Nimpo Lake Resort is a quiet lakeside place shaped by time, landscape, and the people who cared for it before mentioning it to anyone else. Its story is not about rapid growth or reinvention, but about continuity — staying simple, functional, and closely connected to the lake.
Mary Kirner and the Early Years
The resort began in 1969, when Mary Kirner left the Fraser Valley and moved her family here. She arrived at a rough shack, scattered old cabins and brutal winters. Drawing on a prairie farm background, she hauled water, cut firewood, fixed roofs and slowly turned a loose group of buildings into a simple, working lakeside resort.
Over time, her kitchen and dining room became one of the informal hubs of the West Chilcotin. Loggers, ranchers, pilots, park staff and travellers all ended up at the same tables, sharing coffee, meals and news. Writers and wardens, including her friend John Edwards, brought stories from Lonesome Lake and Tweedsmuir Park that are still remembered today.
Nimpo Lake also developed into a small floatplane centre, with aircraft operating on the lake throughout the summer. During severe fire seasons, including 2004 and 2006, the resort served as a base for crews and pilots, providing lodging and hot meals between shifts. Storms, deep snow and even a hangar fire tested the place, but it stayed.
Later in life, Mary built herself a larger cabin on the beach with a whole wall of windows facing the lake. Today, we call it Mary Cabin, and it still overlooks the same stretch of water she watched for so many years.
The Resort Today
Today, Nimpo Lake Resort continues to reflect its origins. Some cabins are open year-round, while others remain seasonal, respecting the rhythms of the region.
Modern comforts have been added where they make sense, but simplicity remains intentional. The focus is on space, nature, and time — allowing guests to experience the lake as it is, not as a packaged attraction.
Nimpo Lake Resort is part of the West Chilcotin landscape. It has been shaped by those who built it, cared for it, and returned to it over the years. We invite guests to experience it in the same spirit—curious, respectful, and with time.
History Gallery
