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Tenquille Lake Cabin belongs to the BC Provincial Government and is maintained and managed by volunteers from the Pemberton Wildlife Association. Constructed originally in the 1940s, Tenquille Lake Cabin was rebuilt by PWA members in the summer of 2011.
Donations to help maintain the Tenquille Owl Lakes Recreation Area are gratefully accepted.
Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES) mapping for the Tenquille Lake area is now posted on the Avalanche Canada website.
Please stay on established trails only and leave the motorbike / ATV / mountain bike at home.
Traveling on these wilderness trails is wholly at the user’s risk. There is no cell phone coverage. Mountain weather is unpredictable and you may encounter black & grizzly bears, cougars, wolves and other wild creatures. Be prepared with proper clothing, food/water, footwear, map/GPS (and extra batteries), whistle and bear spray. Don’t hike alone and tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. In winter and spring there can be high avalanche dangers on some trails. Prepare to encounter snow on the trails from late October to early July (at higher elevations).
Garbage: Please PACK OUT what you pack in, all food remains & wrappers – so that wildlife does not become a nuisance or a threat.
The Tenquille cabin was funded and built with a huge community effort.
Please RESPECT this cabin and the work that built it for you to use and enjoy.
| Facilities | Description |
|---|---|
| Heating | Wood stove. Use of stove to be minimized as firewood is in short supply. Not to be used for cooking. |
| Lighting | Solar LED, use sparingly and consider bringing propane lamp to preserve solar power. |
| Kitchen | Propane camp stoves – bring your own ‘Green Propane' canisters. Kitchen has all cutlery, plates, pots and pans. |
| Sleeping | Upper loft floor, sleeping pads supplied. |
| Capacity | up to 12 people. |
| Outhouses | Urine diverting toilets. Bring your own hand sanitizers and toilet paper. |
Please help the PWA make the experience of staying at the Tenquille Lake Cabin as comfortable and safe as possible. Learn about Cabin Rules by clicking the headlines below. When you click on a headline, more information appears in each section.
Welcome! The Provincial permit to build this cabin stipulates the following “rights of use and occupation”:
Guidelines from the Volunteers who built this cabin:
The Tenquille Lake to Owl Lakes Recreation Area is 730 hectares of wilderness threaded by four main trails (totalling over 50 Km with many Km of secondary side trip trails). The primary routes are:
There are also 2 Wilderness Recreation sites:
The PWA provides much of the maintenance and management of the Tenquille Lake Cabin, trails, and camps within the TOLRA through an agreement with the Provincial Government. our mandate is to protect the flora and fauna of the Tenquille Lake area. Minimizing the impacts of human recreation is a key factor in achieving this goal – as outlined in the Visitor Use Management Strategy.
Club volunteers work each spring to open trails – clear brush fallen/overhanging logs and conduct repairs. Maintenance continues till early winter. Funding for materials, equipment, repairs and supplies is provided through donations, fees collected as well as support from Recreation Sites & Trails BC.
Construction of the NEW Tenquille Lake Cabin (summer 2011) replaced the original, built in the 1940s and was truly a collaboration of many community members. The PWA helped steer the administrative process in addition to managing the donations and funding. The PWA continues to help manage this cabin and provide upkeep and repairs.
Háwint (Tenquille Lake) is located within the unceded territory of the Líl̓ wat Nation and has always been sacred to Lil’wat Nation. The greater Tenquille Lake area, including the Birkenhead River watershed, is also within the unceded territory of N’Quatqua. Tenquille Lake, the surrounding mountains, and the Lillooet and Birkenhead River Valleys carry significant cultural value as this is an important spiritual, cultural and food gathering area for Líl̓ wat Nation and N’Quatqua people.
Donations to help maintain the Tenquille Owl Lakes Recreation Area are gratefully accepted.
Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES) mapping for the Tenquille Lake area is now posted on the Avalanche Canada website.
Please stay on established trails only and leave the motorbike / ATV / mountain bike at home.
Traveling on these wilderness trails is wholly at the user’s risk. There is no cell phone coverage. Mountain weather is unpredictable and you may encounter black & grizzly bears, cougars, wolves and other wild creatures. Be prepared with proper clothing, food/water, footwear, map/GPS (and extra batteries), whistle and bear spray. Don’t hike alone and tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. In winter and spring there can be high avalanche dangers on some trails. Prepare to encounter snow on the trails from late October to early July (at higher elevations).
These are also multi-use trails so be courteous to all hikers, fishermen and hunters [in the fall].
Garbage: Please PACK OUT what you pack in, all food remains & wrappers – so that wildlife does not become a nuisance or a threat.
Difficulty: Short and easy, slight elevation gain.
Distance (one way): 2.5Km to first of 3 small lakes, options are to continue on via ‘Chain link Trail’ to end (located 7.4 Km past gravel pit on Westside Rd in valley bottom near Birkenhead River). OR continue up the trail to the left to Fowl Lakes (approx. 1.5hrs further).
Brief description: Easy hike through timber to the first lake, where there is a small wilderness campsite. Approximately 3 Km further on a flat trail to the third Lake. From here, the trail continues to remains of old trappers’ cabin before descending through timber to Birkenhead River valley. Best to leave a car at both ends if planning to do the complete trip.
