The best camping near Christina Lake Provincial Park

British Columbia’s Highway 3 meanders through the forests and steep Monashee Mountains above the US border as it crosses the province. Between Grand Forks and Castlegar, the roadway skirts the south end of Christina Lake, where this small provincial park hugs the lakeshore. Christina Lake is known for its family-friendly sandy beach area and warm clear water, good for swimming, paddling, water-skiing, and fishing. It’s a handy picnicking stop for road-trippers traveling between Vancouver and the Kooteneys or Canadian Rockies. Although this day-use park has no campgrounds, campers can choose from several commercial RV parks nearby, or camp in Gladstone Provincial Park along Christina Lake’s northern shores.

• Best for lake lovers: Texas Creek Campground (Gladstone Provincial Park)
• Best for boaters: Marine Access Sites (Gladstone Provincial Park)

1. Book in advance for the 62 reservable sites at Texas Creek Campground, which has flush toilets, pit toilets, a boat launch, but no hookups. Check Discover Camping, BC Parks’ reservation site, early in the year to see when reservations will open for the season.
2. The backcountry marine access sites around the lake in Gladstone Provincial Park are first-come, first served, payable in cash at Texas Creek Campground.

High season at Christina Lake Provincial Park runs from late May through early September, when the weather is mildest. The park is particularly busy with families on July and August weekends, so try to come mid-week if you’re visiting in the summer months. The crisp fall days in mid-September through October can be lovely by the lake. Snow often falls, heavily at times, throughout central British Columbia late October through March.

• Christina Lake is eight kilometres north of the US-Canada border. The Cascade/Laurier border crossing on Highway 395 is not open 24 hours, so confirm its hours if you’re driving from the US.
• Near the lake, the town of Christina Lake has some shops and services. You’ll find a broader selection of goods in Grand Forks, 22 kilometres west, or in Castlegar 77 kilometres to the east.
• If you have a boat, you can camp at one of the remote marine access campsites located along the lake in Gladstone Provincial Park. Bring everything you need, and pack out your garbage, since there are no services at these backcountry areas.