The best camping near Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park

Above the Canada-U.S. border in BC’s southern interior, Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park spans 9,122 hectares of old-growth forests and alpine ridges with 40 kilometres of hiking trails above a valley-bottom lake. Chilliwack Lake is the park’s highlight, for canoeing, kayaking, boating, and fishing, particularly for several varieties of trout. If you’re hardy, you can swim in the lake’s chilly waters. For campers, Chilliwack Lake has 146 front-country campsites in four vehicle-accessible campgrounds. The park’s four backcountry camping areas, Lindeman Lake, Greendrop Lake, Radium Lake, and Flora Lake, each have six walk-in sites. Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park is 150 kilometres east of Vancouver and 64 kilometres southeast of Chilliwack.

• Best for camping near the lake: Paleface Loop
• Best for RV campers: Radium Loop
• Best for remote adventures: Flora Lake backcountry camping area

1. Reserve campsites online in advance through BC Parks’ Discover Camping site. Booking as far in advance as possible is always a good idea, particularly if you’re visiting between June and Labour Day or on weekends or holidays in spring or fall. Check the site well ahead of your trip to see when reservations will open for the season.
2. If there are any sites at Chilliwack Lake that aren’t pre-booked, they’re available first-come, first-served.
3. Backcountry campers must register and purchase a permit online in advance, but this registration isn’t a reservation; Chilliwack Lake’s backcountry sites are first-come, first-served.

Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park normally opens in late April or early May and closes in early October, although some campgrounds are open only until Labour Day. The park gates are locked the rest of the year, but it’s possible to walk in, weather permitting, year-round. Like most British Columbia parks, Chilliwack Lake is busiest throughout the summer. September/October is a cooler but somewhat less crowded alternative, as are the damper spring months of April and May. Expect snow at higher elevations between November and March.

• The park’s campgrounds are at the north end of Chilliwack Lake, off Chilliwack Lake Road. From Vancouver, follow Highway 1 to Exit 104, then continue past Cultus Lake to Chilliwack Lake.
• Although Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park is immediately north of North Cascades National Park in Washington State, there’s no direct road access between these two park areas. You’ll need to cross the international border at Sumas, Washington, south of Abbotsford BC.
• For groceries and other supplies en route to the park, stop in Chilliwack or Abbotsford, which both have ample shopping options.
• Facilities in Chilliwack Lake’s drive-in campgrounds include a sani-station, cold water taps, and pit toilets, but no flush toilets, showers, or cell phone service.