I drove up the Paul Creek Valley toward Paul Lake, then followed Paul Creek to Pinantan Lake, and continued into the hills following Paul Creek up the Hyas Lake Road to the source of the creek, Hyas Lake at 1234m (4050 feet). The gravel road climbs for 8 km through a maze of backroads with little helpful signage. If you take the right turns you will arrive at a small BC Rec Site on the south end of the lake. Right next door is the Hyas Lake Fishing Camp, though it was closed in a summer of Covid-19.

The Rec Site is quite small with only 4 designated camping spots and very little parking so paddlers should avoid weekends. A small hand launch site provides easy entry into the lake.

A paddle around the whole lake is 4.2 km. Much of the area near the shoreline is shallow, with clear water, but the center of the lake is deeper. I could see the fish (rainbow trout) swimming on the shoals.

On this early weekday morning there was no one else at the lake and just a two loons with their young on the north end of the lake. In the cutblocks on the way down to Pinantan, fireweed was in bloom.

More Information – Hyas Lake