Camping near Abbotsford with swimming

Hugging the US border, Abbotsford is set in a wide swathe of farmland split by the Fraser River and the Trans-Canada Highway. The Fraser Valley urban centre is a base from which to embark east into the BC interior or west to the coast. Sumas Mountain Regional Park butts up against Abbotsford’s eastern edge with hiking and mountain biking trails (from easier Squidline to the hardcore Knob Gobbler) skirting its slopes. It’s also a happening spot for agritourism, from lavender fields and a meadery to apple orchards and a cidery.

The Fraser Valley is a year-round destination with mild-but-wet weather from November to February. Higher alpine regions may get snow (with the closest skiing to Abbotsford being across the border on the slopes of Mount Baker), but summer is peak season for camping, especially at lakes, and valley temperatures can be many degrees hotter than at the coast and mountains.

• Most provincial parks take site reservations in advance (recommended throughout the high season of summer) and give an early priority booking window to BC residents.
• The Trans-Canada Highway, which runs through Abbotsford and neighbouring municipalities, is the main thoroughfare to points east and west and can become very congested during rush hours on weekdays and holiday weekends.
• Travelling across the border to the United States can also be very busy during weekends and holidays, requires a valid passport, and is subject to closures (you may need to return via a different crossing than anticipated).