17 replies to this topic

[BrianG]

We're leaving soon for an extended camping trip to British Columbia, our route will be Vancouver, Williams Lake, Bella Coola, and Prince Rupert. I would really like to hear some suggestions for camping between and at these destinations? I'd also like to do some fishing along the way?

 

Thanks,

Brian

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Brian,don't have any info about the  Williams Lk, Bella Cola area. But If you need a spot when you get to Pr.Rupert,I assume you are going by ferry? There is a campground almost at the ferry dock. Clean with grass spots,showers and if you feel you need to stretch your legs a little it's not that far to walk into town.In town there is a great seafood place on the docks. "Smiles" good food good prices.

East of Pr Rupert ,on hwy 16,100 miles or so  in the Terrace area you come to Klenza Creek has 23 sites visited but not stayed.Next just west of New Hazelton is Selley Lk.small 20 sites, but right on the lake and good fishing.Stayed there a couple nights.The campground is a few miles east of the Cassiar Rd junction.

 

If you go up the Cassiar Hwy even just to Stewart/Hyder area there are some lakes with nice spots.Like almost all Canadian parks they are nice and clean.

Farther east by Burns Lk there is a side road north to Edith Wilson Lk also a nice small lake ,although I haven't been there in 26 years so don't know what has changed.It was nice and quiet than.

If you can get a "British Columbia road map and parks guide",they give them out at the info centers,but I think you can request it on line. It is a very helpful map with all the BC parks on it.

 

Want to hear about the ferry connection from Bella Cola to Rupert.Have wanted to take the ferry from Port Hardy to Bella Cola but the timing hasn't worked out.Hope this has helped.

 

There are a lot of camping places in BC some are "dispersed"in logged areas.I think you can search for that type of campground.

Have a good safe trip

We are headed up to Alaska beginning of Aug and hope to come home through the Cassiar area.

 

Have a great trip.

Frank

[N'kwala]

Sounds like a fine trip.  Maybe a few questions--this isn't my most travelled neck of the woods but I've covered most of that territory at least once or twice.

 

How are you getting from Vancouver to Williams Lake?  There are two routes (mainly), one via Hwy 1 (Trans-Canada) through the Fraser Valley and the Fraser Canyon, then up 97 from Cache Creek.  I've grown to loathe the Fraser Valley (horrible suburban sprawl and a stench of chemical fertiliser) although the Canyon remains interesting.  Other route is Hwy 99, comes out on 97 just north of Cache Creek.  Goes through Whistler (also loathe--way too crowded) and Lillooet.  I think it's great country and lots of place for either dispersed or Forest Service camping.  Road from Vancouver to Whistler is really annoying--rich endorphin junkies driving like maniacs on a windy road.  Whistler east, it looked as though people were catching fish at the FS campgrounds.  Nothing spectacular, but fishy.  

 

Camping in Vancouver is a nonstarter.  If you REALLY MUST camp there, I'd reluctantly recommend Capilano Campground, run by the First Nations Folks there, just under the Lion's Gate Bridge.  It's crowded and expensive but clean.  Provincial Parks in the area fill up fast, and are helliferous expensive.  Just forget Porteau Cove, it books up months and months in advance and there's a really noisy train goes by at night, anyhow.  Near Whistler Cal-Cheak Forest Service Campground is pretty good.  I've only camped there in the fall and have no idea how crowded it may be in June.

 

Lots of nice dispersed and FS camping between Cache Creek and Williams Lake.  I'd gather you'll be travelling Hwy 20 from WL?  An adventure.  Most of it is really beautiful, some nice camping and some good fishing.  Got clobbered by pine beetles and forest fires in recent years.  The famous part it is the stretch from Anahim Lake to Bella Coola which has a 10k stretch of 18% (yep, really) grade on a narrow, unpaved road.  It's gloriously beautiful and there are porta-toilets at the top of the hill.  I recommend using them, you may spare your upholstery.  The other thing that one should know about the western extreme of 20 is that there are LOTS and LOTS of grizzlies.  More than I've ever seen anywhere else.  Saw 8 along the road in the space of an hour and if you see 8, reckon on there being lots more keeping a low profile.  This may have implications for how and where you camp.

 

Are you then taking 16 back to Prince George from Prince Rupert?  I agree with Frank about the campground although I may have read recently that it's being closed down for "development."  Snarl.  I've eaten the freshest and best halibut ever from the fish store in Prince Rupert.  Just grilled it back at the campground.  To die for.  Hwy 16 is pretty magnificent.  North of Terrace, I camped for a couple nights once in May in Redsand Lake FS Campground.  It's some years back but it was quite nice and I think it's supposed to be fishy.   

 

Hazelton area and the Ksan village are interesting.  Some great carving and buildings made by the Gitksan and Wetsuweten folks.  Otherwise kinda depressing due to a lot of poverty.  The Hazelton Elementary school is the only school I ever encountered where the kids had ASKED for an inside recess because there was a griz wandering around the schoolyard.  I'm sure it happened elsewhere too, but that was the one I met up with.

