Camping In Western Canada: The Best RV Parks And Resorts
The Best RV Parks & Resorts For Camping In Western Canada
Canada is a big country full of wild places and beautiful destinations to explore. However, if you can’t tour the whole country, you definitely won’t want to miss Western Canada. From the wide-open skies and friendly people of the prairies to the saltwater perfume of the West Coast of Vancouver Island, there are a lot of amazing places to visit in your RV. As an added bonus, the exchange rate continues to make travel in Canada affordable for our American neighbors.
In this article, I’ll tell you about the best places to camp in Western Canada. Across Western Canada, you’ll find camping in national parks and provincial parks, as well as at RV parks. You’ll also find regional campgrounds in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
In Alberta, you’ll find free crown land camping. In BC, Recreation Sites offer free camping in some of the most beautiful spots in the province. We’ll have a look at some fantastic options for camping in Canada’s four western provinces. Let’s start in Manitoba and head west from there through Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC.
Camping in Manitoba
Manitoba originates from its capital city, Winnipeg. Winnipeg happens to be at the geographic center of North America. This multi-ethnic, friendly city is home to fantastic cuisine from all over the world.
Winnipeg also has many great attractions including the architecturally magnificent Canadian Museum For Human Rights and Assiniboine Park. For dog lovers, Winnipeg has a phenomenal 40 + acres of off-leash dog parks. The 68% of RVs who travel with a dog will appreciate having the opportunity to play with or walk their best friend in one of these spaces. With that being said, most dog parks in Winnipeg are more than 40 acres.
As a province, Manitoba has its roots in agriculture. Agricultural enthusiasts will love the vast fields of sunflowers, canola, wheat, and legumes stretched across the south of the province. There’s just something very cool about seeing where a good portion of the food for people around the world is grown.
Southern Manitoba has lots of great campgrounds for RV camping. However, expect to find hungry mosquitoes and all kinds of bitey little flies everywhere but Winnipeg. This is because Winnipeg sprays for mosquitoes every spring to keep the bugs at bay. With that being said, be sure to bring insect repellent.
Town And Country Campground, Springfield MB
Town and Country Campground is a huge, well-appointed RV park just southeast of Winnipeg. One of the nicest things about it is that the park is close to Winnipeg. With that being said, it’s close enough to serve as a home base while you explore the city’s attractions. Yet, it’s far enough away to have a fairly peaceful atmosphere.
Sites are well laid out and have a nice mix of back-in and pull-through sites. All the RV sites here have a fire ring and a well-maintained picnic table. Most sites have at least one tree to provide shade. Of course, my favorite feature is the spacious dog park. A nice feature is that Town and Country Campground has a gated entrance to help give it an atmosphere of safety.
KOA Winnipeg West Journey Campground
KOA Winnipeg West gets great reviews from RVers for its well-laid-out, big rig-friendly park. As a KOA Journey park, Winnipeg West has all the standard amenities plus a few more that make it an awesome place to stay. A lot of RVers love fishing in the nearby lake. There is also a pool and an off-leash pet area. Sites are shaded, and many RVers appreciate the pull-through sites.
Wasagaming Campground, Riding National Park
Wasagaming Campground is located on the shores of Clear Lake. It’s a nice, well-laid-out campground with private, pull-through sites. Being in a national park, you’ll find most standard amenities here, including 50/30/15-amp hookups, water, and sewer. Aside from the lake and easy hiking trails, there are also good opportunities for wildlife viewing here.
Camping in Saskatchewan
I always hear people say, Saskatchewan is a flat, boring province. But the thing is that Saskatchewan has a lot of places that aren’t flat, and nothing in this province is boring when you know where to go.
It turns out, Saskatchewan has some amazing treasures that remain hidden until you get away from the Trans-Canada Highway. Saskatchewan has lots of RV parks in the form of regional parks, national parks, and provincial campgrounds that are worth checking out.
Indian Head Campground
Indian Head is a historic little town about an hour east of Regina on Highway 1. Turn-of-the-20th-century buildings and a really great bakery draw tourists off the Trans-Canada Highway to rest and take in the pleasant atmosphere of the town.
