Bittern Lake
MU 4-34, Kootenays
50.9768° N, 116.5957° W
- Surface area
- 16.7ha
- Maximum depth
- 12m
- 39 ft
- Elevation
- 1,001m
- Campsites
- 2
- At Bittern Lake rec site
Open Bittern Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Bittern Lake at a glance
- Region
- Kootenays
- Management unit
- MU 4-34
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, Sucker (General) (last recorded 1995)The newest of these fish records is from 2026.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Small Water (< 50 ha)
- Coordinates
- 50.97681, -116.595727
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission
Gear for rainbow trout
Lines, leaders, lures and flies for rainbow trout, searched on Amazon.ca.
Search Amazon.caAs an Amazon Associate, BC Trout Finder earns from qualifying purchases.
Fish on record at Bittern Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1990 | 2026 | 38 |
| Sucker (General) | 1982 | 1995 | 2 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
Bittern Lake fishing regulations
We have no lake specific regulations on file for Bittern Lake yet.
Getting to Bittern Lake
15.3 km of traced road to the campground by way of Bittern Lake FSR, Crestbrook Mainline and Parson River Xing. The road at the end is a loose surface. It stops 60 m short of the campground.
Coordinates: 50.97681, -116.595727
Camping and rec sites at Bittern Lake
- Bittern Lake
- Campsites
- 2 designated
- To the shore
- 9 m
Access: Accessible by 2wd vehicle down 15km of dirt road. Highly active logging road, CB radio recommended. Access is 68km north of Radium and 36km south of Golden. <br><br> From HWY 95 in Parson, turn west onto Parson River Crossing Rd. Continue straight, onto Crestbrook Main FSR (Radio controlled road use RR-3). Continue on Crestbrook Main for 6.5km then take a sharp left onto Mitten FSR, following signs for Mitten Lake. Keep right at 14km marker, following signs for Bittern Lake. Continue on Bittern Lake FSR for 1km to Bittern Lake Recreation Site.
Coordinates: 50.979243, -116.599549
Depth chart for Bittern Lake
12 mdeepest
Bittern Lake runs to 12 m (39 ft) at its deepest.
The Province sounded Bittern Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1983.
The ice year at Bittern Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Bittern Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 28 October and 9 November, and ice-off between 16 April and 29 April. The median winter freezes on 3 November and opens on 23 April.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 15 November 2024 to 23 April 2025, 159 days.
We have no ice fishing regulation on file for Bittern Lake either way. Check the current BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis before you plan a trip.
Whether a lake is open to ice fishing says nothing about whether its ice will hold you. Ice conditions vary year to year and across a single lake. Check locally before going out, every time.
Bittern Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Bittern Lake is 0.8 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +0.8 Csince the 1960s
- 5.9 Caverage year now
- 5.1 Caverage year then
- -6 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Bittern Lake
The forecast on this lake's own coordinate, refreshed through the day. The app reads these seven days for fishing and scores each one.
| Day | Sky | High / low | Wind | Rain | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 21 Oct | Partly cloudy | 12° / 3° | 5 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 15° / 2° | 6 km/h, gusts 15 | dry | Falling (-1.1 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Moderate rain | 10° / -1° | 12 km/h, gusts 44 | 1 mm | Rising (+6.5 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Moderate rain | 6° / -1° | 5 km/h, gusts 14 | 3 mm | Rising (+8.1 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Moderate rain | 7° / 0° | 2 km/h, gusts 17 | 2 mm | Rising (+1.7 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Mainly clear | 7° / -1° | 2 km/h | dry | Falling (-2.5 hPa) |
| Tue 27 Oct | Moderate rain showers | 8° / 0° | 1 km/h | 2 mm | Falling (-9.8 hPa) |
Bittern Lake, in brief
What fish are in Bittern Lake?
Rainbow Trout. Species from the province's fish observation records.
How big is Bittern Lake?
Bittern Lake covers about 16.7 ha, by the province's Freshwater Atlas.
Which management unit is Bittern Lake in?
Bittern Lake is in MU 4-34, in the Kootenays. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Bittern Lake
- Little Mitten Lake 2 km away
- McLean Lake 3 km away
- Nine Bay Lake 5 km away
- Wilbur Lake 7 km away
- Moose Lake 10 km away
All 162 lakes in the Kootenays, with today's conditions on each.