Picnic. Swim. Boat. Or just stare at the peace of it in that way that has us breathe easier for life’s simple pleasures.

We ventured out on the pontoon boat. Only us on a pristine mountain lake on a sunny May day. We pulled ashore for a picnic supper – the murmur of voices interpreting the eagles drifting on the updrafts, cliffside trails, and the “fresh” spirit of the season’s first dip in the lake. Returning to Canal Flats, we watched the sun laze its way across the sky, living time by the second.

Access Columbia Lake at the north end of Canal Flats. Picnic or beach it at Tilley Memorial Park. Launch the boat at the only public boat launch on Columbia Lake. Buy your supplies at the Pantry grocery store in Canal Flats.

Large at 2 km x 14 km, Columbia Lake is also shallow – making it the largest warm water lake in the East Kootenay.

Public washrooms with wheelchair access available.