Indian Head Campground is a well-designed, quiet campground with spacious, pull-through sites and a full range of amenities, including a pool and a playground for the kids. Campsites are well-shaded by trees and spaced far enough apart to provide plenty of elbow room.
Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park
The drive north of Swift Current on Highway 4 takes you through incredibly scenic countryside to the arid, cactus-studded Stewart Valley where you’ll find one of Saskatchewan’s best-kept secrets.
Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park was named for the historic river crossing used by Canada’s first settlers. Keep an eye open for the historic mansion that marks the entrance to the park. On its own, the stately Victorian-era building is worth exploring. However, there is lots to do here. For activities, the park offers hiking trails, cycling paths, a golf course, boat rentals, and a beach. And for those wanting to skip cooking dinner after a busy day, Saskatchewan Landing even has a food concession.
What’s more, this well-appointed campground’s acacia-shaded campsites are either nestled along the South Saskatchewan River or sprawled against the side of the valley, allowing for majestic views of the surrounding region. While the campsites here have 30 amp/50 amp power, there are no water or sewer hookups.
Camping in Alberta
From its rolling prairie countryside and badlands in southeastern Alberta to the Rocky Mountain wilderness of its western border, Alberta is home to the most scenic camping in Western Canada. Let’s have a look at the best places to camp in Alberta.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
About 48 km northeast of Brooks, you’ll find an ancient canyon where dinosaurs once roamed. Dinosaur Provincial Park is one of the world’s most prolific places to find dinosaur fossils.
This UNESCO World Heritage site is a cool place to camp in an RV. Interpretive hiking trails and guided tours of this fossil-rich badland canyon let you immerse yourself in a uniquely wonderful area. The Visitor’s Center houses a small natural museum with fossil exhibits and plenty of imaginative and fun interactive activities for both kids and adults. The area is also home to birds and wildlife that you won’t find in any other part of Canada.
Sites in this popular park are only available through Alberta Provincial Park’s reservation system during the summer months. It’s advisable to reserve well in advance of your scheduled stay.
The huge campground is nestled in a valley next to the Red Deer River and shaded by cottonwood trees. It’s like an oasis within the stark geology of the Badlands. In this campground, you’ll find mainly pull-through RV sites next to a meandering creek. Sites are serviced with power and water only, and there is a dump station on-site.
Dinosaur Provincial Park has showers, laundry, a concession, and a fantastic playground for the kids. While the park is pet-friendly, you’ll need to keep your pet on a leash and be careful that your pet doesn’t disturb one of the rattlesnakes that inhabit some areas near the trails.
Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Boulton Creek Campground
Western Canada’s Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Kananaskis Country. The area is renowned for its wealth of outdoor activities such as hiking and mountain biking. Boulton Creek Campground lies about 50 km south of Highway 1 on Highway 40 and south on Kananaskis Lakes Trail.
This is a large campground, with 160 treed sites. Campsites at Boulton Creek campground have 30/50/15 amp power and water hookups, and there is a sani-dump available for waste disposal. The park has loads of amenities and activities, including showers, equipment rental, a camper’s store, hiking trails, paved bike paths, as well as close access to the Kananaskis Lakes.
Because of its Alpine location, Bouton Creek Campground doesn’t have water available until June 03. It’s available until the season ends on September 6.
In addition to camping fees, you’ll also need to buy a $15 Kananaskis Country Conservation pass to park your vehicle here. If you spend a lot of time there, you might want to consider buying the seasonal pass, which allows unlimited seasonal parking for two vehicles for $90.
Townsite Campground, Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park lies in the southernmost reaches of Alberta in Western Canada. At just 123,000 acres, it’s the smallest national park in the Rockies. However, this park has a lot to offer visitors. You’ll find lots of hiking trails and spectacular vistas and unlimited opportunities for wildlife viewing. Waterton Lakes is famous for its thundering waterfalls, crystal-clear lakes, and rainbow-colored streams.
The Townsite Campground is one of three campgrounds in Waterton Lakes National Park. This campground is large, with 246 sites in total. RV campers love that 109 of these are fully serviced pull-throughs, but there are also 76 back-in campsites with only electrical service.
Townsite Campground is close to the amenities of the Waterton Lakes townsite, but it’s within walking distance of beautiful Upper Waterton Lake and spectacular Cameron Falls.
