Frisken Lake and Bulman Lake
Roche Lake Provincial Park has a number of lakes, mostly used by fishermen and a number of older double tracks and some single tracks through the bush to connect them. We have good access to Roche Lake, Horseshoe Lake, and Bleeker Lake, but most of the other lakes require 4WD to get to them (or a brave drive with high clearance). The road into Frisken Lake from the north or from the south has some rough road with big potholes and rocky sections. In a end-of-summer hike, I drove in from the south, parked on the powerline, then hiked in to Frisken Lake and Bulman Lake and then back out by the same route.
From the powerline junction to the edge of Frisken Lake is only 300m, but it is a rougher road to the shoreline.
The “road” then goes around the lake becoming more of a track by the east side. Frisken Lake is an attractive spot, worth the hike in.
The road winds around the north end end of Frisken Lake which is marshy, then climbs over a hill and through the forest next to the John Frank Lake marshes. After another 1 km the trail arrives at a junction above Bulman Lake. The right fork goes down to a primitive camp on the west side of Bulman and the left fork continues around the lake. From the northeast corner another old track heads up toward Ernest Lake so a loop route is possible, but windfall may be an issue.
Bulman Lake sits in a bowl-shaped area below forested hills, a quiet spot for camping and fishing. The road in is 4WD and only suitable for a shorter wheel base. I would only try this with a chainsaw ready to clear the track, a winch to help with holes and muddy areas, and strong confidence in a good spare tire.
While exploring side routes and exploring the bank above Frisken Lake, I was lucky enough to spot a stone tool, shaped as a scraper by ancestral First Nations peoples.
These trails/routes into Frisken and Bulman can be linked to the Black, Bog, Ernest, John Frank Lakes route to the north for a much longer hike.
When hiking these trails, the lakes are the highlights, but along the way we try to watch for the flora, fungi, and fauna too. A few images are shared here.
