British Columbia Parks and Trails

Planning adventures in our British Columbia Parks and Trails

Parks, hiking trails, historic sites, heritage sites, rivers, lakes and natural areas in BC Canada

British Columbia parks and trails in Canada covers every type of landscape and seascape including mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, glaciers, forests, wetlands, wildlife, ecological and heritage. All play a big part in the creation of our BC parks system. Some of our BC Parks and heritage trails tells the long history of Canada. Others are for protection of wildlife, floral and fauna. Then there are those strictly designed for adventures and leisure living outdoors. There are over 11,400,000 hectares of BC parkland in Canada with over 2,700 kilometres of hiking and mountain biking trails.

British Columbia Parks & Trails

Over 800+ BC Parks in the province

There are over 800 or so British Columbia parks in Canada. This, by no means, is the total number of wilderness and recreation parks in British Columbia, Canada as there are many others that do not fall under the Provincial umbrella. Other parks in the province includes a few National parks and many smaller community, regional, hyro and forestry recreation parks located throughout the province. Only 12.5% of our province is protected by BC Parks and 0.6% is protected by National Parks.

Provincial & National Parks

Provincial & National Parks

Provincial and National Parks are the most popular parks in the province. Some of the BC parks are very well developed with day use areas, amphitheaters, museums, parking lots, campgrounds, boat launches, showers and washrooms. Then there are others, generally more rural, that are left in their natural state.

Many of the Provincial and National parks in British Columbia include access to very popular Canadian outdoor activities including backpacking, boating, water skiiing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding plus camping. There are 340 Provincial Parks with campgrounds (11,075 campsites) in British Columbia. Many have a "pay to use" format in place. Here is a list of all the activities popular in our BC Parks system.

Community & Regional Parks

Community & Regional Parks

Community and Regional Parks are, relatively a lot smaller than Provincial and National Parks. Many are located near communities and include such items as picnic tables, sitting benches, playgrounds, band stands, paved walking trails, flower gardens, skateboard parks, viewpoints, washrooms, museums, swimming, and/or info boards. It is important to read our information pages on each park for the available amenties.

Forestry Recreation Sites

Forestry Recreation Sites

Forestry Recreation Sites are the most rural and remote British Columbia park destinations. They are often located on rough gravel roads leading deep into the backcountry to rivers and lakes. The British Columbia parks and recreation sites are more campsite than park with no power, pit toilets and sometimes a gravel boat launch but more often a roof top boat launch. Forestry Recreation Sites are self maintained. Please leave no trace behind. Pack out what you pack in! Under each community on this website is a list of all the parks in the region.

British Columbia Parks and Trails in Canada Summary

British Columbia parks and trails are used for many occasions and activities. The Khutzeymateen Provincial Park is Canada's only grizzly bear sanctuary. The Tweedsmuir Provincial Park is British Columbia's largest provincial park covering 989,616 hectares. On Vancouver Island the 440 metre Della Falls in Strathcona Park is Canada's highest waterfall and is one of the ten highest falls in the world!

Parks are an important part of our province providing thousands an opportunity to enjoy the wilderness outdoors. It is said 6 out of 10 people living in BC visit a park every year.

The British Columbia parks and recreation sites are here for yours and our tourism enjoyment. Please help us care for them and respect them. Do not leave garbage behind. Do not feed the wildlife. Always ask questions on the services, amenities, fees and rules to live by when in the park.

British Columbia Parks and Trails in Canada

Click the BC Regions below to view parks, trails and places in that area.

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Parks and Trails

Gulf Islands

Gulf Islands Parks and Trails

Haida Gwaii

Haida Gwaii Parks and Trails

Kootenay

Kootenay Parks and Trails

Lower Mainland

Lower Mainland Parks and Trails

North BC

North BC Parks and Trails

Okanagan

Okanagan Parks and Trails

Sunshine Coast

Sunshine Coast Parks and Trails

Thompson Shuswap

Thompson Shuswap Parks and Trails

Vancouver Island

Whistler Area

Whistler Region Parks and Trails

Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park is 9,755 hectares in size. The Birkenhead Provincial Park is best known as a playground for mountain bikers, hikers, campers, RVs and boating enthusiasts.

Blackwater Lake Rd

Nearby Community: Pemberton

The park is well known for its many activities, lakes, flowering meadows, camping opportunities and beautiful scenery. Garibaldi Provincial Park is best known for its 90+ kilometres of hiking and backpacking trails.

Highway 99

Nearby Community: Whistler

Haig Brown House is a Canadian Heritage Site located in the community of Campbell River. The estate was once the home to a heralded naturalist and environmentalist named Roderick Haig Brown.

Nearby Community: Campbell River

Mountain Bike Skills Park is a small local recreation mountain bike park located in the community of Rossland, BC in the Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. The skills park is a good starting point for mountain bikers to warm up before a ride as it is near a few mountain biking trails that

Irwin Avenue

Nearby Community: Rossland

Barnet Marine Park is a sightseeing marine destination with trails, change rooms, outdoor showers, grassy lawns, swimming area, BBQs, washrooms, canoe launch, off leash dog area, fishing pier and various day use picnic sites.

Takeda Drive

Nearby Community: Burnaby

Fairy Creek Falls Trail is a hiking route exploring along a small creek leading to a viewpoint overlooking a 5 metre waterfall. The wilderness trail is located in the community of Fernie, BC in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada.

Commerce Road

Nearby Community: Fernie

The Old Cascade Highway is a historic transportation route which is the ultimate day trip through the mountains via a narrow, gravel road traveling over two mountain summits.

Old Cascade Highway

Nearby Community: Rossland

Indian Head - McIntyre Bluff is a mountain of white granite towering 265 metres providing far reaching views near the communities of Oliver and Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, Canada.

300 Covert Place

Nearby Community: Oliver

Peterson Creek Nature Park in Kamloops, BC, Canada is a protected watershed park covering over 423 hectares popular for hiking, biking, dog walking, birding, sightseeing and wildlife viewing

Glenfir Drive

Nearby Community: Kamloops

The 3-6 days spent hiking along muddy trails, wooden bridges, climbing over deadfall trees, trekking along sandy and pebbled beaches provides lots of opportunity to discover spanning ocean views, historical shipwrecks and Haida Ancient Village Sites.

Highway 16

Nearby Community: Masset

Home to the the "World's Largest Fly Rod", gardens, water fountain, playground and some information boards about the community of Houston BC.

Highway 16

Nearby Community: Houston

Spotted Lake is an environmental anomaly located in the Okanagan Valley near the community of Osoyoos, BC, Canada. The lake has a long history with the local First Nation People.

Highway #3

Nearby Community: Osoyoos

Miracle Beach enjoys vast sandy beaches and over 2 kilometres of hiking trails. The beach is a popular summer beachcombing area. Miracle Beach is next door to Saratoga Beach and part of the Miracle Beach Provincial Park.

Nicola Lake provides some of the best lake views while traveling the major highways in the valley. Many visit the lake, every year, for camping, boating, water skiing, canoeing, fishing and sailing.

Highway 5A

Nearby Community: Merritt