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History
Long before its recreational use by Chilliwack's European settlers, Cultus Lake served for centuries as a popular spot for spirit quests by the local Sto:lo First Nation. So popular in fact, that by the 18th century, the lake's spiritual powers had diminished such that the Chinook word Cultus, meaning worthless, was ascribed to it.
Cultus Lake Park was founded in 1924, with about 200 summer cottages being built on leased land along the western lakeshore by 1930. Until the 1950s, the increased traffic was handled by a one-lane road. When Cultus Lake became a provincial park in the 1950s, the road developed into the present-day Columbia Valley Highway.
Further along the Columbia Valley Highway is picturesque Columbia Valley, where some of the first families settled around 1890. Always the site of mixed farming, Columbia Valley's true origins are in logging. Most of today's roads through the Columbia Valley are built on top of old logging roads.
Location
The community of Cultus Lake is located south of the Chilliwack River, 11 kilometres (7 miles) south of Chilliwack and approximately 80 kilometres (50 miles) southeast of Vancouver.
Places to See
- Cultus Lake Provincial Park
As one of the most popular destination areas in the Lower Mainland, Cultus Lake Provincial Park is characterized by a large, warm freshwater lake and scenic forest-clad mountains. The park is almost evenly divided between the northwest and southeast sides of Cultus Lake. The northwest portion is mostly undeveloped with the visitor-oriented facilities confined to the southeast portion. Just an hour and a half drive away from Vancouver, visitors will find four campgrounds, a large day-use area for picnicking and boating, and ample opportunity for fishing, water skiing, wind surfing, and hiking.
- Sunnyside Campground
Sunnyside Campground offers a convenience store, laundromat, washrooms, free showers, group camping, playgrounds, a boat launch, sani-dump, swimming, supervised children's activities, a meeting room, fishing, horseshoe pits, pay phones, a pet swim area, and more.
- Cultus Lake Waterpark
Cultus Lake Waterpark is the leader in the waterpark industry on the West Coast. Whether you are on vacation or just taking a much needed break, watersliding is a great recreational activity. This is a family-oriented park which provide guests with rides for all ages. And for you thrill seekers, the park also has some of the most extreme waterslides. Come out and see for yourself why Cultus Lake Waterpark is BC's #1 waterpark.
Things to Do
- Golf
Initiated as a driving range in 1990, the Cultus Lake Golf Club quickly expanded to become a 9 hole par 31. It gained immediate popularity and expanded to its current 18 hole par 63. At just under 4000 yards, carved out of a dense forest, its immaculate conditions and tree lined fairways offer not only a challenging experience but an affordable form of entertainment.
Nearby is Tap-Ins Putting Course, the first 18-hole, par 70 putting course in the Lower Mainland. It is four-acres of creatively contoured natural greens and rough, integrated with rock, sand, and water, plus a spectacular view of the Cascade Mountains.
- Horseback Riding
Explore the untouched wilderness of Cultus Lake by taking a guided tour on horseback.
- Fishing
The trout at Cultus Lake can reach over 3 lbs, with trolling and fly fishing being the most successful methods used. The lake is an excellent spawning area and is stocked to maintain a healthy fish population of natural steelhead, whitefish, dolly varden, coho, and sockeye salmon.
Events
- Saturday Market in the Park
Come and shop, browse, and enjoy the fun! The market includes: fresh home baking, fresh produce, jewelry, crafts, and flea market items. Takes place on Saturdays from June to September, 10am to 3pm.
- Cultus Lake Dragon Boat Festival
The Cultus Lake Dragon Boat Festival is a small, fun, women's dragon boat festival, with a maximum of 20 teams. The festival is very popular, with teams from across the province participating.
The festival includes a Breast Cancer Carnation Ceremony to honor women who are battling the disease, women who have won the battle, and women who have lost their lives to breast cancer.
The festival also has dragon boat rides for the public (both kids and adults) at a fee of $2.00 each. There is also a concession stand at the festival, with very popular fresh Chilliwack corn on the cob!
- Around the Lake Give'r Take 30 Annual Trail Race
The Vedder Running Club has held this running event annually at Cultus Lake since 2003. The trail race circumnavigates the lake, starting and finishing at Main Beach.
Contact Information
Cultus Lake Park Board
4165 Columbia Valley Highway
Cultus Lake, B.C. V2R 5B5
Telephone: 604-858-3334
Fax: 604-858-8091
E-mail: clpb@telus.net
Website: www.cultuslake.bc.ca/
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