Paradise Valley is a treasure full second growth forest, This lovely hike is a great way for moderate hikers to take a forest bath while getting a good workout.
There are private homes around Levette Lake, which means that visitors should restrict their activities to the provincial recreation site and the northbound forest service road. The 4.7 kilometres hike north to Hut Lake is all on an old FSR.
This is a well known four-wheel drive challenge, and you will meet the dust makers especially on weekends and holidays.
From the parking lot, the road goes up over a saddle before sloping smoothly down to Hut Lake. The microwave tower to the east of the road is near the halfway mark of your trek through second growth forest which was replanted in 1955 and thinned in 1963.
Note that logging operations could resume at any time. There is a rudimentary dock at the west end of Hut Lake that provides a calm spot for refreshing tired feet in cool water. Hut Lake is a popular camping area from May to October.
Wildfires have devastated our backcountry in the past. Be extra cautious with fires and report all signs of smoke and fire to the BC Wildfire Management Branch: 1-800-663-5555.
The provincial recreation site at Levette Lake is in a wilderness location and doesn’t receive regular maintenance. The rustic campsite consists of a dozen dirt clearings in the forest at the east end of the lake. You must take out your garbage and please pack out what careless folk leave behind. The very rough road going north from Levette Lake is only suitable for high, freeboard 4x4 vehicles; anything else will be damaged.
There are no facilities and a camping fee of $10 per night is charged from mid-May to the end of October. Please respect the riparian area around the lake and the residents on the south side of the lake.
The provincial government uses Timber Forest Leases to ensure that timber harvesting remains consistent with environmental objectives for wildlife protection: the hydrologic function of soils, watercourses, Indigenous culture, fish rearing, biodiversity, recreation opportunities and the visual quality of the land.
The Chief Forester is required by law to specify how much timber can be harvested each year based on 200-year fibre supply projections.
Do not be shy to report abuses.
The local office of forestry is 604-898-2100 located opposite Brennan Recreation Centre.
Fishing in these lakes is regulated by the provincial Freshwater Fishing Regulations and enforced by conservation officers
[Call RAPP — report all poachers and polluters 877-952 7277 or 604-892-3230 to report any abuse you see.]