 

Frankly, I'd likely give Prince George a miss. (You can't, actually, but I wouldn't hang around.)  Probably a bias because I got food poisoning at the Pizza Hut there...But there are some nice fishy lakes around Quesnel including Quesnel Lake itself and some ok camping.  I also camped a few nights at Green Lake, east of 70 Mile House, reputedly fishy.  But becoming rather developed, I gather.  

 

More may well spring to mind.  I sound rather negative about some stuff above, but I love BC oh so deeply and envy you your trip.  For eight years in the early 2000s I had a job that required me to visit schools all over the Province for a stretch in April and May.  Spent about 6 weeks on the road, each year, camping in a VW Westy.  Got to know the territory somewhat.  

 

Enjoy.  I'll try to answer questions or find someone who might know if I can help.  I'll look forward to the trip report.

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Brian, N'kwala has some great info. You might PM Rich "Missinglink". I think he might have some info about the road/camping to Bella Cola.

Boy hope that RV park near the ferry in Pr. Rupert hasn't closed. It did make a nice spot to get into after/before the ferry.

Frank

[N'kwala]

Also you should know it rains A LOT in Prince Rupert.  Hope you've got a good tarp.

[N'kwala]

Also, possibly useful.  http://www.backroadmapbooks.com/  Includes detailed maps, GPS (since my time) and fishing guides.  Might be worth a look.

[BrianG]

Thanks for all the great info, now I just have to digest it all. Wasn't planning on ferry from Bella Coola to Prince Rupert, maybe I can get lucky in Bella and fine a spot up to Rupert. This is our first time in Canada and we didn't want to make any definite plans, just explore. A little haphazard, but always seems to work out.

 

I did buy the backroadmapbooks gps maps for BC and fishing guide for central/north area, both are very detailed. I've called them twice with questions and they are very helpful.

 

We're driving from Reno to Vancouver and onward, exploring Vancouver is for a trip in the future. Our real destinations for this trip are up north.

 

Lots of info, I've got to get out my maps and see exactly where all these places you've mentioned are!!

[Bill D]

Brian I like your way of thinking.

 

I live in Edmonton, Alberta Canada (about 600 miles east from where you will be traveling on the the other side of the Rockies.)

 

I rode my motorcycle from here to Tijuana 15 years ago.  I had never been to the United States.  I could have planned it all out, but that takes the adventure out of adventure travel.  I left with a 1 page map of North America in my front pocket, a $5 disposable camera and my tent. No cell phone, no computer etc.  I have zero regrets on the trip.  It was all an adventure and I loved every minute of it.

 

Indeed take in and process what others have suggested, but look at a lack of information as an invitation to strike up conversation with some of the locals, other travellers, or to simply go with the flow.

 

Edit: Come to think about it.  I did the same thing 15 years ago on my motorcycle on a trip to the BC West Coast and Vancouver Island.  I didn't go as far up the West Coast.  I did a circle pack on the BC Ferries.  Essentially the BC gov't wants to promote tourism so they have a ~15% discount on the ferries.

https://www.bcferrie...tal-circle-tour

I did this trip with my GF and a truck tent camping about 7 years ago and we still talk about it today.

I'd love to do this trip again with the Hawk.

If you are not set on your Northern BC trip this is an option that I think is much more enjoyable trip and there is a lot more to see with less driving involved.  If you are interested just post and I'll list some other the exciting things to see and do.  It's amazing.  Watching extreme kayakers, hiking, fishing, birds of prey landing on a gauntlet on your arm.  

Edited by Bill D, 29 May 2016 - 12:18 AM.

[robbie]

We went out towards Badly Hughes a bit north of Prince George and drove the Blakwater road and came out at Williams Lake.  We wanted to keep going on the bakcroad but ran out of time.  Other wise we could have driven all the way to lillooet then down to Whistler.  Great camping and cattle country.  We stopped too  often so ran out of time..

Have a great trip.

Robbie

Watson Lake Yukon

[Missing Link]

Brian - In 20001 we took the BC Ferry from Port Hardy (northern end of Vancouver Island) to Bella Coola, then drove hwy. 20 to Williams Lake.  Stayed in a great campground in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, right next to a meandering river.  Prior to the trip we had read on the internet about the "big hill" east of Bella Coola and were a little anxious about it . . . . had absolutely no problem at the time we were there.  Here are a few additional random thoughts regarding your trip:  when heading north we usually spend a night at 10 Mile camp, just outside of Quesnel, then spend the next night at Meziadin Lake PP on the Cassier Hwy, just before you get to the Stewart/Hyder turn off.  A super CG, but sometimes it can get crowded.  This is somewhat outside of your planned itinerary but if time (and money) permit, you might consider taking the ferry from Prince Rupert to the Queen Charlotte Islands.  They are beautiful and very uncrowded.  As others have said, wherever you go in BC, you will have a great time . . . .enjoy!