What Is Stewart Lake Recreation Site
Stewart Lake Recreation Site is a small campground nestled among an old growth forest on the shore of Stewart Lake on Vancouver Island British Columbia, Canada.
It has 4 campsites with picnic tables, fire rings and 1 pit toilet. One campsite is on the other side of the road from the actual entrance to the other campsites.
The other campsites provide views of the lake and access to the gravel boat launch. The lake drops off relatively close to shore so fishing from shore is easier than other lakes I’ve visited on the island.
During the summer months this is a very popular campground with the locals in the area and hard to get a spot. I recommend visiting it during the off season or mid week for a better opportunity.
Especially since it is a long drive to get to and an equally long drive back out if the campground is full. The next closest campground is Tlowils Lake Recreation Site with 5 campsites and just as popular as Stewart Lake campground.
Where Is Stewart Lake Recreation Site
The recreation site is located south west of Sayward roughly 36km. Recreation Sites and Trails BC recommends going up the White River Main and turn left onto Victoria Main. After a while turn right onto the Vic-Stew Hook Up road then turning left onto Stewart Road. However, Victoria Main is a very rough road and hard on equipment so I recommend staying on the White River Main and turning left at Stewart Road.
This way is a bit longer but your equipment will thank you for it. I had to fix my receiver hitch on my pickup after it broke off the rear frame of my truck. Nothing too serious for me as I always come equipped for almost anything and was able to fix it so I could get back home.
Find your way to the Sayward Road junction and turn left if coming from the south island. Immediately turn right onto Dyer Road and go to the Salmon River Road (first gravel road you come to) and turn left. Cross over the Henry Olsen Bridge (White River) and turn right onto the White River Road.
You will follow that road all the way to Stewart Road roughly 29 km and turn left. Keep and eye out for logging trucks and drive with caution. The road is graded regularly because they’re logging in the area. The campground is roughly 7km on your left after a wide sweeping corner.
However, if you want to visit the White River Provincial Park Cathedral or get some awesome photos of Queen and Victoria Peaks than you’ll need to turn left at Victoria Main at the 17.4 km mark, as it is located higher on the mountain. Just drive slow and you should be alright unless like me your vehicle is over 10 years old. I do plan on trying it again as I want those vivid shots of the peaks for my portfolio.
How To Find Your Way To Stewart Lake Recreation Site Using Google Maps
Just fill in your current location where you will be leaving and the map will open with all the pertinent information for your travels.
Fishing At Stewart Lake Recreation Site
While I was there I caught and released some nice pan sized Trout. There is a bait ban and single barbless hooks regulation in effect so I was happy to actually get them to the boat. Must be getting the hang of keep the line tight LOL.
Fish surfaced everywhere around the lake from what I could see so fishing from shore should be rewarding also. The lake has a bit of a current pulling you towards the river leaving the lake. I didn’t have an electric motor (power motors not allowed) so I paddled which was a breeze until the wind picked up in the afternoon.
Because I had success with the Mepps Spinner and Mosquito Fly patterns at other lakes I tried them here also. They worked as I expected them to. A black ant pattern also produced for me. And a flat spoon with a vertical red stripe did well also. I had my best luck with a leach pattern close to shore which when fished near the bottom provided some outstanding results for Cutthroat in the 10-12 inch range.
I also found the flavour of the Cutthroat I cooked to be a lot better tasting than those I caught at lower elevations like Campbell Lake.
Tidbits
Walk Thru Tour Video of Stewart Lake Recreation Site
Summing Up Stewart Lake Recreation Site
Stewart Lake Recreation Site is worth the visit if you are flexible with your time. I don’t recommend it if your vacation is based on a timeline as you may have to drive all the way back out if it is full. If you are wanting to visit anyway ensure you have a plan B so you don’t waste time driving around looking for another campground.
The old growth Douglas Firs tower over the campground and a few of them are over 6′ at the base. There are a few trails around the lake and one that leads to the river which exits Stewart Lake.
One thing I didn’t like was the road is too close to the campground and when there is traffic on Stewart Road the dust floats over the campsites and makes it hard to breath. But the afternoon wind mitigates some of it to make it more comfortable.
I didn’t see much wildlife but saw lots of sign. There are some interesting birds in the area and I took some photos when they let me get close enough. I will try to identify them and update this summary. A family of female Barrows Goldeneye ducks came right close to shore to check me out and I was surprised how docile they were.
A local woodpecker was different than any other I’ve seen to date also. His color was darker grey body with a light grey head. He wouldn’t stay still long enough for me to get any photos.
There was Black Bear scat everywhere which is a good sign as they don’t usually hang out when Grizzlies are in the area.
While I stayed at Stewart Lake Campground I met some very nice campers over the May long weekend and the week after. One couple was from Ladysmith and had a beautiful well behaved and smart Blue Healer dog.
The others were some younger adults which reminded my of my youth. But they were respectful of the other campers and good kids in my mind. One drove an older 20+ foot Motorhome over the same Victoria Main road as I did without incident.
And the last two I met were from Greenwood and Port Alberni. They were brothers and did well fishing also. They showed up after the long weekend from a family reunion on Pye Lake. They were a lot of fun and around the same age as me so we enjoyed each others company.
Stewart Lake Recreation Site is a very special place and if you can handle getting there you will have a great time. Hopefully you won’t be disappointed by not getting a spot. Try arriving mid week for better results.
There were just starting to log the backside of the mountain on the west side of the lake so there was some noise during the day and dust when the loggers drove home in the late afternoon. So keep an eye out for logging trucks when you go this summer.
Campfire Etiquette That Everyone Should Follow
Don’t forget to be a responsible camper and pack out what you pack in along with anyone’s garbage left behind if you can. Also remember that campfire etiquette is a must to ensure this pristine wilderness remains as is. Never be a lazy camper it just isn’t worth it.
The law states that you keep a shovel and 20 litre pail of water nearby in case sparks land on the many grasses and pine needles etc that are around the campground area. Never leave a campfire unattended for any reason and ensure it is out before going to bed and leaving for home.
While I was there (May 2026) a campfire ban was in effect. For more information on the current status of campfires and bans visit the BC Wildfire Service.
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