Stave Lake is a man made reservoir lake created from the Stave Lake Dam and the Blind Slough Dam. Below Stave Lake is another man made lake named Hayward Lake which is created from the Ruskin Dam.
Each man made reservoir lake includes recreation areas with picnic day use sites, access to hiking trails, beaches and adventures. Some of the summer activities include hiking, boating, fishing, swimming, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, boating, camping, sightseeing, sunbathing and picnicking.
Hayward Lake
Hayward Lake Reservoir Lake includes two recreation sites. One site is located on the south end of the lake (Ruskin Recreation Site) and one is located at the north end of the reservoir (Hayward Lake Reservoir Recreation Area)
The Ruskin Recreation Site includes a picnic day use area, pit toilets, beach, fish spawning channel with viewing deck, interpretive signs, parking and access to fishing and a hiking trail.
The Hayward Lake Reservoir Recreation Area includes a day use picnic area, gazebo, washrooms with shower, change rooms, off leash dog area, 90 metre long sandy beach, parking area, grass lawns, fresh water tap, canoe car top launch and access to a hiking and mountain biking trail.
The Hayward Lake Reservoir Recreation Area is close to the Warden's Office, Interpretive Pond Trail, Hayward Lake Viewpoint and the historic Stave Falls Power House.
The two day use picnic areas are connected by the Railway and Reservoir Recreation Trails. The Railway Trail follows the western shores of Hayward Lake and measures about 6 kilometres. The southern trailhead entrance is near Ruskin Dam and the northern entrance is near the Warden's Office near the Stave Lake Dam.
The Reservoir Trail follows the eastern shores of the lake and measures 10 kilometres. The southern trailhead entrance is near the Ruskin Recreation Site and the northern entrance is near the Blind Slough Dam on Stave Lake.
The Railway and Reservoir Trails can be done individually or combined to create a loop hiking adventure. The Reservoir Trail is a hiking only trail while the Railway Trail permits hiking and mountain bikes... so you can only do the entire loop when hiking.
Stave Lake
The Stave Lake Reservoir includes a campground and a boat launch picnic areas. The campground recreation area is on the upper west side of the lake and the boat launch is on the lower west side of the lake near the Visitor Centre.
The Stave Lake Group Campground Area includes reservation only camping for non profit youth groups, a parking lot and a day use picnic area.
The Stave Lake Boat Launch includes a double wide concrete boat launch, floating docks, sandy beach, day use picnic area and pit toilets.
Nearby are the Warden's Office, Interpretive Pond Trail, Hayward Lake Viewpoint, Steelhead Falls Viewpoint, Blind Slough Dam, Visitor Centre and the historic Power House at Stave Falls.
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