Skip to guide
northward.NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Hikes · Mackenzie & Parsnip · Mackenzie / Parsnip West

Canty Lake

A steep forest climb reaches a small recreation site beside a lake between mountain ridges. Peace Peak is an additional ascent beyond the lake, with a different distance and commitment.

Sources reviewed . This is a research date, not a trail inspection.

Weather & trip plannerPrint guide & mapsSave offline guideDownload source line (GPX)
Distance
5.8 kmRound trip
Elevation gain
Not establishedThe source lists 590 m with the outward route. Any climbing on the return is not established; this is not a verified complete-return total.
Walking time
2 hours(source does not clarify one way/return)
Difficulty
Moderateout-and-back

one way to lake The round-trip distance is calculated from the published one-way length.

Map & elevation

Opening the map…

Partial elevation profile

Mapped portion · walking direction unconfirmed · 4.86 km

This chart covers only part of the route. It does not establish the full hike or a return journey.

Elevation along one mapped source section; direction is not an established walking itinerary650 m1000 m1350 m0 km1.2 km2.4 km3.6 km4.9 km
Explore the elevation with the chart or slider.
Coverage and elevation sources

4.86 km along source section 1 of 1, in its mapped direction. Approximate 90 m terrain model along this mapped section. Separate sections are not joined. This chart does not measure total trail ascent or establish current access; use the guide’s published outing measurements.

Copernicus GLO-90 terrain elevations via Open-Meteo (CC BY4.0); linework: Open Government Licence – British Columbia · checked 2026-10-18 · CC BY4.0 elevation data; Open Government Licence – British Columbia linework. Copernicus DEM 2021 GLO-90 via Open-Meteo. Linework source: https://delivery.maps.gov.bc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/whse/bcgw_pub_whse_forest_tenure/MapServer/9. Sampled and rounded for display.

Government reference trail. The government line extends beyond the short lake approach. It is not a clipped lake-only outing or a verified Peace Peak track. Line source (opens original source).

Getting there & parking

From Prince George follow Highway 97 north for approximately 154 km to Highway 39, then continue through Mackenzie. About 9 km beyond town, go through the four-way junction onto Parsnip West FSR. Roughly 38 km beyond that junction, stay right where the main road bends sharply rather than continuing straight. After another approximately 49 km, take the right-hand access and continue 1.8 km to the parking area. These are long resource-road legs; verify the current road and final access before departure and carry enough fuel for the return.

Map position: 55.95485, -123.75620 · recreation project location. Source-published recreation project point; not verified parking or trailhead.

On the trail

Locate the signed or marked trail and climb through the steep, switchbacking sections toward Canty Lake. The published approach is approximately 2.9 km to the lake, so a return visit is longer than the headline one-way distance. The lake’s recreation site is the natural turnaround for this outing. Continuing toward Peace Peak adds about 2.5 km of outward travel and a further climb; that summit is a separate objective, not included in the lake approach. Note the descent line before exploring the lakeshore and retrace the same route to the vehicle. The public source does not provide current campsite facilities or a recent trail-condition inspection.

The way back

The lake lies approximately 2.9 km from the start, making about 5.8 km if you retrace the same route. Peace Peak adds roughly 2.5 km outward beyond the lake and is a separate summit extension.

Terrain: rough route.

Distance and elevation source notes

2.9 km

590 m

Conditions & seasons

Season-specific access has not been established in this guide. Read the dated notices and original land-manager information before choosing a departure date.

These are dated research notes. Open the trip planner for current available weather and advisory feeds; no alert found does not establish that a trail or road is open.

Check weather & available updates →

Camping & overnight plans

Small recreation site at Canty Lake is documented; site facilities and current restrictions are not stated.

Photos of Canty Lake

A photograph with confirmed reuse permission has not yet been added to this guide.

Original photo galleries

These galleries stay on their photographers’ original websites.

Take this guide with you

Choose a trip pack or an available individual sheet for your map case.

Full trip packDirections, planning notes & available mapsTopographic mapSource lines and published locationsPartial elevation sheetMapped portion only; not a complete outingSave offline guideDownload a copy to your device
Sources, dates & research notes

Descriptions are written for this guide from the linked evidence. Source review dates, published reports and field observations can differ. Photographs and route lines retain their own attribution and reuse terms.

  1. https://caledoniaramblers.ca/trails/canty-lake (opens original source)
  2. https://caledoniaramblers.ca/trails?page=0 (opens original source)
  3. https://delivery.maps.gov.bc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/mpcm/bcgwpub/MapServer/404 (opens original source)
  4. https://open-meteo.com/en/docs/elevation-api (opens original source)
  5. https://delivery.maps.gov.bc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/whse/bcgw_pub_whse_forest_tenure/MapServer/9/query?f=geojson&where=RMF_SKEY%3D16767 (opens original source)
Details still being researched
  • No site-specific dog rule verified in reviewed sources.

Nearby and related guides