Facilities: none
Trailhead access: Take Hwy 99 North from Pemberton, pass by right-hand turn off towards the town of Lillooet (church on corner), and continue straight on Old Portage Rd. through the village of Mt Currie. Go over train tracks, turn left onto Owl FSR approximately 4Km further. Owl FSR is steep and not recommended for 2-wheel drives. Watch for logging trucks. Travel 9.3 Km up the main road to the junction of spur road, take the right fork to Chain and Fowl Lakes trailhead.
Difficulty: High. A good map & GPS and navigation skills are essential to finding your way through the mountain passes. Everyone embarking on the traverse should be physically fit and have the appropriate gear. A minimum of 4 to 5 days is recommended for this trip. Suggest leaving a car at both ends or arranging pickup.
Distance (one way): 25Km + distance from Tenquille Lake out to various trailheads.
Brief description: The first section of the trail is a very easy grade to Chain Lakes. From Chain Lakes, a well-marked trail climbs at a moderate pitch into the pass. Here in semi-alpine, the trail weaves around small ponds and boggy sections then travel slightly downhill to Fowl Lake. Hikers should be aware that in bad weather or snow, the trail could be difficult to follow. The trail continues to Upper Fowl Lake – beyond here the trail becomes a route – marked only by rock cairns in some sections. NOT a place to get caught in bad weather! We encourage using existing campsites at Fowl, Upper Fowl, Ogre and Tenquille Lakes to minimize human impact on this wilderness area.
Facilities: wilderness campsites, cabin and outhouses at Tenquille Lake.
Trailhead access: Use the same directions as Chain Lakes or if starting from Tenquille Lake use Branch 12 or Lillooet River trailhead directions.
WARNING!
Do not travel in high winds. Trees damaged from 2009 forest fires are vulnerable to falling in wind storms. High avalanche danger in winter and spring approaching Wolverine Creek and through Tenquille Pass.
Difficulty: Moderate. Long and steep, and should be attempted only by those in good physical condition.
Distance (one way): 9.5 KM
Brief description: Easiest to reach with any vehicle. Although more difficult than the more popular ‘Branch 12’ route to Tenquille Lake, this trail winds through open forest and offers excellent views of the rich Lillooet River valley below. En route, you’ll cross several small ephemeral streams and pass through small meadows. After crossing Wolverine Creek, the trail meets up with the alternate Branch 12 route, soon climbs through Tenquille Pass then descends to Tenquille Lake.
Facilities: Cabin at Tenquille Lake, wilderness campsites, outhouses.
Trailhead access: This trailhead can be accessed with 2WD and is located approximately 25 KM from the village of Pemberton. Travel North on Pemberton Meadows Rd, take a right turn on the Hurley FSR @ 23Km and continue for approximately 2 km to the bridge crossing Lillooet River. Cross the bridge and park immediately on the other side. Trailhead is approximately 50 meters up spur road to the right.
WARNING!
High avalanche danger in winter and spring through Tenquille Pass. From spring to mid-summer, exercise caution when crossing snow bridges across creek gullies.
Difficulty: Moderate. Generally easy grade with some steeper sections.
Distance (one way): 6 Km
Brief description: The trail leads northwest, swinging around the south side of Goat Peak, ascending the upper Wolverine Creek drainage where it meets the trail from the Lillooet River bridge(above). The grade of this trail is generally quite gentle, and the route offers views of the Pemberton Valley, Copper Dome and other mountain peaks. After hiking for approximately 5 km, you’ll reach the meadows at Tenquille Pass before descending to Tenquille Lake.
Facilities: Cabin at Tenquille Lake, wilderness campsites, outhouses.
Trailhead access: Drive past Lillooet River access(above) on Hurley FSR – zero your odometer at bridge, at approximately 7KM take RH (up) turnoff to towns of Bralorne/Goldbridge. Approximately 20 Km past Lillooet River bridge, look for the Hurley River/Tenquille Branch sign (‘Branch 12’) – turn right here. Mainly 4×4 access beyond turnoff, distance to the trailhead is approx. 5 KM. Some 2WD vehicles with good clearance can drive part way down Branch 12 and park in the designated parking area approximately 2 Km from turnoff, 4X4 vehicles are only recommended beyond this point.
Tenquille Lake Cabin belongs to the BC Provincial Government and is maintained and managed by volunteers from the Pemberton Wildlife Association. Constructed originally in the 1940s, Tenquille Lake Cabin was rebuilt by PWA members in the summer of 2011.
This formal management plan has been created to manage ever-increasing recreation traffic and commercial pressure, and protect sensitive alpine habitats and wildlife while providing a quality Wilderness experience for the visitor.
This VUMS is the result of many years of advocacy, collaboration and cooperation between Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Lilwat Nation, N’Quatqua and community organizations such as the PWA. It is a framework that provides oversight, sound management and sustainable support resources for TOLRA.
Háwint (Tenquille Lake) is located within the unceded territory of the Líl̓ wat Nation and has always been sacred to Lil’wat Nation. The greater Tenquille Lake area, including the Birkenhead River watershed, is also within the unceded territory of N’Quatqua. Tenquille Lake, the surrounding mountains, and the Lillooet and Birkenhead River Valleys carry significant cultural value as this is an important spiritual, cultural and food gathering area for Líl̓ wat Nation and N’Quatqua people.
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