Transportation & Maps
The town of Burns Lake flanks Highway 16, which is the main road in Northern British Columbia that runs east to west. The nearest main towns are Houston to the west and Fraser Lake to the east.
Drive about an hour to get to either one of them. The small community of Topley is on the way to Houston. Northern BC's biggest city, Prince George, is the closest urban centre. It's about a two-hour drive (226km/140mi) east.
Pick up a map and information about the area at the Burns Lake Visitor Centre.
Car Travel
It's easy to see the town's attractions by foot, but a private vehicle is best for adventuring throughout the area. Four-by-four or snow tires are necessary for the winter, but not for the summer.
To get between the south and northside of Burns Lake, travellers can drive around either side of the lake. The length of the journey depends on the destination. But the quickest way to travel from one side of the lake to the other is on the Francois Lake Ferry, the MV Omineca Princess. The ferry loads a number of vehicles and it's free.
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Public Transportation
The Greyhound bus passes through Burns Lake, and goes east and west at least daily. VIA Rail, which runs almost parallel to Highway 16, also stops here, though the schedule is less frequent than the bus.
Air Travel
Visitors flying to Burns Lake on commercial flights must land in Smithers or the Prince George Airport, then find their way here. Both airports have flights to and from Vancouver and other smaller communities throughout the province.
Travellers with their own aircraft can land at the Burns Lake local John Baker airport. It has 1,524m/5,000ft of paved runway. Several private operators also run charter services (plane and helicopter) in the area. Some of the resorts in the area also have their own floatplanes.
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Transportation & Maps
Burns Lake