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Premier Lake
Overview
Premier Lake Provincial Park, located near Skookumchuck, BC, is a gem of the East Kootenays known for its vibrant emerald-green waters. This park offers a tranquil retreat for RVers who prefer a more natural, immersive environment over high-density resorts. Surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Kootenay Rockies, the park provides a sense of deep seclusion while remaining accessible for those traveling through the Rocky Mountain Trench.
Location & Surroundings
Situated approximately 15 kilometers east of Skookumchuck, the park sits at the base of the Hughes Range. The landscape is characterized by dense forests of Douglas fir and western larch, creating a lush canopy for the scenic campsites. The area is a vital habitat for local wildlife, including elk, deer, and various bird species, making it a prime spot for nature lovers looking to experience the rugged beauty of British Columbia in a quiet, forested setting.
Amenities & Park Features
As a provincial park, the facilities here lean toward the rustic side, emphasizing the wilderness experience. While there are no electricity or water hookups at the individual sites, the park is RV-accessible and features a mix of back-in and pull-through spots. On-site amenities include:
- Hand-pumped drinking water and pit toilets.
- A concrete boat launch for easy access to the water.
- Designated picnic areas and a playground for families.
- Multiple well-marked hiking trails circling the lake.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
The primary draw of the park is the lake itself, which is renowned for its exceptional trout fishing. Anglers frequently visit to catch rainbow and brook trout in the clear, temperate waters. For those who prefer being on the water, the lake is perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and swimming at the sandy beach area. Hikers can explore trails leading to smaller, secluded lakes like Quartz and Yankee, which offer additional wildlife viewing opportunities and peaceful vistas away from the main camping area.
Who This Park Is Best For
Premier Lake is an ideal choice for the self-contained RVer who enjoys dry camping and values natural scenery over urban convenience. It is perfect for families who enjoy outdoor education, anglers seeking a quiet fishing hole, and paddlers looking for calm waters. While large rigs can be accommodated in certain sites, the park is most comfortable for small to mid-sized units looking for a classic wilderness camping experience under the stars.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Facility
- Hunting Nearby (within 20 miles)
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
Richard Kopanke
A bit of a rough drive to get in, but a beautiful park awaits you at the end of the dirt road! Great swimming in clear water (some years they have swimmers itch - but not in 2024). Some awesome 1 - 2 hour hikes to various smaller lakes - some with Kokanee fish in them!
ally best
Our setup: Frequent tenting family. Two adults, one dog. We enjoy hiking, swimming, lots of trees and reasonable neighbours. The good: The lake itself is lovely. Great temperature for swimming. The staff were incredibly kind and helpful. We had to turn back on the Turtle Lake hike because of a thunderstorm, but the scenery that we did see was beautiful. The trail is very quiet, but bear spray is recommended because it is an Alpine hike. The bad: As others have mentioned, the road is gravel and quite the hill down to the campground (this was not an issue as a tenter). 99% of the spots do not offer any privacy. Our spot was probably the only one in the campground that we would have wanted to stay at. Dogs are not allowed on one of the beach areas (and understandably so). The other area they are allowed is taken over by people leaving their boats / paddle boards, so there's not actually anywhere for people with dogs to enjoy the lake. The pit toilets were clean on arrival, but disgusting after 3 days. There is no screen on the windows, so lots of flies. Also the height of the windows means that you get a direct view to anyone going down the road or path or trails. The majority of people were not adhering to the rule that dogs must be kept on leash so there was excessive barking and lunging. This campground seems to be primarily used by trailers. Also people do better. I saw a whole watermelon, an apple, and tons of garbage in the creek.
Yura Bondarenco
Beautiful Lake. An okay campground. If you are camping in RV, make sure you fill your fresh water tank to you needs. Cause it's just the water well with a hand pump on-site. Gravel road which lead to the park is a disaster. Wasn't able to move more than 5 km an hour as it was so bumpy due to the bulldozer tracks, which dried out and created a very bumpy road.
Christie Strong
So beautiful! We went there for a day of fishing and I got to watch them stock the lake with 26,000 trout! They said they were putting in 50,000 this season. Beautiful place, clean, clear water, eagles swooping overhead, fish jumping, perfect place for a day away and out in nature!
Jeffrey Murphy
A perfectly pleasant provincial park! There's a mixture of sites, with some suited to RVs and others more suitable for tents. The campsites on the north side, closer to the lake, are rather tightly packed and the area more forested, while the ones on the south side are less tight, but with less forest cover. There's a quaint creek flowing between several of the northern sites, with a trail leading to the lake. The Park's lakefront has a boat launch and dock beside the beach; there's also a short shore trail leading to a trout hatchery. The summer water is still very cool, but thoroughly swimable. The campground is also equipped with an excellent playground for kids. Nearby, there's a closet for BYO solar water shower bags. Campsites were $25/night and firewood was $10/bundle. In August-September 2019 there was a bear in the area, and skunks are known to inhabit the area. Lots of chipmunks, squirrels, and chickadees. There's a couple nearby trails to small lakes, the main branch (Turtle, Canuck, and Yankee Lakes) can be done as a loop in 2 to 3 hours.
