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Best Frontcountry Campgrounds near Vancouver for Paddlers
Camping and paddling are two of our family’s main warm-weather hobbies. Some of the best paddling in our region can be had early in the morning before the crowds and winds pick up. The easiest way to get onto the water at daybreak is to sleep right next to it the night before, so here…
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Camping at Golden Ears Provincial Park
Quick Facts: Golden Ears Provincial Park is one of the closest parks to Vancouver, so despite the massive campgrounds with a combined 443 front country campsites, it can still get full on a summer weekend. In fact, it’s so popular that in the peak season, BC Parks imposes a free day pass system for day…
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Hicks Lake Paddle – Sasquatch Provincial Park
Hicks Lake in Sasquatch Provincial Park is a small but beautiful lake, about 6km to circumnavigate. It’s conveniently attached to Hicks Lake Campground but also has a sizable day use area and boat ramp. Campers in the other campgrounds in the provincial park are known to drive to Hicks Lake to enjoy the cleaner water…
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Camping at Sasquatch Provincial Park – Hicks Lake Campground
Quick Facts: As a provincial park near Metro Vancouver, it’s always surprising to me that Sasquatch Park tends to be one of the last ones to be filled up. It’s likely due to the rustic amenities: it only has pit toilets, no showers, and even the water taps are contaminated with E. coli and therefore…
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Chilliwack Lake Paddle
One of our primary targets of camping at Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park is paddling the beautiful Chilliwack Lake. I booked campsite P26 in the busy Paleface Loop precisely so that I can get to the lake as easily as possible. On the first morning of our trip, I got up bright and early at 5am.…
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Camping at Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park
Quick Facts: Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park is located 140km east of Vancouver and surprisingly far from Chilliwack. From Vedder Crossing, you need to drive another 40km east on Chilliwack Lake Road, which gets increasingly remote and wild but thankfully it’s paved the entire way till the provincial park. Along Chilliwack Lake Road, there are lots…
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Camping at Dash Point State Park
Quick Facts: On a random January day, our friend Jenny serendipitiously dropped by for a quick visit with Tina while I was in the middle of booking some camping trips. I didn’t want to wait for the crap shoot that invariably awaits on the BC Provincial Park reservation system for booking May Long, so I…
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Camping at Birch Bay State Park
Camping in Washington State Parks From our home base in Vancouver, we’ve camped to the north along the Sea to Sky corridor and Sunshine Coast, west on Vancouver Island (ok, technically Victoria is more south than west from Vancouver, but on the rudimentary map in my mind, the entire Island is our western shield), and…
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Indian Arm Paddle to Thwaytes Landing Regional Park
Thwaytes Landing is a water-access-only, 130-acre property midway up Indian Arm, directly across from the famous Buntzen Powerhouses. The Land Conservancy (TLC), who purchased and transferred the property to GVRD to turn it into a regional park, has a fantastic write-up on its history and features. In summary, the lot was named after Captain Tom…
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Maple Bay Cabins Camping at Cultus Lake
A cool new addition to Cultus Lake Provincial Park is the 25 new cabins they installed at Maple Bay. It’s very close to the Maple Bay Campground, connected by a newly paved road that connects the two areas. This is a fantastic option if you or your companions prefer a little more comfort than tent…