We have been to Mahood Lake a few times, driving Highway 24 west from Little Fort, then on backroads to Canim Lake,  and then down to the campsite on the east side of Mahood Lake.   We have base-camped there to hike trails, and on other occasions, we have paddled across the lake to camp at the far end.   From the Provincial Park Campground are a number of hiking trails and routes – the Deception Falls Trail, the Canim and Mahood Falls Trail, the Mahood River Track, and an unsigned track along the south side of the lake to some remote beaches.   The Whale Lake Trail is another 9 km return hike, but the day we started that hike, it rained, so we did not finish it.

There is a fine trail at the east end of the lake, down the Mahood River to Sylvia and Goodwin Falls and the Clearwater River, but that requires boat access, a 21 km journey (one way) down the lake.    We kayaked the lake and camped at a marine campsite on the lakeshore, then hiked down to the falls and back, a rugged spot in the backcountry.

Except for long weekends in the summer, this is a quiet area and there will likely be few hikers on the trails.    It is a remote area so some hiking experience and good preparation is advised.    We recommend the trails to the 3 falls (Deception, Mahood, and Canim), and some lakeshore exploration.    A good resource is Roland Neave’s, Exploring Wells Gray Park for details on the hikes.

Shared here are some photos from our hikes near the west end of Mahood Lake, shared in a Google Photos album (with captions) – Mahood Lake West End Hiking

Also shared here is a slideshow of these photos:

The campsite on the lake is a great destination on its own, but we can also explore the lake and hike the trails.    Highly recommended ….