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 highlight of the route are the viewing benches, the aspen forest and a viewing platform situated along the trail for all to use. During the summer and early fall months the wetlands are visited by many ducks.

Nadina Way

Houston

Overlander Park is a sandy beach park located on the Thompson River in the community of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada.

Larch Avenue

Kamloops

The Andy Bailey Regional Park is a campground, day use area and recreation destination for activities like fishing, canoeing, camping, picnicking and birdwatching.

Highway 97

Fort Nelson

The lake is a very popular destination for many who like lake activities. On the shores of the small lake is a wilderness forestry campground with a day use area, pit toilets and a roof top boat launch. The lake attracts people to the park for the fishing, camping, swimming, picnicking.

Paska Lake Road

Logan Lake

Burnaby Mountain is one of the dominant geographical features of Burnaby, BC, Canada. The mountain peak reaches an 370 metres (1214 ft) and looks out over Burrard Inlet and the City of Vancouver.

Barnett Highway

Burnaby

Some of the main highlights in the park include a beautiful white shelled beach, a sheltered lagoon and a network of hiking trails. The main trail in the park is the 3 kilometre hiking trail exploring Gray Peninsula.

Montague Park Road

The lake is river fed so the water levels go up and down with the seasons. During the summer the lake warms up enough to attract people to the region for swimming, fishing, boating, canoeing, camping, picnicking and kayaking.

Kamloops

Lily Lake is a wilderness recreation lake in the deep back country forests located southwest of the community of Merritt, British Columbia, Canada. The lake is a remote destination popular for birdwatching, horseback riding, fishing, wilderness camping and canoeing.

Merritt

The trail is over 600 kilometres in length and is a popular route for hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, horseback riding and dirt biking in the summer months. During the winter, some of the sections of the trail become cross country ski, snowmobile and snowshoe routes.

The alpine ski resort and surrounding back country are popular destinations for skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, heli skiing and snowmobiling in the winter months.

Gerry Sorensen Way

Kimberley

Denninger Scout Trail is a challenging, thigh-burning hike up a steep grade of Bald Mountain for 8.8 kilometres before reaching the summit with far reaching views. To assist in your steep hike there are about 9 to 10 switchbacks along

Lake Cowichan

The park is a horticultural park with beautiful gardens, a playground, spray park, sports fields, day use picnic areas, washrooms, petting zoo, tennis courts, gazebo, bandshell, picnic shelters and a food vendor operating in the summer months.

1st Street

New Westminster

Blackwater Lake near Pemberton, British Columbia, Canada is a small remote lake nestled in the forest that is located north of Pemberton and east of the community of D'Arcy, BC. The lake is mainly used as a swimming and fishing hole. There are some who stop by for a picnic.

Blackwater Lake Rd

Pemberton

Serpentine Fen Park also referred to as the Serpentine Wildlife Area is a protected wetland-marsh eco system popular for birdwatching and walking trails in the region of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. The trails follow a system of dykes leading to 3 viewing towers.

44th Avenue

Surrey

Little Mountain Park is a sightseeing hiking destination with a network of trails exploring fields, forests and views overlooking the community of Salmon Arm, BC, Canada and Shuswap Lake.

Salmon Arm