Bowron Lake Airport

Wells, CA 🇨🇦 Closed Airport

ICAO

CA-0674

IATA

-

Elevation

3000 ft

Region

CA-BC

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: 53.255704° N, -121.42034° E

Continent: NA

Type: Closed Airport

Keywords: AK2 CAK2 Bowron Lake Lodge

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.

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Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 24, 2025
Closure Date

The exact date of closure is not officially documented, which is common for small, private airstrips. Based on its absence from modern aviation publications and analysis of historical satellite imagery showing progressive overgrowth, the airport likely fell into disuse and was effectively closed in the late 1990s or early 2000s.

Reason for Closure

The closure was most likely due to a combination of redundancy and economic factors. The nearby Wells Aerodrome (TC LID: CCE4) is a registered, maintained facility that serves the community's aviation needs. It is common for small, informal strips like CA-0674 to be abandoned when a superior, officially recognized airport is available. The ongoing costs of maintenance, grading, and liability for a low-traffic private strip likely made its continued operation impractical for its owner.

Current Status

The site is completely abandoned and non-operational. Current satellite imagery reveals the faint outline of a former runway that is now heavily overgrown with grass, shrubs, and young trees. There is no remaining airport infrastructure, such as hangars, windsock, or markings. The land has reverted to a natural state and appears to be an unused field, crossed by a small dirt track.

Historical Significance

Bowron Lake Airport was a small, unpaved airstrip serving the general aviation community. Its primary function was to provide access for small, single-engine aircraft, including bush planes, operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). It was used by local pilots, tourists flying in to visit the historic gold rush towns of Wells and Barkerville, and outdoor enthusiasts accessing the world-renowned Bowron Lake Provincial Park canoe circuit. Its significance was entirely local, acting as an informal landing field before air traffic in the area consolidated at the main Wells Aerodrome.

Reopening Prospects

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening this airport. Reopening is considered extremely unlikely as the community's aviation requirements are fully met by the Wells Aerodrome (CCE4). There is no economic or logistical justification for restoring a second, less-equipped airstrip in the immediate vicinity. Significant investment would be required to clear the land and bring it to a safe, usable condition, for which there is no apparent demand.

Nearby Airports

Barkerville Airport
CA-1004
Barkerville, CA
Closed Airport
~20 km away
Penfold Airstrip
CA-1172
NoneCA
Small Airport
~71 km away
Likely Airport
CAX5
Likely, CA
Small Airport
~71 km away
Quesnel Airport
YQZ • CYQZ
Quesnel, CA
Medium Airport Scheduled Service
~77 km away
Quesnel (G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital) Heliport
CAZ4
Quesnel, CA
Heliport
~78 km away
McBride Airport/Charlie Leake Field
CAV4
McBride, CA
Small Airport
~84 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

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