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

During the summer the park enjoys activities including hiking, wilderness camping, mountain biking, ATVing, horseback riding and fishing for trout in Deep Lake. In the winter months the area is a xc ski and snowshoe destinations.

Lac du Bois Road

Kamloops

Popular sandy beach destination in the region for summer enthusiasts who enjoy swimming, canoeing, kayaking, boating, beachcombing, sea-doing, canoeing, water-skiing, and sun worshiping.

3799 Canoe Beach Dr

Salmon Arm

Dinner Bay is a family playground and picnic park and the Japanese Gardens are home to gardens with floral colors, scents and outdoor art.

Dinner Bay Road

The 3, 530 hectare park is a popular activity destination for camping, canoeing, hiking, fishing, kayaking and wildlife watching opportunities.

Village Bay Road

Beaver Lake Recreation Site is a small remote boating, fishing, birding, and canoeing destination lake in the summer located in the back country wilderness forests behind the small community of Winfield, BC in Lake Country. The recreation site is one of many lakes in the area.

Beaver Lake Road

Winfield

Victoria BC and area enjoys a great mixture of artists. Artist Alley is an opportunity for visitors to Victoria to see some of the work that local artists are creating. It is taking a piece of the west coast home with you by supporting these artists.

Government Street

Victoria

Hiking and mountain biking trails exploring the banks of the Puntledge River connecting to Nymph Falls is the highlight of the park.

4447 Forbidden Plateau Road

Courtenay

Winegarden Waterfront Park is located downtown Gibsons on the waterfront near the marina and yacht club. The park was a group effort by the community to provide a comfortable, clean area for sightseeing, walking and relaxing.

Gibsons

The recreation lake is a man made reservoir. The lake, swimming beach, picnic day use areas and trails are the highlights of the recreation area. Activities include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, sightseeing, canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, swimming and sunbathing and boating.

Port Moody

Gray Bay is a recreational campground with a large beach area. The campground onsite enjoys some good size campsites for campers and grassy ones for tenters.

School Road

Sandspit

China Nose Mountain Trail is a challenging hike to summit views. The peak provides a phenomenal view of the surrounding mountain ranges and the many lakes and rivers of the Bulkley Valley.

Mckilligan Road

Houston

The walkway is a 1.8 kilometre wide, paved recreation path enjoyed, mostly, by walkers, rollerbladers, dog walkers and bikers. Some use the path as a connector route for getting around the community while others use the walkway as a relaxing get-a-way destination for activity.

5th Street

Castlegar

A small park in the Squamish Village region that is perched on the edge of the Mamquam River Channel and Tidal Slough. From the park a trail follows the river leading all explorers past an open grassy field, a wooden viewing platform and some picnic tables and stone benches.

Squamish

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

Wilderness park with hiking and mountain biking trails, a beaver pond, big trees, Snootli Creek... and it is a recreation destination with rodeo grounds and a baseball diamond.

Walker Park Road

Bella Coola