Nimpo Lake
Glacial Lake in Niut Mountains, Deborah Kennegiesser photo
Nimpo Lake (population: 120 in winter; doubles in summer) is a friendly little community in the beautiful alpine ranching country of the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region.
Located on the Interior Plateau, surrounded by the Coastal Mountains and rolling grasslands, Nimpo Lake is a natural staging ground for a wealth of outdoor activities. These include hiking, bird watching, fishing, canoeing, and flightseeing.
Tweedsmuir Provincial Park to the west, Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park to the north, and Tsyl'os Provincial Park to the southeast add even more wilderness recreation options to this list.
The closest communities to Nimpo Lake are Anahim Lake, a 20-minute drive west, Williams Lake (300km/186mi) east, and Bella Coola (152km/94mi) to the west.
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Outdoor Activities
For day-hikers, there are numerous hiking trails in the Nimpo Lake area that combine a good workout with interesting wildlife and bird species. More advanced hikers can head out on multi-day, alpine and heli-hiking treks. Certain operators offer multi-day hikes assisted by packhorses. In winter, this hiking terrain is transformed into a cross-country skiing and snowmobiling playground.
With endless waterways and prize catches, fishing is a major draw. However, so is canoeing. The Turner Lake chain, the Nazko Lake chain, as well as hundreds of individual lakes, provide unlimited paddling opportunities. Floatplane services offer flightseeing tours and can drop clients off at remote fishing locales.
Culture and History
The South Carrier and Chilcotin First Nations made their homes in Nimpo Lake and throughout the Interior Plateau for centuries before Alexander Mackenzie explored this area. The travelling routes, known as "Grease Trails," used by these nomadic peoples are still evident today, stretching from the Quesnel River, south to 100 Mile House, and west to Bella Coola.
Early American settlers to Nimpo Lake worked the land for ranching. Today, hikers frequent the Blackwater Trail used by local ranchers Richmond Hobson and Panhandle Phillips in the 1930s.
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