In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · 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.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun-Sep
- Avoid
- Oct-Apr (snow, closures, seasonal businesses shut)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$80-130 excl. bed · Mid C$130-220 excl. bed · High C$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire and ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$3-5 |
| Burger or take-out meal | C$15-25 |
| Grocery basket for two, one day | C$40-70 |
| Motel room, one night | C$120-220 |
| Fuel, per litre | check |
| eSIM or data plan, about a week | C$20-40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YDL · Dease Lake Airport
- Small airstrip serving the community; scheduled service is limited and seasonal - check before relying on it.
Typical fares
- 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
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get 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 and do
Known for
- Stewart-Cassiar Highway (Highway 37) supply stop
- Fishing for northern species
- Telegraph Creek Road to the Grand Canyon of the Stikine
- Gateway to the Alaska Highway
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Telegraph Creek Road and the Grand Canyon of the Stikine | Drive the gravel Telegraph Creek Road south from Dease Lake | Half a day or more |
| Dease Lake shoreline and campgrounds | 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 | Under 30 min |
| Alaska Highway junction | Drive north on Highway 37 | About 3 h |
Sleep
- 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.
Phrase card
| English | 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? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- 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 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.
A quiet highway village and generally safe. The real risks are the drive: long empty stretches, no phone signal, wildlife on the road and no fuel north of town. Carry water, a spare and a paper map.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Dease Lake yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Stewart-Cassiar Highway (Highway 37) supply stop
- Fishing for northern species
- Telegraph Creek Road to the Grand Canyon of the Stikine
- Gateway to the Alaska Highway
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Stewart-Cassiar Highway - Dease Lake: www.stewartcassiarhighway.com/communities/dease-lake/
- Destination BC - Northern British Columbia: www.hellobc.com/
- Wikivoyage: Dease Lake, revision 5318347 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5318347
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Dease Lake
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire and ambulance911
No consulates here; the nearest are in Vancouver. US citizens: the US consulate general is in Vancouver (check the address).
No mobile phone service in Dease Lake; download maps and save numbers before you arrive.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/dease-lake). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.