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

Ashcroft,Cache Creek,Clearwater,Kamloops,Logan Lake,Merritt

Vancouver Island

Whistler Area

Whistler Region Parks and Trails

Many arrive at the Sunshine Coast park for the sandy beach and the lake activities like swimming, hiking, tenting, camping and picnics.

Garden Bay Road

Garden Bay

Brent Mountain Trail is a moderate uphill hike leading to scenic views. The 4.8 km one -way trail leads explorers to the summit of Brent Mountain and 360 degree views of the Okanagan Valley and the Coast and Monashee Mountain Ranges.

Shatford logging road

Penticton

The park is a National Historic Site of Canada and was once a fur trading post operated by the Hudson's Bay Company. The fort was a post for trading furs, supplies, food and guns, as well as, a transportation depot for exporting goods to far away lands.

Mavis Street

Langley

Coombs Village is located west of Parksville BC, on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The village is a popular attraction because of the unique assortment of art, services, dining and shops.

Alberni Hwy (Hwy 4A)

Parksville

The moderate grade hiking route leads uphill to a viewpoint on a bluff with spanning views of the valley below.

Pineridge Street

Fort St. James

Marble Canyon Provincial Park is a geological destination park located in a limestone canyon near the communities of Cache Creek and Lillooet, British Columbia, Canada. The canyon park rests in the middle of the Pavilion Mountain Range and includes three turquoise lakes & a campground.

Hwy #99

Cache Creek

Juniper Beach Provincial Park is a small campground park surrounded by a few trees, sagebrush, juniper and pear cactus located on the shores of the mighty Thompson River east of the community of Cache Creek, British Columbia, Canada.

Highway 1

Cache Creek

Parkway Trail
Take note bikers and cyclist of this gem of a paved trail in Nanaimo, BC on on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada called The Parkway Trail. It is the most traveled pedestrian and biking trail - a transportation route and a connector route for moving around Nanaimo, BC.

Trans Canada Hwy

Nanaimo

The Balancing Rock Trail is a short 2 kilometre hike follows a dirt, earthy single-track path up the slopes of Mt. Creston via switchbacks, eventually, leading to a viewpoint, Ralph's Bridge, balancing rock and a small waterfall.

West Creston Road

Creston

Wells, BC, Canada in the North Cariboo-Chilcotin Region, British Columbia is a small town in the Cariboo Mountains perched up on a hill near the Jack of Clubs Lake east of Quesnel BC. The community is surrounded by a network of lakes and rivers, recreational trails, wildlife and B.C. history.

Highway #26

Quesnel

Roche Lake Provincial Park is a rugged and remote nature park consisting of seven lakes on the Thompson Plateau located south of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. The wilderness park is measured at 2,041 hectares and is best explored along a series of very rough gravel roads.

Roche Lake Road

kamloops

The area, in and around, Cedar Lake is rugged, forested and home to much wildlife. The lake is popular for swimming, fishing, canoeing, hiking, camping and mountain biking in the summer months. The gravel forestry roads and bush trails in the region of the lake draw the mountain bikers and hikers.

Golden

Panorama Park is a green space waterfront park and sightseeing marine destination located in the community of Deep Cove. The park includes amenities like a day use picnic area, playground, washrooms, change rooms, boat launch, picnic shelter and sightseeing benches.

Panorama Drive

Deep Cove

Ellison Provincial Park is situated on the eastern shores of Okanagan Lake and is popular for swimming, boating, fishing, picnicking, camping and diving.

25th Ave

Vernon

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