B.C. Provincial Parks, Southwest B.C

[kantw82go]

We have visited B.C. in the past and enjoy the land and scenery as well as the folks we meet immensely.  Our next trip will be to the Southwest area around Whistler and Harrison Hot Springs.  Any Canadians or others familiar with this area who have any tips or recommendations are most welcome to share!  We plan to stay in Provincial Parks.  Specifically, are there any must-dos, experiences to have, or worthwhile destinations we should try?  We have an 11 and 13 year old, girl and boy, as well as bikes for everyone.  Any great bike trails or tours to take?  Thanks all.

[Shelly]

I know it is a little late probably but most of the provincial campsites are beautiful here in BC.  In the summer you may need reservations though as they book and fill up fast.  A note on Harrison Hot Springs is that fires are not allowed pretty much any time we checked last year.  The campgrounds around there are pretty regulated, usually with one group fire to share if the weather & wind are certain temps & speeds.  If you are going up to Whistler then the following:
Provincial Parks have water pumps and outhouses, some have showers & flush toilets but I guess it is what everyone here calls dry camping
Alice Lake is very nice, popular Lake
Nairns falls is past Whistler nice I thought
Golden Ears nice trailes busy in summer
Cultus Lake very busy in the summer (too busy for me & too comercialised)

There is apparently beautiful spots on Vancouver Island & the Gulf Islands but so far we haven't coughed up the money for the ferry rides over.  There are too many nice spots that we haven't discovered yet here on the mainland.

Provincial webiste for the campgrounds which covers reservations, amenities etc is http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks

Hopefully this will help anyone heading up our way this summer!

[kantw82go]

Thank you Shelly for the feedback.  Yes, last summer we came up to B.C. and had what we consider a great trip overall.  We went to Golden Ears, then on to Harrison Hot Springs (Sasquatch Prov. Park) where some local rowdies who don't understand civility and the difference between a bar and ghetto and a Public campground ruffled our feathers a little but nothing a RCMP couldn't ultimately settle.  (the drunks were hauled off out of the campground)  Then we drove around to Nairn Falls and enjoyed Whistler and that area.  It was a great trip.  I've always enjoyed B.C. and think Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and B.C. should've been boundaried as their own sovereign country!  Ah heck, throw Alaska and Alberta into that mix.  Now if only the price of gas would go down.

[West Coast Canuck]

Check out Lightning Lakes in Manning Provincial park. It has hot showers and toilets as well as a lake that you can canoe in. They have canoe rentals and I found this park very nice. It is really peaceful on the lake. You should reserve for this campsite in the Spring if you plan to camp there in the Summer.