Reservations are advisable if you want to be sure of a site because as large as it is, this campground is extremely popular, especially in July and August.
Important things to note about camping here: dogs must be leashed to prevent conflicts with wildlife. You will also need to purchase a park pass along with camping fees. Fees are as follows:
- Adult (18-64 years): $10.50
- Senior (over 65 years): $9.00
- Youth: Free
- Family/Group: $21.00
Camping In British Columbia
British Columbia offers the most diverse RV camping experiences in Western Canada. That’s because between the Canadian Rockies and the beaches of Tofino on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, you’ll find spectacular alpine meadows, lake country camping, sandy ocean beaches, and a whole lot of unforgettable experiences.
That being said, it was really tough to pick out the best campsites for this article because there are so many great ones. However, here are a few that you might not have heard of that will offer.
Quilchena Point RV Resort And Marina, Nicola Valley
Quilchena Point RV Resort and Marina is a lakeside haven on a cattle ranch in the middle of cowboy country. This campground is located at the historic Douglas Lake Ranch along Highway 5A. It’s a peaceful, small campground abuts the shores of Nicola Lake. If you’re into fishing, you’ll likely love it here. That’s because Fishing in the lake is good with rainbow trout, kokanee, and burbot.
Quilchena Point Campground has most of the services and amenities you need, including fully serviced back-in and pull-through campsites, hot showers, and laundry. There’s even a small, well-stocked general store with wooden floors that sells all the basic necessities and nice gifts.
However, while the campsites are spacious and laid out for easy navigation, they are wide open, so be prepared to run your air conditioner in the summer months.
Salish Seaside RV Haven, Victoria
Victoria is a fantastic little city located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island. BC’s capital city features Victorian-era architecture and lots of fun tourist attractions. It’s really a must-see for anyone planning to visit Western Canada.
Salish Seaside RV Haven is a small, beautiful waterfront resort located in Victoria West with easy access to all the fun activities and attractions that Victoria offers. In the summer, ferries stop at the resort to take guests to downtown Victoria to visit tourist attractions. This well-run RV park is easy to access and is big rig friendly, with all but a few of its RV sites able to accommodate the largest Class A Motorhomes.
This award-winning park is brand new. It was designed to accommodate the largest of motorhomes. The majority of its sites are right on the water, commanding spectacular views in all directions. Sites have 30 & 50 amp power, complimentary Wi-Fi, and brand new, modern washrooms, showers, and laundry room. It even has a spectacular clubhouse that has decks and a fireplace.
Vancouver Island North
To really experience the natural beauty and wonder of Vancouver Island, you need to head up to the North Island.
Northern Vancouver Island is possibly the best place in Canada for epic wildlife viewing. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see stately Roosevelt elk, black bears, gray wolves, eagles, whales and more. If you want an amazing wildlife experience, you’ll find many guide services in Port Hardy and Port McNeill.
Cluxewe RV Resort And Cabins, Port McNeill
Cluxewe Resort is a friendly, oceanfront RV resort that is located right next to miles of pristine beaches where you can view whales and cruise ships as they pass by. This resort is one of Vancouver Island’s best-kept secrets, but it’s a favorite western Canada destination for RVers in the know.
You can choose from serviced, well-treed beachside RV sites or woodland camping next to a peaceful river estuary. Either way, the sites are fully serviced, spacious, and often offer complete privacy. As a matter of fact, all of the RV sites are larger than average.
You’ll find all the amenities you need here, including laundry, showers, firewood, a small boat launch, and fish cleaning stations. There are two playgrounds at the campground. The area abounds with activities, including wildlife viewing, mountain biking, hiking, and lots of spectacular beaches to walk on. A small store on-site sells beautifully crafted indigenous-designed and crafted gifts as well as camping necessities.
The charming oceanside town of Port McNeill is just 11 km away from Cluxewe Resort. It has a big marina and a good range of stores, pubs, liquor stores, restaurants, and cafes. Port McNeill is a really friendly, walkable little seaside town that’s well worth a wander around. This is also where you can hook up with a charter boat for the fishing or wildlife viewing experience of a lifetime.
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