St. Mary Lake
The largest freshwater lake on Salt Spring Island, with warm summer water that locals enjoy for swimming, paddling and fishing.
St. Mary Lake lies about 5 km north of Ganges. It is the largest lake on Salt Spring Island and also the island's northern drinking water source. The lake is shallow, and summer water temperatures can exceed 20°C, much warmer than seawater. At the northern end, a public lakeside beach has a small dock where you can swim, paddleboard or kayak, and a few cottages by the lake are available to rent. Trout and bass can be fished here, with a BC freshwater fishing licence required. Beach facilities are simple and parking is limited. Blue-green algae warnings are sometimes issued in summer, so check the notices on site before going in the water. It is about a 10-minute drive from Ganges.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Vesuvius Bay
- Mount Erskine Provincial Park
- Salt Spring Saturday Market
- Ganges
- Mount Maxwell Provincial Park
- Salt Spring Vineyards
- Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park
- Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park