Notable Campgrounds
- Best for big groups: The Horseshoe Bend group site is known for its serene location and large picnic shelter with wood stoves and sinks.
- Best for Great Trail of Canada hikers: The 43-site Stoltz Pool Campground has four walk-in campsites.
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
- Reservations are recommended and available through BC Parks’ Discover Camping website for bookings between May 15 and September (and for groups from March to October).
- If visiting weekends or holidays (Canada Day, BC Day, or Labour Day), secure a spot as far in advance of your trip as possible.
- Your best chance at scoring one of the 18 first-come, first-served spots is by showing up right at 11am checkout.
- If you can’t get a spot, try Gordon Bay Provincial Park on nearby Lake Cowichan.
When to Go
Cowichan River Provincial Park is open for camping year-round, though some services are unavailable outside of the May to October season. For the warmest water, think about booking in July or August (though this will also be the busiest time in the park). The fall salmon run is easy to view at Marie Canyon.
Know Before You Go
- The Trans-Canada Trail runs through the park over the nearby disused rail bed and takes hikers over the restored 66-Mile and Holt Creek railway trestles.
- The nearby communities of Duncan and Lake Cowichan offer a variety of museums, shops, and restaurants.
Cowichan River Provincial Park
Riverside camping with warm water swimming and easy Trans-Canada Trail access.
Located on a linear 1,414-hectare park, Cowichan River Provincial Park is home to a portion of the Great Trail of Canada, which winds through the parkland, following the Cowichan River to Cowichan Lake. Families are drawn to the river’s warm waters, which are also popular among popular kayakers and tubers, and offer excellent fishing with abundant salmon, steelhead, and trout. Cowichan River Provincial Park lies within the territory of the Quw’utsun (Cowichan) people.
Located on a linear 1,414-hectare park, Cowichan River Provincial Park is home to a portion of the Great Trail of Canada, which winds through the parkland, following the Cowichan River to Cowichan Lake. Families are drawn to the river’s warm waters, which are also popular among popular kayakers and tubers, and offer excellent fishing with abundant salmon, steelhead, and trout. Cowichan River Provincial Park lies within the territory of the Quw’utsun (Cowichan) people.
Notable Campgrounds
- Best for big groups: The Horseshoe Bend group site is known for its serene location and large picnic shelter with wood stoves and sinks.
- Best for Great Trail of Canada hikers: The 43-site Stoltz Pool Campground has four walk-in campsites.
Read more...Notable Campgrounds
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
When to Go
Cowichan River Provincial Park is open for camping year-round, though some services are unavailable outside of the May to October season. For the warmest water, think about booking in July or August (though this will also be the busiest time in the park). The fall salmon run is easy to view at Marie Canyon.
Know Before You Go