Sheridan Lake

A Step Back in Time

Sheridan Lake is located along Highway 24, the "Fishing Highway" that runs east to west between 100 Mile House in the South Cariboo (atop of the Fraser Plateau) and Little Fort in the Thompson River Valley. This route remains basically the same route that the fur traders used centuries ago. Parts of the Hudson's Bay Fur Brigade Trail can still be seen near the east end of the highway and is permanently preserved as a "heritage trail".

With the discovery of gold in the northern Cariboo and the gold rush that followed in the mid 1800's, the wilderness trails soon became valuable roads all leading to the gold fields in the north for 100,000's gold seekers. Along the routes, roadhouses sprung up to provide necessary stopover points. The abundance of water from hundreds of lakes and adjoining streams with luscious grasslands dotted throughout the forested areas caused the progression towards cattle ranching in the area, a natural and rewarding development. Today, the corridor serves several industries, mainly logging, ranching and tourism, as it still has the abundance of these natural and pristine elements of water, timber and grassland. Several of the original roadhouses are restored and still in use as are original recreation resort buildings which have withstood the deterioration of time.

Location

Sheridan Lake is located between Lone Butte and Bridge Lake on Hwy 24, and east of the community of 100 Mile House. Hwy 24 is 97 km (60 mi) from the Hwy 97 turn off to Little Fort on Hwy 5.

Things to See and Do

Sheridan Lake

Bonaparte Lake and Valley

Located just south of Bridge Lake is the Bonaparte Lake and Plateau. Accessible via logging roads, this lake is the dominant lake and river system in the Southern Cariboo offering excellent freshwater fishing. Spend an afternoon fishing here for some of the many rainbow and kokanee trout that are available in vast quantities.

Hiking / Mountain Biking / Cross-Country Skiing / Snowmobiling / ATVing

Sheridan Lake features over 208 km (130 mi) of mapped and signed trails maintained by the Interlakes Snowmobile Club, the Sheridan Lake Quad Squad and The Friends of Sheridan Lake Society. These trails are suitable for hiking, mountain biking and ATV-íng during the warmer months, and for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling during the winter.

Fishing

Sheridan Lake is well-known for its trophy fishing, with rainbow trout commonly weighing in at 3 to 5 lbs and going up to 16 lbs. The lake produces rainbow trout consistently May through October, and fly fishermen are attracted to the many weed beds and islands. In May and June, the community-built spawning channels offer educational insights into fish-enhancement projects. There are some 300 lakes in the area, most of them stocked with fish.

Horseback Riding

Many of the trails in this area are excellent for horseback riding. Some of the secluded trails are easily accessible on horseback; anglers often pack their fly-rod on their saddle and embark on a quiet afternoon of fishing and riding.