British Columbia (BC)

Flag of British Columbia

British Columbia

• • Colombie-Britannique (French)
• Capital » Victoria
  • Current Time
  • Weather
• Largest City » Vancouver
  • The third-largest metropolitan in Canada with about 2.5 million
  • Weather

Facts

• Population » 5 million

Geography

• Area » 944,735 sq km (364,764 sq mi)
• British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains to the east
•  BC is bordered to the north by Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories, to the east by Alberta, to the south by Washington, Idaho, and Montana, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.

Tourism

• British Columbia boasts one of the most beautiful and dramatic regions in the world with its snowcapped Rocky Mountains, waterfalls cascading down rugged cliffs, a myriad of islands and quiet, still fjords.
• BC Recreation Sites and Trails » Official government website listing free and low-cost minimalist campsites located throughout the province
• DiscoverCamping.ca is the official website of BC Parks.
  • Website allows you to make reservations at provincial park campgrounds in BC.
• Kelowna
  • Camping »
    • Postill Lake » free campsite near Kelowna
    • Fintry Provincial Park (Map) » Camping has electric hookups
    • Bear Creek Provincial Park (Map) » Camping has electric hookups
  • Hiking »
    • Knox Mountain Park » Apex Trail / Paul’s Tomb
  • Beach »
    • Boyce-Gyro Beach Park
  • Wine »
    • Summerhill Pyramid Winery
    • Quails’ Gate Estate Winery
    • Indigenous World Winery
  • Coffee
    • Bright Jenny » Coffee, Wifi, Courtyard, Almond Croissants
• Prince Rupert
• Fort Nelson
  • A community in northeast British Columbia, at historic Mile 300 on the Alaska Highway
  • 10 of the Best Hikes Near Fort Nelson, BC (Explore Magazine)

Adventures

• West Coast Trail – Vancouver Island – The 75km multi-day hike is one of the world’s best hiking trails (BestHike.com)
  • permits into the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve are required, limited, and in high demand — WCT Trail reservations
• Chilkoot Trail (Dyea, Alaska, to Bennett Lake, Canada) (Map)
• Kootenay National Park (Parks Canada)
  • Rockwall Trail – One of the best hikes in the Rockies (Video)
    • 5 or 6 day hike. Can be done in 4 days (but why?).
      • Hikers must be completely self-sufficient and provisioned.
    • The Rockwall Trail is a 55 km (34 mile) superlative-laden feast, traversing three alpine passes through subalpine meadows and past impressive hanging glaciers. The trail’s defining feature is a single, massive limestone cliff, towering in some locations more than 900 m (2953 feet) above the trail below. (Parks Canada)
    • Where’s the best hike in the Canadian Rockies? (Globe and Mail)

Roads & Ferries

• Drive BC
• BC Ferries
  • There is a ferry from Prince Rupert (North Coast on the mainland) to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island
    • Not a bad way to sail the inside passage inner islands and access northern Vancouver Island, but also not inexpensive. Much cheaper to drive.

Weather Conditions and Forecast

• Environment Canada – by Location

Notes

• The provincial government of BC has updated its housing guidelines to clarify that recreational vehicles can count as permanent homes in an RV park or campground (CBC, 2020)
  • Thompson-Nicola Regional District (Google Maps), which includes Kamloops and Merritt expressly prohibits the use of RVs to be used as dwellings, residences, or cabins (TNRD document). (as at May 2023)

This page was updated May 4, 2023