The best camping near Campbell River

In British Columbia’s oldest provincial park, you can go hiking, canoeing, fishing, climbing, backpacking, and camping in both frontcountry and wilderness areas. Most of the vehicle-accessible campgrounds, reservable through BC Parks Discover Camping site, are open from April or May through September or October. The park stays open year-round for winter camping in the backcountry.

and early fall. The weather can stay comfortable through October, although you can have more rain. From April through June, in the more volatile spring, there are mild days, too, as winter rains abate and flowers begin to bloom. Expect winter snow at higher elevations. Trails in Strathcona Provincial Park can be snow-covered from late October through June.

• The most direct route from mainland British Columbia to Campbell River is to take BC Ferries’ car ferry from Horseshoe Bay (near Vancouver) to Nanaimo’s Departure Bay, then drive 90 minutes north to Campbell River. Make advance ferry reservations for cars or RVs in summer, or on holidays and weekends year-round. 
• An alternate scenic route between Vancouver and Campbell River takes you through BC’s Sunshine Coast, with three ferry hops that eventually bring you to Comox on Vancouver Island.
• Pick up supplies in Campbell River, the largest commercial center in this part of Vancouver Island, if you’re heading for Strathcona Provincial Park, for Quadra or Cortes Islands, or for any of the north island’s farther-flung communities.