Trout Lake is an unincorporated community in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia.

[5] In 1895, the completion of the wagon road initiated a stage service to Thomson's Landing (Beaton).

[7] That year, a sawmill was set up,[8] construction boomed, a constable took up residence,[9] and the weekly Trout Lake Topic was launched.

[12] By 1898, complementing the hotels and sawmill were four general stores, a meat market, drugstore, assayer, printer, barber, blacksmith, three livery stables, schoolhouse, and government buildings.

[21] In 1904, the Anglican Church was built,[22] the Park Hotel opened to the northwest,[23] Ferguson's Lardeau Eagle amalgamated with the Trout Lake Topic to create the Lardeau Mining Review,[24] and the town water supply system came on line.

[37] In summer 1916, new machinery doubled capacity,[38] but fire totally destroyed the complex within months.

[44] The settlement contains about 40 permanent residents and many recreational properties for visitors attracted by the scenery and fishing.

Outside the general store stands a functioning, hand-pumped, glass-enclosed, gravity-fed gasoline pump.