Kinbasket Lake, Reservoir in British Columbia, Canada.

Kinbasket Lake is a reservoir on the Columbia River in southeast British Columbia, created by the Mica Dam. It has two reaches named for the flooded valleys: Columbia Reach to the south, toward Golden, and Canoe Reach to the north, almost reaching Valemount on the impounded Canoe River. In the photograph, grey-brown open water surrounds low grassy banks and small patches of green vegetation.

The original, smaller Kinbasket Lake was named in 1866 after Kinbasket, a chief of the Shuswap people. The modern reservoir was created by the completion of the Mica Dam in 1973 and was called McNaughton Lake until 1980. Its flooding submerged several small communities of the Big Bend Country, including Boat Encampment and Beavermouth.

The water body takes its name from Chief Kinbasket of the Shuswap people, connecting the place to Indigenous history in the valley. This naming reflects the region's long relationship with First Nations communities.

The water is rich with fish, particularly kokanee salmon and rainbow trout, which are present throughout the year. Visitors interested in fishing can explore both sections of the reservoir and should check local conditions before heading out.

The reservoir was called McNaughton Lake, after General Andrew McNaughton, until 1980, when the name was changed to Kinbasket Lake. The name Kinbasket had belonged to the original, smaller lake, named in 1866 after a chief of the Shuswap people.