Azure Lake lies deep within Wells Gray Park.   At the end of the Wells Gray Corridor Road, Clearwater Lake starts, extending  24 km north.   At the farend, the Clearwater River empties into the lake.   To get to Azure Lake, boats have to paddle up the river for 3 km.   There is a portage at the halfway point, but when I hiked the route, I found it to be narrow and twisting with big rocks and trees, not suitable to a cart.    It is only a 1 km portage, but would be a big challenge.   Paddling upstream is tiring, but manageable by August.   Before that, the current is too strong.   There are some small islands which create back channels to paddle through.

Azure Lake beyond is also 24km long.   Including the river,, it is a 51 km paddle from th start of Clearwater Lake to the end of Azure Lake, 102 km return.   Many paddlers opt to take the water taxi to the end at Rainbow Falls and paddle back, camping at marine campsites along the way in 3-6 days.   That would be my recommendation (link).   The campsite at Rainbow Falls and the end of the lake is worth two days (the next post will feature Rainbow Falls).  

Early in the season, the lake will be high (all of the marine campgrounds were flooded this year in June) and the river will run too high and fast.   Take the water taxi in May before the bugs emerge.   Mosquitoes will be out in June so wait until later.    The best months on Azure Lake are August through early October.   Go to Azure Lake for the scenery, the quiet remote location, and the beachfront campsites.   Go for the memories, the photographs, and the joy of paddling a pristine wilderness lake.

To follow: Rainbow Falls, Azure Marine Campsites, Clearwater Marine Campsites.