BC Recreation Sites · British Columbia
O'Connell Lake
BC Recreation Sites · British Columbia, Canada
- Elevation
- 190 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Nearest town
- Port Alice
- Activities
- Angling, Boating, Canoeing, Swimming & bathing, Camping
About
Now managed in Partnership with the 4 Wheel Drive Association of BC, O'Connell Lake Rec Site is a small site on beautiful O'Connell Lake, within the Northern area of Vancouver Island.
An old trestle divides the lake on an isthmus of land. There are two options for boat launch at the site with a canoe launch on one side and a car top boat launch on the other.
O'Connell Lake is a remote access recreation site with rustic amenities and near the community of Port Alice. Users should be prepared for unmaintained industrial roads, logging traffic, and be equipped for self-rescue in the event of an emergency.
O'Connell Lake Rec Site is truly unique in the North Island, with local logging history, great fishing, and a challenging 4x4 road, it offers many forms of recreation for keen outdoor enthusiasts.
Road access. User-maintained site with no regular servicing. First come, first served.
Getting there: Same as Mahatta
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47° | 39° | 21° | 60° | 2 of 11 |
| February | 44° | 35° | 25° | 58° | 8 of 11 |
| March | 46° | 36° | 27° | 69° | 7 of 11 |
| April | 51° | 38° | 32° | 69° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 59° | 46° | 37° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 60° | 49° | 41° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 67° | 54° | 49° | 80° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 70° | 57° | 51° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 65° | 53° | 46° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 55° | 47° | 37° | 77° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 49° | 40° | 34° | 57° | 0 of 10 |
| December | 46° | 38° | 24° | 56° | 4 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Side Bay · BC Recreation Sites · 9 mi
- Gooding Cove · BC Recreation Sites · 10 mi · 2 sites
- Marble River · BC Recreation Sites · 16 mi · 35 sites
- Spruce Bay · BC Recreation Sites · 16 mi · 5 sites
- Kwaksistah Regional Park Campground · City & Municipal Parks · 16 mi
All public campgrounds in British Columbia · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-09-10. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.