TIMOTHY LAKE - South Cariboo BC

Timothy Lake in the South Cariboo, BC is where a full day on the water just works. Early mornings are quiet and glassy, perfect for skiing and fishing, while afternoons fill with swimming, tubing, and time spent in and around the water. As the day winds down, the lake settles, the light softens, and you find yourself not quite ready to come off the dock. Just minutes from Lac La Hache, it’s the kind of place people come for a few days and think about long after they leave.

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The shape of the lake alone creates a sense of adventure and discovery.  As you venture from the shoreline of Martens Resort you'll eventually loose site of the resort and soon find a public sandy beach which is a favourite spot for many to paddle or boat too.  Not far from here you’ll find an uninhabited island where many campers anchor their boats to explore the island, with some even discovering the rope swing.  For the true adventurer you’ll be hunting for a narrow channel of water connecting Timothy Lake to Dempsey Lake.  The channel connecting the two lakes is narrow and winding, and best navigated by canoe, kayak or paddle board, however it can be navigated by fishing boat, or pontoon boat if you carefully watch for deadheads under the surface.  Add our watercraft package to your reservation and you can enjoy your lakefront vacation with access to the campgrounds large selection of canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and inflatables.  

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Boating, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding & Tubing on Timothy Lake

Calm mornings on Timothy Lake are ideal for ski boats and wake boats, with long, clean runs for water skiing and wakeboarding.  As the day unfolds, it shifts to tubing - where kids laugh, hold on tight, and come back to the dock already asking for one more ride, building the kind of lake memories they carry for years.  

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Fishing on Timothy Lake (Kokanee & Rainbow Trout)

Fishing on Timothy Lake has a way of bringing people back to something familiar. It’s the kind of place where a dad takes his son out early, the lake still quiet, rods set, talking without needing to say much. For some, it’s picking up where they left off years ago. For others, it’s starting something new—learning, laughing, figuring it out together. The fish are part of it, but it’s the time together on the water that stays with you.

Timothy Lake is large enough to have no motor restrictions but small enough where you aren’t always battling waves so anglers can enjoy fishing from a cruiser, a tin boat, a canoe, kayak or even a belly boat.  Most people choose to troll the lake with designs on catching a Kokanee (lake salmon) or Rainbow Trout but their are great spots around the lake to fly fish, usually done close to shore next to a bundle of bull rushes.  You can fish both Timothy Lake and Dempsey Lake right from Martens Resort where we offer both fishing boat and fishing rod rentals, so whether you’re a seasoned angler or brand new to fishing you’re at the right place.  

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Nearby Lakes

Greeny Lake - located only 5 km's away from Martens Resort, Greeny Lake is well known for it’s abundance of decent size rainbow trout (up to 7 lbs). 

Lac La Hache - located only 20 km's from Martens Resort, Lac La Hache is where you go to catch the big one, with trophy lake trout reaching up to 30 lbs. 

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Swimming at Timothy Lake

Swimming at Timothy Lake becomes part of the daily routine. From your cabin, RV site, or tent, it’s a short walk to the water—either stepping in from the small beach with its easy, gradual entry, or heading out along the docks into clear, calm water. Many guests make their way to the anchored swim dock, stretching out in the sun, jumping in, and swimming back again, while others spend the afternoon drifting on inflatables, letting the day slow down on the water.  

By July, the lake is comfortably warm for most swimmers and stays that way through September, though you’ll often see the first swimmers in as early as May long weekend. It’s the kind of place where the day slips by between swims, sun, and time on the dock—where evenings feel a little quieter, and you realize the best parts of the day were the simple ones spent in and around the water.