Major city · Canada
Dease Lake
Stop one night to refuel and restock on the Stewart-Cassiar Highway; skip it as a destination, and never pass the last pumps without a full tank.
Dease Lake is a service village of about 300 people on Highway 37 in northern British Columbia, midway between Smithers or Terrace and Whitehorse. It is the last supply centre before the Alaska Highway, so almost everyone who stops is passing through. One night covers fuel, groceries, a hot meal and a bed; the surrounding lakes, rivers and the Telegraph Creek Road are the only reasons to stay longer.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- CAD
- Best months
- Jun-Sep
- avoid Oct-Apr (snow, closures, seasonal businesses shut)
- Airport
- YDL
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
- Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
- Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Dease Lake911 ▾
- Police, fire and ambulance911
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Dease Lake, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $).Canada-wide
- SIM or eSIMRogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores.Canada-wide
- Tap waterTap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).Canada-wide
- TippingRestaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.Canada-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Canada-wide
- SafetyA quiet highway village and generally safe.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.Canada-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police, fire and ambulance
- Sundays & holidaysStatutory holidays close shops and offices, varying by province; many park facilities are seasonal (about mid-May to mid-October).Canada-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportcheckYDL Dease Lake Airport (Small airstrip serving the community; scheduled service is limited and seasonal - check before relying on it.).
- Getting aroundThe whole community is walkable; everything sits within a few minutes on foot.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeC$3-5 (≈ US$3–4)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data plan, about a weekC$20-40 (≈ US$15–30)
- Budget bedCampground pitch (own tent), a night, per personC$20 (≈ US$15)
- Mid-range bedMotel room, a night, per roomC$160 (≈ US$120)
- High-end bedMotel room, a night, per roomC$220 (≈ US$160)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$80 (≈ US$60) · Mid C$150 (≈ US$110) · High C$260 (≈ US$190)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- YDL Dease Lake Airport (Small airstrip serving the community; scheduled service is limited and seasonal - check before relying on it.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
Feb
Avoid
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
Mar
Avoid
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
Apr
Avoid
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
May
not flagged
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Jun
Best
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Jul
Best
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Aug
Best
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Sep
Best
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Oct
Avoid
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
Nov
Avoid
−3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C)
Dec
Avoid
−8°C (18°F)18°F (−8°C)
Best: Jun–Sep. Avoid: Oct–Apr. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)), coolest Jan (−18°C (0°F)0°F (−18°C) low), wettest Oct (14 rain days), driest Apr (7). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Dease Lake: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
−18°C (0°F)0°F (−18°C)
12 rd
Feb
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
−16°C (3°F)3°F (−16°C)
9 rd
Mar
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
−11°C (12°F)12°F (−11°C)
8 rd
Apr
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
7 rd
May
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
9 rd
Jun
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
11 rd
Jul
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
12 rd
Aug
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
12 rd
Sep
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
12 rd
Oct
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
−2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
14 rd
Nov
−3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C)
−10°C (14°F)14°F (−10°C)
13 rd
Dec
−8°C (18°F)18°F (−8°C)
−16°C (3°F)3°F (−16°C)
12 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The whole community is walkable; everything sits within a few minutes on foot. A car is needed for the campgrounds, the lake and Telegraph Creek Road. Fuel up here before heading north or south.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Telegraph Creek Road and the Grand Canyon of the Stikine
cautionDoor to door: Half a day or more
Drive the gravel Telegraph Creek Road south from Dease Lake
Gravel, narrow and steep in places; the canyon itself is not a roadside viewpoint.
Dease Lake shoreline and campgrounds
goDoor to door: Under 30 min
Drive 10-11 km (6.2-6.8 mi) north or south on Highway 37Drive 6.2-6.8 mi (10-11 km) north or south on Highway 37
Fishing, paddling and a quiet night by the water.
Alaska Highway junction
skipDoor to door: About 3 h
Drive north on Highway 37
No fuel in between; treat it as a leg of the drive, not a day out.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Dease Lake townsite
Motels, the grocery store and restaurants sit within a few minutes' walk of each other on and around Boulder Street.
Highway 37 north and south
Campgrounds on the lakeshore and the Tanzilla River, 10-11 km (6.2-6.8 mi) out of town; you need your own vehicle.Campgrounds on the lakeshore and the Tanzilla River, 6.2-6.8 mi (10-11 km) out of town; you need your own vehicle.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- C$80-130 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
- Mid
- C$130-220 (≈ US$95–160) excl. bed
- High
- C$220 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Motel room1 × 1 night × C$160 | C$160 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × C$150 | C$300 |
| Groceries and deli supplies for the next leg2 × C$40 | C$80 |
| Fuel top-up, one tank1 × C$90 | C$90 |
| eSIM or satellite messenger, about a week2 × C$25 | C$50 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | C$68 |
| Trip total≈ C$374 per person per day, bed included | C$748≈ US$550 |
2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; fuel and vehicle costs excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | C$3-5 (≈ US$3–4) |
| Burger or take-out meal | C$15-25 (≈ US$11–19) |
| Grocery basket for two, one day | C$40-70 (≈ US$30–55) |
| Motel room, one night | C$120-220 (≈ US$90–160) |
| Fuel, per litreHigher than Kitwanga or Stewart; fill before you leave the main centres. | check |
| eSIM or data plan, about a week | C$20-40 (≈ US$15–30) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- No mobile phone service in Dease Lake: the next coverage is near Stewart or Kitwanga going south, and near Watson Lake going north.
- No fuel stations between Dease Lake and the Alaska Highway, about 247 km (153 mi) north.No fuel stations between Dease Lake and the Alaska Highway, about 153 mi (247 km) north.
- Fuel on Highway 37 outside the main centres can cost far more per litre than at Kitwanga or Stewart.
- Telegraph Creek Road is gravel, narrow and steep in places; check conditions and your spare before committing.
- Winter closes or empties most seasonal businesses: check what is open before a cold-season stop.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire and ambulance
- 911
Pocket card
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Dease LakeDease Lake
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire and ambulance911
Embassy
No consulates here; the nearest are in Vancouver. US citizens: the US consulate general is in Vancouver (check the address).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Fuel, Dease Lake vs Kitwanga or Stewart: expect to pay more per litre here; fill up before you leave the main centres
- Dease Lake to the Alaska Highway: about 247 km (153 mi) with no fuel stations in betweenabout 153 mi (247 km) with no fuel stations in between
- Campground to townsite: 10-11 km (6.2-6.8 mi) by road6.2-6.8 mi (10-11 km) by road
Say or show
- Thank you — Thank you
- Where is the gas station? — Where is the gas station?
- Is there phone signal here? — Is there phone signal here?
- How much is it? — How much is it?
- Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
- Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?
No mobile phone service in Dease Lake; download maps and save numbers before you arrive.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Dease Lake. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Jun-Sep · avoid Oct-Apr (snow, closures, seasonal businesses shut) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 3 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for YDL: confirm whether any scheduled service is running, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
- Walking cluster with rescue anchors: Boulder Street groceries, motels, take-out.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (Super A Foods, The Shack, Northway Motor Inn, Arctic Divide Lodge) and eat pages with last orders.
- Fuel and no-signal fixtures so the drive-through decision goes green.