Tumbler Ridge & Monkman / Full trip pack
Wapiti Lake–Onion Lake
- Published distance
- 19 km One way only
- Elevation gain
- Not established Cumulative ascent for this outing has not been established.
- Walking time
- 6–9 hours one way to Wapiti Lake
- Difficulty
- Unconfirmed
one way to Wapiti Lake
Remote backpacking trail along the Wapiti River and lakes. Motorized off-road vehicles are prohibited in the park.
1. Getting there and parking
Approach on Ojay Main Road south of Tumbler Ridge and use the 2500 Road to the old well-site trailhead. The walking route starts at the southwest corner of that clearing. BC Parks gives inconsistent turn distances on Ojay Main, referring to both kilometre 25 and kilometre 29, so confirm the signed 2500 Road junction and current access before departure. Off-road motorized vehicles are prohibited inside the park.
2. Walking the route
Follow the north side of the Wapiti River, passing smaller lakes and the short Wapiti Falls spur around trail kilometre 7. The main Wapiti Lake destination is approximately 18–19 km from the trailhead in the official description, with six to nine hours suggested for the outward backpack. Continuing to Onion Lake is a separate high-country stage: the route climbs very steeply above Wapiti Lake, reaches high views between route kilometres 24 and 25, then descends approximately 500 m to Onion Lake. BC Parks describes roughly 1,000 m of elevation change in the first 2 km of that climb and seven to ten hours for the Wapiti-to-Onion stage. Do not treat the entire 30 km corridor as a short lake walk or combine its different segments into one unqualified gain figure.
3. Route map
Mapped named trail
© OpenStreetMap contributors. Route geometry is available under the Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0. · Line source · Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 · Source-line database: https://hikingprincegeorge.com/data/osm-route-lines.geojson
Partial elevation profile
Partial elevation profile
This chart covers only part of the route. It does not establish the full hike or a return journey.
18.13 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 Database License (ODbL) 1.0
Copernicus DEM 2021 GLO-90 via Open-Meteo. Linework source: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/542182786. Sampled and rounded for display.
Source: https://open-meteo.com/en/licence
Licence: CC BY4.0 elevation data; Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 linework · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Profile source checked: 2026-10-18
Published locations
Numbered points match the map. Use the role beside each point. A summit or park reference point is not a parking location.
| Place and role | Coordinates | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wapiti Lake–Onion Lake shared trailhead | 54.649993 -120.700000 | RSTBC Wapiti Trail REC1076 explicitly publishes these trailhead coordinates in its driving-directions field. They differ from the management point stored in LATITUDE/LONGITUDE. BC Parks describes the lake route and falls spur as using the Wapiti Lake access trail. https://delivery.maps.gov.bc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/mpcm/bcgwpub/MapServer/280/301534204 |
5. Camping, facilities and seasons
Camping and tenting
An approach camp is described around trail km 8 before the park boundary. At Wapiti Lake, the first-come site has tent pads, a pit toilet, food cache and a public cabin for about four people. Bring a tent in case the cabin is occupied. The manager’s page gives conflicting cabin distances of 18.2 and 19.2 km; use the current route map rather than treating either as exact.
Toilets
A pit toilet is documented at the Wapiti Lake camp. No flush toilets are provided.
Season and access
This is a remote mountain route with fast-changing weather and little chance of nearby assistance. Skiing and snowshoeing are mentioned on the corridor, but no groomed winter route or winter vehicle access is established. Snow, high water and the steep alpine stage need separate assessment.
Dogs
Pets must be leashed. BC Parks advises against taking pets into this remote backcountry because of wildlife conflicts.
Practical details checked 2026-10-17.
Measurement notes
Source comparison: Wapiti Lake; 19 km; one way; another paragraph says 18 km scope. This is another description of the main outing, a duplicate endpoint, an unscoped source claim, or a related facility.
Your trip notes
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