Weekend Camping Trips from Vancouver #6: Sasquatch Park

This is the sixth in a series of posts on weekend camping trips you can take from Vancouver. All the camping trips listed will be to sites within a day's drive of the city, and all will be at provincial campgrounds. If there's a particular site you'd like reviewed, please reply with a comment to this post!

Sasquatch Park is located off of Highway 7, six kilometers north of Harrison Hot Springs, making it only about 2 hours away from downtown Vancouver, and significantly less if you're starting from the Fraser Valley. The greatest thing about the short distance is that getting there and back (admittedly in a Yaris -- one of the smallest cars available, but packed to the roof with camping gear) only took $25 of gas!

Sasquatch Park has three lakes: Hicks, Deer, and Trout, and three campgrounds: Hicks Lake (on, rather obviously, Hicks Lake), Lakeside (on Deer Lake), and Bench (in the interior of the park with no direct Lake access).

On my trip, I took a look at all three campgrounds, but stayed at Hicks Lake, which was absolutely stunning. The lake was a great temperature for swimming, and the view of the mountains was incredible, especially when the lake was still enough to get a reflection (although that's when the mosquitoes would come out). The campgrounds are lovely and private, and several have nearly direct access to small coves or main beaches on the lake. For those that don't, there's a great access point at the main beach, with picnic tables and good grassy areas for sitting and watching the kids play.

On that note, Sasquatch Park was the most family-friendly site I've been to -- or, at least, the one with the most families. Kids seemed to meet new friends from other families and play in the forest. Not having kids myself made me a bit unusual at this campground, but there was enough space and privacy between the sites that I didn't feel like I was in the middle of a day care centre. It was lovely and serene.

There's not much hiking at Sasquatch Park. There is a trail around Hicks Lake, but be prepared to be eaten alive by mosquitoes if you go. The breeze that keeps them mostly at bay in the campsites doesn't seem to make it to the other side of the lake.

There are outhouses and hand pumps at Kicks Lake. The Lakeside and Bench campgrounds have outhouses and running water. There are no showers, but Hicks Lake is pleasant enough to swim in that you won't get too dirty. ;-) Deer Lake might not be so good for swimming, as it's home to many Canada Geese, and therefore has swimmer's itch.

You can learn more about Sasquatch Park, or make reservations, here.

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[ READER COMMENTS ]

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interested camper said:

Just wanted to say - I have read all of your weekend camping posts, and they are excellent. Its really nice to read your reviews of each site and see the pics - helps with our planning for weekend trips this summer. Thanks - keep it up!

Posted at 09:01 AM, on April 15 2009

Weekend Camping Trips from Vancouver #6: Sasquatch Park

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