The Park is open year round unless inaccessible due to weather conditions, especially during the off-season.

 
Description Dates (2024)
Gate Access / Services May 9 - Sept 11
Reservable May 17 - Sept 2
 
Vehicle Access Sites 57
Reservable Sites 40
Non-reservable Sites 17
Reservable Picnic Shelters 1

The Charlie Lake area is very popular for bird enthusiasts and lake enthusiasts alike.  Parks users will enjoy hiking the park trail system that weaves among the 176 hectares of Trembling Aspen forest as well as the large play area and playground.

Charlie Lake Provincial Park is situated on the southwestern shore of 13 km long Charlie Lake. The park is located a short distance north of Fort St. John.

Campsites

Archaeologists, have recorded human activity in the caves surrounding Charlie Lake, dating back 11,000 years ago.

In 1983 a 10,500-year-old stone bead is found at Charlie Lake Cave (also known as Tse’K’wa – the Rock House) by archaeologists from Simon Fraser University. 

Two-hundred years ago, explorer Alexander Mackenzie came up the river and said: “This would be an excellent place for a fort.”

Fort. St. John originally established in 1794 as Rocky Mountain Fort, was a trading post for the Beaver and Sikanni First Nations and a supply depot to further expeditions into British Columbia.  Since then, Fort St. John has undergone five location changes, to adapt to the needs of growing community.

Plants

Aspen is the dominant forest cover mixed with stands of birch, alder, lodgepole pine and spruce, and an understudy consisting mainly of Saskatoon berry bushes, soopolallie, flat-top spirea, waxberry and squashberry.

Flowers, trees and shrubs are part of the park’s natural heritage, please don’t damage or remove them.

Birds

Birds of the open woodlands are abundant in summer with species like the Northern Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ovenbird, American Redstart and White-throated sparrow much in evidence. Waterfowl are frequent visitors to the lake and shoreline and a walk through the park will often rouse a Sharp-tailed or Ruffed grouse.

Animals

Wildlife is not prevalent in the park although large mammals such as moose, White-tailed deer, Mule deer and Black bear are fairly common throughout the area. Squirrels, chipmunks, beaver, Snowshoe hares and muskrat are more likely to be seen.

Park users should always be aware of bears and other wildlife in our park environment. Never feed or approach bears or other wildlife.

Playground

The creation of the world-famous Alaska Highway in 1942, included African American Soldiers, surveyors, First Nations, the United States Public Roads Administration, Canadian construction and American soldiers, who toiled eight months to construct the legendary highway. 

The Sikanni Chief River Bridge, at historic mile 162 was built by African Americans, who bet their pay cheques they could build the bridge in less than three days. They won the bet and completed the bridge, which has lasted for decades. 

Alcoholic beverages is not allowed in the picnic shelter and surrounding public areas.

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