderful nature views. It takes approximately one hour each way. Watch out for poison ivy!
Maple Bay Campground is only available as an overflow camping area when Entrance Bay and Delta Grove Campgrounds are full.
There are no hookups at any of the sites, but each campsite has a picnic table and fire pit. Water taps are available throughout the loop but they do not have threads so you will have to use a water thief to fill your tanks.
The Maple Bay day-use area features a picnic area, toilet, changing room, and a boat launch area (closed during the off season),
A dump station is available nearby with a nominal charge to use it (closed during the off season). Toilets and hot showers with good pressure are available in accessible washrooms, while the day-use area has cold showers only. The campsites are pet-friendly but pets need to be kept on a leash at all times.
Clear Creek Campground is only available as an overflow camping area when Entrance Bay and Delta Grove Campgrounds are full.
There are no hookups at any of the sites, but each campsite has a picnic table and fire pit. Water taps are available throughout the loop but they do not have threads so you will have to use a water thief to fill your tanks.
A dump station is available at the park entrance with a nominal charge to use it (closed during the off season). Toilets and hot showers with good pressure are available in accessible washrooms. The campsites are pet-friendly but pets need to be kept on a leash at all times.
Cultus Lake Provincial Park is a great spot for swimming in the summer months. There are two beaches with designated swimming areas roped off at the Entrance Bay and Maple Bay day-use area where you can swim safely. Be careful though as there are steep drop-offs along the lake shore and there are no lifeguards on duty. Pack a picnic to enjoy on the beach and make a day of it!
Campers can enjoy great sport fishing opportunities at Cultus Lake Provincial Park. Fish in Cultus Lake include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, dolly varden, steelhead, and five types of salmon. Please note that British Columbia fishing regulations apply and you will require a fishing license to fish here. During the summer months kids under 16 years old can take part in the ‘Learn to Fish Program’ held by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of British Columbia.
As the park is set on Cultus Lake, much of the activity here is water-based. Use the double paved boat launch ramps at Maple Bay (seasonal) and Jade Bay (all year round) to launch your own power boat for water skiing and tubing, or bring a canoe, stand-up paddle board or kayak to explore the shoreline. Parking is available for boat trailers during the day, but there is no moorage area so boats cannot be left in the water or beached overnight. Open-air exhaust motors are not permitted. Please be aware that there is a speed limit of three miles (5 km) an hour at the northern end of the lake.
