(about midway (50km) between Salmon Arm and Kamloops
Chase is a town of 2,000 on the west end of Shuswap Lake, where it empties into the South Thompson River. Chase is about midway between Salmon Arm and Kamloops, and has an important bridge over the Little Shuswap River to access the north shore of Shuswap Lake. The town is named for Whitfield Chase, the areas’ first resident, who lived from 1820 until 1896. He was a carpenter from New York and was a luckless Cariboo gold rush prospector who ended up a successful rancher, and married a Shuswap native.
Chase is the starting point for the 58 kilometre canoe and rafting trip down the Thompson River to Kamloops. Shuswap Lake is famous for its many nooks and crannies and is most popular for houseboating vacations. There is a beach park, a boat launch ramp and the 9-hole Sunshore Golf Course.
Other Links
Chase Attractions
Niskonlith Provincial Park
McGillivray Lake Rd, 12 km across the South Thompson on Pine Street
250-828-4494
This 238 hectare park, just north of town has 30 campsites, five archaeological sites, and plenty of hiking, boating, birdwatching and swimming.
Squilax Bridge
10 km east of Chase
This bridge is in the middle of the 4 kilometre long Little River which joins Shuswap & Little Shuswap Lakes Squilax is the Shuswap word for black bear.
Adams River/ Roderick Haigh-Brown Provincial Park
This 988 hectare park is popular not only for its stunning scenery but its wildlife. 10 million salmon climb up this river every four falls (most recently in 1998) to spawn and lay their eggs. In other years the salmon run is less dramatic. By the time the salmon have completed the 485 kilometre swim from the sea, their silver bodies have turned a bright red.