{{About||the town in Alberta|Fort Macleod|McLeod Lake in Stockton, California|Stockton Channel}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox settlement |official_name = McLeod Lake |other_name = |native_name = |nickname = |settlement_type = |motto = |image_skyline = |imagesize = |image_caption = |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |city_logo = |citylogo_size = |image_map = |pushpin_map = Canada British Columbia |pushpin_map_caption =Location of McLeod Lake in British Columbia |mapsize = |map_caption = |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = |image_dot_map =<!-- Census divisions BC.png --> |dot_mapsize = |dot_map_caption = |dot_x = |dot_y = <!-- Places dot on the map listed above --> |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = Canada |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = British Columbia |subdivision_type2 = Regional District |subdivision_name2 = Fraser-Fort George |subdivision_type3 =<!-- Census division --> |subdivision_name3 = |subdivision_type4 = |subdivision_name4 = |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title =<!-- Mayor --> |leader_name =<!-- No information --> |leader_title1 = Governing&nbsp;body |leader_name1 =<!-- District of Mackenzie Municipal Council --> |leader_title2 =MP |leader_name2 =Bob Zimmer |leader_title3 =MLAs |leader_name3 =Mike Morris |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |established_title = Established |established_date = 1805 |established_title2 = |established_date2 = |established_title3 = |established_date3 = |area_magnitude = |unit_pref =<!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired--> |area_footnotes = <ref name="2006census">[http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5953802&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=McLeod%20Lake&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=59&B1=All&Custom= 2006 Community Profiles]{{Dead link|date=March 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> |area_total_km2 = |area_land_km2 =10.23 |area_water_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi = |area_land_sq_mi = |area_water_sq_mi = |area_water_percent = |area_urban_km2 = |area_urban_sq_mi = |area_metro_km2 = |area_metro_sq_mi = |population_as_of = 2016 |population_footnotes =<ref name="2016census">[http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5953802&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=McLeod%20Lake&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=59&B1=All&Custom= 2016 Community Profiles]{{Dead link|date=March 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> |population_note = |population_total = 94 |population_density_km2 = 8.5 |population_density_sq_mi = |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_sq_mi = |population_blank1_title = |population_blank1 = |population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi = |timezone = PST |utc_offset = −8 |timezone_DST = PDT |utc_offset_DST = −7 |coordinates = {{coord|54|59|05|N|123|02|43|W|type:city_scale:10000|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use<ref> tags--> |elevation_m = 756 |elevation_ft = 2,496 |postal_code_type = Postal code span |postal_code =V0J 2G0 |area_code = 250 / 778 / 236 |blank_name = Highways |blank_info = {{jct|state=BC|Hwy|97}} |blank1_name =<!-- Waterways --> |blank1_info = |website = |footnotes = }} '''McLeod Lake''' is an unincorporated community located on Highway 97 in northern British Columbia, Canada, {{convert|140|km|abbr=on}} north of Prince George. It is notable for being the first continuously inhabited European settlement established west of the Rocky Mountains in present-day Canada.

== History == Originally named Trout Lake Fort, it was founded by the explorer and North West Company trader Simon Fraser in 1805 and was for a while known as La Malice Fort, after an employee left in charge during Fraser's absence. It became known soon after as Fort McLeod during the tenure of Archibald Norman McLeod, who was in charge of the post for many years.<ref name = Akrigg>{{Citation | last =Akrigg | first =G.P.V. | last2 =Akrigg | first2 =Helen B. | title =British Columbia Place Names | place =Vancouver | publisher =UBC Press | year =1986 | edition =3rd, 1997 | isbn =0-7748-0636-2 | url-access =registration | url =https://archive.org/details/britishcolumbiap0000akri_w1q9 }}</ref>{{rp|170}} The site of the fort was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1953.<ref>{{CRHP|16523|Fort McLeod National Historic Site of Canada|30 November 2011}}</ref>

'''McLeod Lake Indian Reserve No. 1''', which is adjacent to the non-native community, has a population of around 87, the main residents being an Athabascan Sekani people known as "Tse'Khene" (the people of the rock, in reference to the Rocky Mountains). Having signed Treaty 8 in the year 2000,<ref>[http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nr/prs/j-a2000/00115bk_e.html ''McLeod Lake Indian Band Final Agreement'', Indian and Northern Affairs Canada] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321175848/http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nr/prs/j-a2000/00115bk_e.html |date=2009-03-21 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.gov.bc.ca/arr/firstnation/nisgaa/mcleod/default.html ''McLeod Lake Indian Band Treaty No. 8 Adhesion and Settlement Agreement Documents'' BC Govt Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation]</ref> the natives of the community are trying to direct themselves towards self-government and employment stability.

The lake itself is {{convert|2290|ha|abbr=on}}.

A point in the marshes on its southern shore of nearby Summit Lake marks the low point of the divide between the drainages of the Fraser and Peace Rivers, As such it is significant as the prominence col between all points south in the Rockies and beyond and their "parent" summits in northern BC and Alaska. Summit Lake col, at {{convert|710|m|abbr=on}} in elevation, is the low point on the mountain spine of the Americas that connects Pico de Orizaba ({{convert|5640|m|abbr=on}}) in Mexico with its next-higher "parent" peak, Mount Logan ({{convert|5959|m|abbr=on}}).

==See also== *List of rivers of British Columbia *Mackenzie, British Columbia

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Bibliography== *[http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/bcgn-bin/bcg10?name=45745{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} BCGNIS listing "Fort McLeod (fort)" - Rescinded]{{Dead link|date=March 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} *[http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/20585.html BC Geographical Names listing "McLeod Lake (Community)"] *[http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/3591.html BC Geographical Names listing "Fort McLeod Historic Park"]

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060424080008/http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/carplake.html Carp Lake Provincial Park]

{{Columbia Department}} {{NHSC}} {{British Columbia parks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mcleod Lake, British Columbia}} Category:Unincorporated settlements in British Columbia Category:Populated places in the Regional District of Fraser–Fort George Category:Hudson's Bay Company forts Category:Fur trade Category:National Historic Sites in British Columbia