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Campsites are in high-demand during summertime in BC. Booking one can feel impossible, especially anywhere near the Lower Mainland. On May 25, 2020, when the COVID-19-related restriction on camping was lifted, over 50,000 people logged on to the BC Parks website at 7:00 a.m. and crashed the site.
This past summer I became obsessed with booking campsites. Despite the fully booked provincial parks, I somehow managed to go on six camping trips for 21 nights of camping, all with reservations. I’m happy to share some of my experiences with you and hopefully help you get a reservation for your next camping trip!
1. Wood Lake, West Harrison
From Vancouver: 2-2.5 hours
Running water: No
Cute? Yes
Wood Lake is a British Columbia Recreation Site on the west side of Harrison Lake. You have to go up a rough forest service road to get there. The campground is at a high elevation, not near the shores of Harrison Lake. Wood Lake itself is quite small. Bring your kayaks and floaties! We did the West Harrison Lookout Tower hike, which was beautiful. Overall, it was quaint and quiet, and a great start to the camping season.
Booking:
Most BC Rec Sites are first come first serve, but there are a few that you can reserve. Check out westharrisonreservations.com. Sts’Ailes manage the West Harrison campgrounds under an agreement with Recreation Sites and Trails BC. You can reserve up to 30 days in advance as of midnight, which is good because you still have a chance of grabbing a site only a month out.
When I reserved this one, booking had been open for four hours. Many sites were taken but I had some to choose from. Clearly, it was not as in-demand as the provincial parks.
2. Rocky Point, Stave Lake
Distance from Vancouver: 1.5-2 hours
Running water: No
Cute? Yes and no.
This campground is right on Stave Lake, which is actually a BC Hydro reservoir. Sometimes the water levels are low, and I was paranoid that we’d be looking out onto mud, but luckily the water levels were high when we went.
There was a beautiful waterfall a short walk up the forest service road. Went swimming. Would definitely recommend that.
We had a really good time, but the lake has a certain reputation that it lived up to—you can Google it.
It was pretty loud with ATVs, dirt bikes and fireworks. There was also graffiti on some trees. Even in the pouring rain, it was a party. If that’s not your scene, I’d probably avoid it.
I’m glad we went but I probably wouldn’t return.
Booking:
Similar to Wood Lake, this is a BC Rec Site, bookable 30 days in advance at midnight. Check out stavewestcamping.com. There are a few different campgrounds to choose from. I booked this one at midnight at the 30-day mark, just to be safe.
3. Bear Creek, Harrison East
Distance from Vancouver: 3 hours
Running Water: No
Cute? Yaaasss, with some caveats
Bear Creek is located directly on the shores of Harrison Lake. I loved this campground because it felt like a beach vacation, with a beautiful forest and waterfall a few steps away.
There are beachside sites and forested sites. A lot of the beach sites don’t have much privacy, and if the water levels are too high, there may not be a beach to camp on.
We had a beach sites, and having our own beach area was nice. My only complaints are that it felt a little crowded, and the outhouses were baadddddd. Bring a clothespin for your nose. I would go back though!
Booking:
Bear Creek is a BC rec site. Check out harrisoneastcamping.com. There a few different campgrounds to choose from. The forest service road is gnarly. We saw multiple people pulled over with popped tires, but we made it with 2WD. You can book 30 days in advance at midnight.
The day before booking, I looked through every campsite to see which were available for the day I wanted, so at midnight I knew exactly which sites were free. This might not be necessary but it guaranteed us a spot!
4. Williamson Lake, Revelstoke
Distance from Vancouver: 6 hours
Running water: Yes!
Cute? Yes!
I’ve stayed here twice, both times on the way to Banff, and for one night each time. It’s on a small lake that is popular for day-use. They have a proper sink to do your dishes! And showers, flush toilets—luxury. It’s charming. Great stopover spot en route to Banff! Would recommend.
Booking:
This is a private campground, which makes it a little easier to get a site. I booked it with less than a month before our trip during peak season, and for a Saturday night. Great spot to check if it seems like everything is booked. Check out williamsonlakecampground.ca!
5. Marble Canyon, Kootenay National Park
Distance from Vancouver: 9 hours
Running water: yes
Cute? I dream of this place every day
I fell in love with this campground. It’s located almost equally between Lake Louise and Banff, which was convenient for exploring the Rockies. While they have flush toilets and sinks, there are no showers, which was fun for us because we stayed for five nights. There is a small river running by the entrance of the campground, so we put our bathing suits on, got a cloth and bathed in the glacial run-off, which was way more memorable and romantic than a campground shower anyways. Use environmentally safe soap!
Booking:
This is a great alternative to camping in Banff National Park. I booked it about a month before our trip in August, and there were several sites available. Not sure if COVID would’ve been a factor, but it seemed like all the other campgrounds in the area were booked up. When booking, consider getting a site that is on the outer edge of the circles for more privacy. We had H1 and it was very private. You use the Parks Canada website to book!
6. Montague Harbour, Galiano Island
Distance from Vancouver: One-hour ferry from Tsawwassen
Running water: Yes… but pit toilets
Cute? Yes, very.
This campground is perfect for a Gulf Islands camping trip. I chose it because there are no stops on the ferry route unlike some of the other islands.
It’s beautiful and right on the water. The sites are walk-in only, so get ready to walk to and from your car.
Very family-oriented, lots of little kids. Also they warn about raccoons, and it’s no joke. My friend was throwing small stones at 6-7 of them in the middle of the night to get them to leave our site.
Booking:
This is a high-demand provincial park that you have to book through Discover Camping. You can book 60 days in advance at 7:00 a.m. If you miss that, you may not get a spot! I booked for the Labour Day weekend, which felt less chaotic than trying to book something within 60 days of when the system first opened in May. Would recommend!
I hope you found this article helpful for you the next time you are planning a camping trip in BC in the summer. Hopefully this helps you take advantage of all the wonderful places there are to explore in the province.
Don’t forget to check out my Youtube channel where you can watch one of our camping experiences in the Okanagan-Similkameen region!
Thanks for reading, and happy adventures everyone!
