Takla Lake is the fifth largest natural lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

 in British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. It is a deep fjord

Fjord

Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...

-like lake with the Swannell Ranges

Swannell Ranges

The Swannell Ranges are a mountain range between the Finlay and Nation Rivers and between the Hogem Ranges and the Finlay Ranges of northern British Columbia, Canada. It has an area of 22932 km2 and is a subrange of the Omineca Mountains which in turn form part of the Interior Mountains...

 to the east, the Driftwood River

Driftwood River

The Driftwood River is a tributary of the East Fork of the White River in central Indiana in the United States. Via the White, Wabash and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River...

 flowing into it from the north, and the Middle River

Middle River (British Columbia)

The Middle River, or in the Carrier language Dzitl'ainli Koh, is a river in the Omineca Country of the northwestern Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, flowing southeast from the outlet of Takla Lake into Trembleur Lake over a distance of approximately 35 km...

 draining it. It is the terminus of the early Stuart-Takla sockeye salmon run, and noted for its large rainbow trout, lake trout and Dolly Varden. The peninsula

Peninsula

A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....

 is the home of Mount Blanchet Provincial Park

Mount Blanchet Provincial Park

Mount Blanchet Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on the west side of the southern end of Takla Lake, north of Smithers.-References:***...

. Also on the peninsula is a herd of collared woodland caribou, and the winter range of grizzly bear

Grizzly Bear

The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...

s. Two special features are Takla Lake Marine Park

Takla Lake Marine Provincial Park

Takla Lake Marine Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. Located northeast of the town of Smithers and roughly parallel to Babine Lake to its west/southwest, it comprises three sites on Takla Lake in the northwestern part of the Omineca Country of the province's...

, and an Ecological Reserve on the peninsula, a stand of very northerly Douglas Fir. Takla Lake is also the origin of both of Canada's national airlines, both Russ Baker

Russ Baker

Russ Baker is a US investigative journalist and founder of the nonprofit website . His recurring themes are politics, secrecy, and abuses of power. His recent writings have focused on elites in finance, resource extraction, military and intelligence operations, and their quiet influence over...

 and Grant McConachie

Grant McConachie

George William Grant McConachie was a Canadian bush pilot and businessman who became CEO of Canadian Pacific Airlines ....

 running bush plane routes out of Takla Lake. It is a popular canoe

Canoe

A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...

 route from the top end down to Fort St. James.