Reasonable road access to the Valhalla Range is possible only at the extreme south and north ends. But Slocan Lake has several trails that can access the watershed of the Valhallas. his gem of a lake provides the best kayaking in the WK. It is 39 km long and up to 2 km wide. Because it is very deep, up to 970 feet, it rarely freezes in the winter. Swimming is still good especially when there is little wind to disturb the thermocline. Its water must be the purest of any lake in BC and I routinely drink it anywhere except possibly around New Denver and Roseberry. Its clarity is superb, up to 70 feet down in the winter.
Set in a relatively steep walled valley, there are great views of the surrounding Selkirk Mountains in all directions especially from a kayak in the middle of the lake. The west side is roadless and the southern three-quarters of that is in Valhalla Provincial Park. Most people in kayaks or canoes stay on this side of the lake.
Slocan Lake has a relatively poor fishery and the record 26 pound lake trout was very much an exception. I have kayaked the west shore many times, usually over four days. I usually start at the north end, end in Slocan City and hitchhike back to my car. Once I went to Wee Sandy and just hung out for 5 days. I have also made several day trips to various beaches over the years. I have always launched on the north end and taken out at the south end at Slocan City (obviously one can start at either end). Both have good road access and parking.
Except for the locals camping for a weekend on one of the beaches, one usually sees few doing this trip (which I always find amazing). Most large creeks on the West side have big waterfalls near the shore and sandy beaches. There are ten established campsites with picnic tables and pit toilets on this side of the lake.
The put in a the north end of the lake is accessed by Bonanza Creek at he south end of the tiny village of Hills, a sparse collection of houses lining Highway 6. Turn south off the highway onto Bonanza Creek Road. Take the first turn to the left at one km. The land adjacent to the beach here is private with several homes on the site of an old resort. After launching, move your vehicle back away from the beach and park along the road.
Beware canoeing or kayaking on these long, narrow mountain lakes. The West Kootenay tends not to be a very windy place but storms occur and any wind is funnelled up and down the steep walled valleys. Many people have drowned over the years. Classically, during a crossing, a storm arises and the front presents as a black line progressing up the lake. The size of wind waves is determined by the amount of fetch – the amount of water over which the wind gets to travel. With Slocan Lake, it is almost 39 kms, lessened by the fact the lake bends in its middle. Kootenay Lake has a fetch of 120kms – it is a very dangerous lake. This line has a large wind wave that capsizes most small craft unless one is an adept boater.
Prevention is key. If it looks like a storm is brewing or one is forecast (and you have access to forecasts), get off the water in lots of time. There are not always easy ways to shore.
WEST SIDE (from north to south with mileages from the north):
5km Wragge Creek Recreation Site. This road accessible campground is only 5 km from the put in at the north end of the lake. The vehicle accessible sites occupy a small peninsula with a few tiny islands off the SE corner. The main beach faces south. There is almost always a caretaker present who collects a camping fee. There are 4 attractive walk in/boat accessible campsites in the trees at the south end. I almost always stay here my first night. This makes for a short paddle that day.
10 km Valhalla Provincial Park boundary.
10.5 km Wee Sandy Creek & Trail. This has a very nice beach and camping area. There is a trail 15 minutes to a lookout. An old wagon road heads south for 2 kilometres ending at Sharp Creek.
The main trail continues for 14.4 kilometres to Wee Sandy Lake and Mt Niord. The trail is not used much and has a steep headwall at the end. The Holt Cabin is at about 9 kms. Wee Sandy Lake is the most common terminus of most traverses of the Valhallas.
12.5 km Sharp Creek & Trail. Beach and trailhead for New Denver Glacier Trail. This trail eventually turns into a bushwhack. The glacier is very small.
16 km Hoben Creek. Hoben Creek is the next major creek north of Nemo Creek, between it and Sharp Creek. There is no trail.
Begin on the north side of the creek, through easy brush and forest (no trail). At the first cascade, climb to the ridge line and then over an open, moss- covered, rocky section. Return to the creek and cross on a very large cedar log (still there?) to the south side. There are two falls above. For the first, there is a cleft in the rock wall 60 meters left of the fall. At the second fall, do the same.
The vertical rise to Hoben Lakes (the middle, biggest lake) is 1440 meters. The western lake is much higher. Round trip about 8 hours.
19.5 km Nemo Creek & Trail. This is the premier stopping point on the entire lake because of its multiple beautiful waterfalls close to the lake, all easily accessible by a good trail. There are campsites on the beach and on top of the bench.
The trail continues for 5 km up to some large rocks called the Rock Castles and a cabin.
22 km Corey’s Ranch Beach. Another nice beach and campsite.
25 km Cove Creek. Beach, campsite and usable cabin. Also a short 3.5km trail.
27 km Indian Point Beach.
28 km Ben Brown Beach.
32 km Evans Creek & Beatrice / Cahill Lakes Trail. A large campsite is on the beach and in the trees. The trailhead for Cahill/Beatrice Lakes Trail is here and crosses the creek on a bridge above a large waterfall close to the lake. Little Cahill Lake is 4 km, Cahill Lake 6 km, and Beatrice 10 km from the lake on a good trail. The trail ends at Beatrice. It is a difficult, long bushwhack to access the watershed near upper Demers Lake.
35 kms Pebble Beach. Privately owned with several houses and the TeePee Camp. The Slocan Lake Trail climbs around this private property.
36km Good pictograph
39 km Slocan City.. This is the end of the lake and the start of the Slocan River that joins the Kootenay River. A large sawmill occupies the east side of the beach.
Take out more to the west at the boat ramp. Parking is free and ample.
It takes 15 minutes to walk out to Highway 6 to hitchhike back to Bonanza Creek and your car. The last time I did this, I caught the first car and got a ride right to my vehicle.
Slocan City has a grocery store, restaurants and a kayak rental company, Smiling Otter. This is also the trailhead for the Slocan Lake Trail that goes 9 kms to Evans Creek. Free of snow earlier than any other trail in the spring, it is an early season favourite with locals. The southern end of Valhalla PP is accessed from the Little Slocan Lakes Forest Service Road. There are world class hikes to Mulvey Basin (Bannock Burn Creek Road), Drinnon and Gwillam Lakes under the Devils Range (Hoder Creek Road) and McKean Lakes (outside the park up Koch Creek).
EAST SIDE of SLOCAN LAKE
There are few campsites or public beaches, the highway follows the entire side and most of the land is private.
8 km Roseberry. This is a small residential community with a good Mexican Restaurant. This is one of the few places on the lake (the other is near the hospital in New Denver) with detectable fecal organisms. It is built on the delta of Wilson Creek with a very superficial water table that requires expensive septic systems. Few homes deal with the special situation.
16 km New Denver. With 560 people, it is the largest town on Slocan Lake and has all services including a marina and campground with a good beach on the south end of town. New Denver was the largest Japanese internment camp during WW2 and its Nikkei Centre is a great museum commemorating that terrible time. Some residents from the camp still live in ND today. This area is very popular motorcycle touring country. The Galena Trail, a rail line now converted into a non motorized trail runs from Three Forks above New Denver and then along the east side of the lake ending in Nakusp. The famous Garlic Festival is held in September.
21 km Silverton. Another small community with a store, building supply, small restaurant and a good launching site at the south end of town. This would be the best launch site to get to Nemo Creek.
Bannock Point. Great summer beach hangout on the rocks. Accessed by a road and short trail from Hwy 6.