Sheridan Lake

Sheridan Lake is on Hwy 24 known as the Fishing Highway and part of the Interlakes Area of the Cariboo. It is well-known for its trophy fishing, with rainbow trout commonly weighing in at 3 to 5 lbs and going up to 16 lbs. The lake produces rainbow trout consistently May through October, and fly fishermen are attracted to the many weed beds and islands. Sheridan Lake features over 208 km (130 mi) of mapped and signed trails. These trails are suitable for hiking, mountain biking and ATVíng during the warmer months, and for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling during the winter. Many of the trails in this area are excellent for horseback riding. Some of the secluded trails are easily accessible on horseback; anglers often pack their fly-rod on their saddle and embark on a quiet afternoon of fishing and riding.

Location

Located in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region of British Columbia, Sheridan Lake is located between Lone Butte and Bridge Lake on Hwy 24, and east of the community of 100 Mile House.

A Step Back in Time

Sheridan Lake is located along Highway 24, the “Fishing Highway” that runs east to west between 100 Mile House in the South Cariboo (atop of the Fraser Plateau) and Little Fort in the Thompson River Valley. This route remains basically the same route that the fur traders used centuries ago. Parts of the Hudson’s Bay Fur Brigade Trail can still be seen near the east end of the highway and is permanently preserved as a “heritage trail”.

With the discovery of gold in the northern Cariboo and the gold rush that followed in the mid 1800s, the wilderness trails soon became valuable roads all leading to the gold fields in the north for 100,000 gold seekers. Along the routes, roadhouses sprung up to provide necessary stopover points. The abundance of water from hundreds of lakes and adjoining streams with luscious grasslands dotted throughout the forested areas caused the progression towards cattle ranching in the area, a natural and rewarding development. Today, the corridor serves several industries, mainly logging, ranching and tourism, as it still has the abundance of these natural and pristine elements of water, timber and grassland. Several of the original roadhouses are restored and still in use as are original recreation resort buildings which have withstood the deterioration of time.