Fall camping in vancouver

October 8, 2009 4:21 AM

Vancouver/Surrey: camping/fishing late October

Long shot, but, relatively new in town, so I don't know the parks. Google is just giving me RV sites. Anyway, my friend and I would like to take a camping trip for a few days in mid-late October, somewhere we could also do some fishing, preferably on a lake. Any suggestions? Most provincial campsites must be closed by now.

posted by hungrysquirrels to sports, hobbies, & recreation (5 comments total)

Try the Provincial Parks If you search by location you can see all the sites that are close to Vancouver. Golden Ears is close and it looks like there is fishing there.
posted by sadtomato at 6:39 AM on October 8

Apparently Sproat Lake in Port Alberni has some awesome fishing. (I used to live in Port Alberni for a year or so, but never got into the whole fishing thing they're obsessed with there.) It's on the Vancouver island, about an hour or so out of Nanaimo.

But yeah, it officially closes Oct 15. Damn. Doesn't mean you couldn't get around the gate though... but you know, it's not like I'm recommending it or anything, or have even tried it.
posted by cgg at 6:56 AM on October 8

Here are the provincial campgrounds in the lower mainland with fishing and camping. You'll have to poke through them to find out when the closing dates are, but upon a bit of looking, it seems Alice Lake, just past Squamish, is open until the snow falls and is quite nice, though I'm not sure about the quality of the fishing there. It would help to cross-reference that with a fishing review website, like Sharp Hooks.
posted by urbanlenny at 8:23 AM on October 8

Get yourself a backcountry mapbook (I got mine in London Drugs, by the cashier). They list everything you need to know! Also worth checking out, clubtread, a hiking forum. I bet they'll have some suggestions for you. Enjoy your trip!
posted by aeighty at 11:05 AM on October 8

Widgeon Creek is close to Pitt Lake, where there's lots of fishing. Have to canoe in, though. There are actually lots of winter camping options in the provincial parks. Here's the search form for BC parks. i also like vancouvertrails.com
posted by bellbellbell at 12:53 AM on October 9