BC Road Trip stop idea suggestions?

[KGB]

Originally Posted by ghfalls

If you end up taking the Vernon-Nakusp-Revelstoke section of the trip, very close to the needles ferry there is an amazing free campground with clear warm water called Steven’s creek rec site. Highly recommend going there for a day or two. Then make sure you stop at halfway River hot springs as well. Super cool free natural hot spring on the bank of an icy cold clear mountain river. There’s a campground there as well that’s cheap, but would need to pre book. The hot springs are only a few hundred meters from the campground. If you’re up for a great hike that’s a bit challenging, but not crazy, the hike up to Conrad Kain Hut is also amazing, but it’s in the radium area. Also lussier hot springs is in that area which is another free beautiful, natural hot spring on the bank of an icy cold mountain river. I’ve got some pins of some other great free campsites in that area as well. Even though white swan is beautiful, it’s not my style. And gets booked up early.

That’s an awesome info! I drove this area half a dozen times and never knew about those!

[ghfalls]

Originally Posted by KGB

That’s an awesome info! I drove this area half a dozen times and never knew about those!

I hope this thread keeps traction for a while. We did over a decade of two weeks straight camping inBC with the goal of only paying for one night. There’s a book called camp free in BC that has turn by turn directions to 1300 free campsites in BC. We’ve spent most of our time in the kootenays. But there’s a boatload of places we plan to see still.

[Albertadiver]

Some awesome suggestions guys. Thank you very much!

The plan is to blast as fast as we can to YVR and then be a lot more leisurely heading back East once we've picked our guest up.

Originally Posted by ghfalls

If you’re up for a great hike that’s a bit challenging, but not crazy, the hike up to Conrad Kain Hut is also amazing, but it’s in the radium area. Also lussier hot springs is in that area which is another free beautiful, natural hot spring on the bank of an icy cold mountain river. I’ve got some pins of some other great free campsites in that area as well. Even though white swan is beautiful, it’s not my style. And gets booked up early.

I have spent a fair amount of time in the Kootenay's. Ram Creek, Lussier, White swan, Wasa, Kimberly, etc. Lots of summers in that valley, just haven't been West of this area. Haven't done the Conrad Kain hut though. On the to do list one of these days! Also looking to backpack into the Bugaboo's sometime too, just probably not this trip. Once prior to the big flood we 4x4'd once right to the edge of the Top of the World PP. That was a fun little adventure on a logging road.

Originally Posted by Scott h

Looking at your map I'd turn off onto the number 3 at Hope and head over to Osoyoos, and then just follow the OK valley up to Vernon instead of the Coq. route. The other suggestion if you've not got your heart set on the #6 through Lumby (very nice road), would be to take the #3 from Hope over to Castlegar and then head up to Nelson through Kaslo to the shelter bay ferry. The #31a from New Denver to Kaslo is a very nice road and a little abandoned townsite Sandon is well worth a stop. Fun fact is all the old trolley buses that ended up there (many from Calgary). Nakusp has a great little town run campsite right in town ($25 I think) and you can easily walk to all the resturants in town, and the pub allows your lab onto the patio. The hot springs are nice and empty by Banff standards, or you can hike into St. Leons if you prefer an undeveloped hot spring with a little hike.

Yeah, we'll have a stop in Lumby for sure. Good friends live there so will be at least a night or two in Lumby. I've done a lot of work in Kelowna / Vernon and know that area pretty well. A few years back we did a trip to Northern California and towed the trailer down and crossed through Osoyoos. Super hot when we went that trip. Haven't been to Nakusp or those parts so hoping to hit that area.

Originally Posted by 32-40win

For myself, I'd leave Vcr thru Squamish, Pemberton, Lilooet, on hwy 99, to Hwy 97, that's the scernic route out of Vcr.
Then jump north to 70mile, go east on 24 to Little Fort, can make a choice here---- go south to Louis Crk, or north to Tete Jaune Cache, out thru Jasper and down Icefields to Banff or cutoff at Hwy 11 to Rocky Mtn House
You can also go east at Louis Crk to Adams Lk, then south to Hwy 1 and back via whatever south route you want.

I'm working in Jasper right now, and do the parkway a fair bit. Fun driving it all times of year. I haven't crossed west into BC from Jasper, but not sure if we want to head that far North from Vancouver. Might be an idea though!

Originally Posted by sealevel

there are 5 million miles of logging road in bc . why pay for camping just pick a road and go tell you find a place .

That's sort of our idea possibly as well. Find some spots off the main highways and see what we see. I'll be ordering that backcountry mapbook for sure. I also have a radio that I bought a few months ago programmed with a lot of the BC logging road frequencies. Will be bringing that for sure.

[wallz]

I would be one to go through Vernon, Lumby, hwy 6, and then once you hit Nakusp, head south and hit the loop through Cranbrook, Kimberly.

In Lavington, heading to Lumby there is a gas station on the left of the highway, the second one in Lavinghton. You have to hit up their soft ice cream machine. Then in Lumby, there is the bakery, just past the flashing red light, the only light in Lumby. Just on the right side, about 3 doors past the corner. You can absolutely not drive through Lumby without hitting up that gem. If you are into fly fishing, there is a GREAT shop just before lavington, at the RV place, if he is still there. Sandy has been there fore ever.

Once you cross the first ferry, I think Needles, on Arrow lake, just as you come up off the ferry, about 200m there is a forest service road on your right. 20 min down to a fabulous camping spot right on Arrow lake. Taite Cr. If you hit the timing right the creek feeding the lake is awesome fishing. You are fishing in the lake, not the creek.

There are numerous gems all over BC, many natural "hot springs" that are small, and are hidden gems. You can find them, if you do searches ahead of time, and plan you routes.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by wallz

I would be one to go through Vernon, Lumby, hwy 6, and then once you hit Nakusp, head south and hit the loop through Cranbrook, Kimberly.

In Lavington, heading to Lumby there is a gas station on the left of the highway, the second one in Lavinghton. You have to hit up their soft ice cream machine. Then in Lumby, there is the bakery, just past the flashing red light, the only light in Lumby. Just on the right side, about 3 doors past the corner. You can absolutely not drive through Lumby without hitting up that gem. If you are into fly fishing, there is a GREAT shop just before lavington, at the RV place, if he is still there. Sandy has been there fore ever.

Once you cross the first ferry, I think Needles, on Arrow lake, just as you come up off the ferry, about 200m there is a forest service road on your right. 20 min down to a fabulous camping spot right on Arrow lake. Taite Cr. If you hit the timing right the creek feeding the lake is awesome fishing. You are fishing in the lake, not the creek.

There are numerous gems all over BC, many natural "hot springs" that are small, and are hidden gems. You can find them, if you do searches ahead of time, and plan you routes.

The shop is called "Kenkraft" and it's still there, and it's still a great shop. I suspect 95% of the people driving by it don't realize it's there......

[urban rednek]

If you are in the New Denver area, Idaho Peak is a relatively easy hike (from the top parking lot) with a great view of Slocan Lake. Road access is through Sandon. Last time we were there I had to stop to let the Mountain Goats cross the road.
View from the top:
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.9724...6656?entry=ttu

[Scott h]

You may want to try out the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish when drive through the area, you'll pass right beside it. You can hike up to the top, have a bite to eat, and then ride the gondola down. It's a nice trail, and around 6kms steady climbing to the top. Your dog is allowed on the tram with a ticket I believe, and the views of Howe sound and surrounding areas are pretty amazing.