Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park/Leighton Lake (TRAILS CLOSED DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE)

Horse Camping Site
TRAILS CLOSED DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE - ESTIMATED REOPENING 2023 Tunkwa is listed in the top 10 provincial rainbow trout fisheries. This park protects mid elevation grasslands, forests, lakes, and wetlands including bogs and ponds. This is a year-round recreation area, noted for camping, hunting, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, fishing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. Tunkwa Provincial Park contains two large, man-made trout-fishing lakes, Tunkwa and Leighton, there is horse camping located at both the Leighton Lake campsite and Tunkwa Lake campsite. Horseback riding on trails within the park is not encouraged, but riding out of the park from the Leighton Lake camp is allowed. The trails are shown on the map as ATV trails, but due to deadfall from pine beetle infestation, the trails are more horse friendly and less attractive to ATVs. Much of the area is rolling hills and open meadows. The horse trails are geo-referenced mapped in the Avenza App under HCBC.
Logan Lake, Kamloops
50.614005
-120.847828
Seasonal
Yes
There are 10 corrals at Leighton and water is available for horses. The new horse camp located at Tunkwa Lake opened July of 2016. It consists of 12 corrals; 8-15ftx20ft and 4 – 20ftx20ft. of pole construction with metal pipe gates and a manure pit behind the corrals. They are available on a first come, first served basis. A large fire pit is the centre of the camp with room for 5-6 rigs to pull in wheel-spoke style around the fire. Campers need to bring their own manure barrows and forks as well as some means of transporting water to the horses. Toilets and water are a short walk away from the camp and are shared with the regular campers. Horses are not allowed in the main campsite and care must be taken when walking them to the trail heads that they stay away from any campsites and off the roadways as much as possible. “
Note: Also check under Upload/Download tab to see if there are more maps available. If the map below shows red lines, these indicate ridable trails which can be downloaded to your GPS (see Upload/Download tab)
From Vancouver, B.C. take Hwy #1 to Hope, then Hwy #5 (the Coquihalla) to the Logan Lake/Lac Le Jeune Exit #336. Head west to the town of Logan Lake, go through town and turn right at Tunkwa Lake Road. Continue for 15 km (9 mi) and follow the signs. Approximate driving time is 3 to 4 hours from Vancouver. To get to the horse campsite go past Tunkwa Lake resort right to Leighton Lake. The road is all paved into the campsite.

Legend

Yvonne Hillsden

Tunkwa Lake horse corrals posted on: 02 / 25 / 2023

I uploaded a photo of the Tunkwa Lake horse corrals that I took in Nov 2021. Showed that the corrals there were still in good shape as they were not affected by the Tremont Creek Fire that went through there during the summer of 2021. However at the time that I was there, there was no access to Leighton lake and apparently fire damage had been sustained to the infrastructure there.


Rose Schroeder

Tunkwa posted on: 04 / 28 / 2022

At this time Parks can confirm only that the Tunkwa equestrian area is open and in tact. However the North Leighton section of the park is closed and we are not certain of a reopen date. I can confirm that the equestrian area at North Leighton did sustain fire damage. Although there are currently restrictions on use of the trails and the area outside the campground and park boundaries


Rose Schroeder

2022 Camping and trails at Tunkwa/Leighton Provincial Park posted on: 04 / 27 / 2022

contact Brandywine Environmental Management for updates: [email protected] 1-250-320-9305 There will be no off road use at the North Leighton Camp as crews will be working in the area to remove dangers caused by the 2021 wildfire.


Mary Huntington

Update on Tunkwa/Leighton Lake Trails and Campsites posted on: 04 / 24 / 2022

3 of us from Kamloops Chapter drove to Tunkwa Provincial Park to view the area and the damage from the huge Tremont Fire that ran through the area last summer ( 2021) Fortunately, the campsites and corrals are untouched save for some fencing at the Leighton corrals. Unfortunately all trails in the park are closed until at least January 2023 according to the Park Operator. That's closed to hikers, bikers, ATVers and equestrian use! Large fines are in place for anyone found outside the current campsites. Falling trees, both live and burnt pose a large threat as do the holes left in the ground from burned out roots or trees. Some of the holes are still "hot" and still smoking, some are still underground, unnoticeable yet very much on fire. The park surroundings are still a very dangerous place. The Tunkwa equestrian campsite could still be used as a rest stop for those travelling through the area. Leighton's campsite is closed to the public. As Kamloops Chapter BCHBC, hears of any updates, we'll keep you informed.


Geoff Swan

Park staff and campsite status posted on: 10 / 04 / 2012

Hi....My friend Allan and I camped up in tunkwa this past mid september and we were amazed how spotlessly clean and well kept up the park was. No fishing line debris, no mess, quiet times respected, and one very helpful friendly staff offering some real quality fishing tips. It was great to see such unique protection of a very sesitive area. Out last night there it snowed and the lake was misty and the fishing was great. ....thanks to your staff for such a great stay....we were really impressed


Carol McEachen

Camping with horses posted on: 08 / 24 / 2012

Is the camping open for the month of Sept.


Ann Hatfield

feral horses at Tunkwa posted on: 12 / 10 / 2009

Though they have been 'culled' and had their range divided by fences within the park, there are still horses in the area. It is thrilling to see them; they may come and look at you or may run. Do not chase them, life is hard enough for them. If you are riding a mare in heat you may interest the small herds made up of only young stallions. This can get rather too exciting, as they make short dashes at you. So don't ride your in-season mare in the areas they have been recently spotted, or put her in the centre of the other horses in your group as you watch and photograph 'the boys'.


Required
Your email address will not be displayed. This is only so we may contact you if we need to clarify something in your comment.
Required
Required
Required
Note: All of our Geo-Referenced PDF maps are available for free from the Avenza from the Map Store. These maps can be used with the Avenza Maps app on GPS enabled Smartphones and tablets.

GPX Upload
Rode this trail? Show the HCBC Trail Community Which Route You Ride

HCBC monitors the integrity of the GPX files uploaded prior to posting on this website. We will contact you via your email if your track is suitable for an Avenza Map.

Name:

Email:

Please upload GPX files only.


Image Upload
Saw Something Cool? Share it with the HCBC Trail Community

HCBC monitors the integrity of all images and comments posted on this website. Please allow us 24 hours to review the Images uploaded for this trail before they appear on our website. Thank you

Please upload jpeg images only.

Geo-Ref maps for Avenza Maps App on mobile devices

Note: If you are on a computer, you can print these maps. If you using a mobile device, then these maps are available to download from the Avenza Map Store within the Avenza app.