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

The park is surrounded by trees, backed by mountains and situated in a rural neighborhood. Being that is so close to the community of Smithers, BC it is visited by many during the summer months for swimming, canoeing and fishing.

Bench Road

Smithers

Seton Portage, BC, Canada near Lillooet, Cariboo-Chilcotin Region, British Columbia is a small recreation village tucked away in a forested valley, surrounded by mountains, lakes, creeks and wildlife.

Mission Mountain Road

The park is an adventure destinations located in the North Vancouver, BC. The central highlight is the 136 metre (446 feet) hanging suspension bridge which spans across a deep gorge canyon 70 metres (230 feet) high above the Capilano River.

North Vancouver

Cameron Lake. Beautiful sandy beach for swimming, picnicking, kayaking, canoeing, fishing and windsurfing.

Port Alberni

The walkway is 50 feet wide in most areas and is lit up at night for evening use. The trail is used for walking, jogging, dog walking, rollerblading and biking.

Eby Street

Terrace

Naxwit Picnic Site and Day Use Area in Lillooet, Cariboo-Chilcotin Region, British Columbia, Canada is a very well maintained day-use-only site with plenty of informational billboards highlighting the history and wildlife of the region.

Duffey Lake Road

Lillooet

Some of the activities enjoyed on the lake include fishing, camping and canoeing. No power boats are permitted on this lake. There is a roof top boat launch located on the lake. Fishing is best enjoyed by trolling. Trout is the fish to catch here.

Wapiti Lake FSR

Cranbrook

Heritage Walking Trail in Terrace, British Columbia, Canada is a self guided trip down memory lane exploring historical destinations. Two such highlights include the site where Canada’s longest and largest military mutiny occurred and the historical buildings of the Heritage Park Museum.

Grieg Avenue

Terrace

Service Park in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada is an elevated park located in the centre of the commercial district of Prince Rupert, BC. The park sits on a hillside on Fulton Street surrounded by floral gardens, protected by Totem Poles and dissected by a paved walking path.

Fulton Street

Prince Rupert

Barkerville Historic Homestead in North Cariboo-Chilcotin Region, British Columbia, Canada is BC's most popular historic mining town attraction located on the Cariboo Gold Rush Trail made popular in the late 1800s.

Highway 26

Wells

Pioneer Park is a small sandy beach park located in Lake Country near the community of Oyama, BC. The beach park is situated in a small cove on the south end of Kalamalka Lake.

Trask Road

Oyama

Fountain Lake (Kwotlenemo Lake) near lillooet is popular for fishing, mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, horseback riding, boating, swimming, picnicking, hiking and camping.

Fountain Valley Road

Lillooet

Discover Clearbrook Park & Downes Bowl Trail. A recreation green space area with an activity trail located in the community of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.

Abbotsford

McClymont Park in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada featuring 3 Totem Poles popular for walkers, roller bladers, mountain bikers and joggers.

Highway 16

Prince Rupert

The North Coast Backpacking Trail is an extension of the Cape Scott Backpacking Trail. The North Coast Trail is the longest and most challenging and exhaustive wilderness backpacking trail on the northern end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Although shorter than the famous West Coast

Port Hardy