Poland Lake Trail

A small meadowy lake north of the Manning Park ski hill.

Statistics

Directions

Follow Highway #3 (Hope-Princeton Highway) 67 km east of Hope to the intersection with a flashing amber light just past the Manning Park Lodge. Turn right onto the road and follow it for 8 km to the Strawberry Flats parking lot, located just before the Gibsons Pass ski area. On your way to the parking lot, ensure that you take the fork on the road leading right and not the one that goes to the Lightning Lake day use area. In the summer, the road will be gated at the Strawberry Flats parking lot.

The signed trailhead is located on the right, directly across from the Strawberry Flats and Skyline trails.

A parking pass is required for the area - either an annual BC Parks pass or a $3 daily pass paid using the machines at the parking lots. The machines accept only loonies and quarters - toonies and credit cards will not work, so come prepared.

Details

Follow the North Gibson trail, which is actually an old road, parallel to the main road at first, but after a short while it begins to climb and switchback, and eventually pops out underneath the orange chair. A Trail branches off from here and continues it's way up, but to the left of the main ski area, and eventually once again meeting up with a ski run. This trail is a hikers only trail and involves some switchbacks. An alternative bikers and horse trail follows the road up to the top of the orange chair. At the top of the hiker's switchback route, both routes meet up again and more signage here directs you to an old road that now crosses over the ridge and follows the eastern flank now. Good views of the Brothers Range from here in a few spots.

The road/trail continues loosely following the ridge, but eventually crosses back over the ridge to the west side and begins a gradual decent to the lake. There are good views of Lone Goat, with Hozameen behind it in this section.

Once at the lake, the trail now follows the lake around to your right to the far end, where the main camping area and lean-to shelter can be found in a meadowy area. The camping area has a pit toilet, fire ring and bear cache. The lake is good for swimming and fishing.

Good as both a summer and winter destination.

Photographs

GPS Waypoints

Strawberry Flats Trailhead	N49.06667 W120.88471	10U 654506 5437022
Underneath Orange Chairlift	N49.07336 W120.91411	10U 652338 5437706
Trail Leaves Maintenance Road	N49.07460 W120.91380	10U 652357 5437845
Trail Reconnects with Maintenance Road	N49.08052 W120.91633	10U 652154 5438498
End of Road / Poland Creek	N49.08602 W120.95393	10U 649392 5439034
Edge of Lake	N49.08689 W120.95403	10U 649382 5439131
Memaloose Trail Junction	N49.09076 W120.95507	10U 649295 5439559
Poland Lake Camp	N49.09000 W120.95706	10U 649152 5439471