WHERE TO CAMP? KOOTENAY LAKE TRIP 2023

[NoBrakes!]

Well, I'm starting to plan our annual family camping road trip... I have decided to attempt to drive all the roads we can in Alberta and British Columbia.... This seemed easy at first but will take years... anyways... this years loop will get some of the Kootenay Lake area checked off and Mabel Lake RD.

There are some family friend mandatory stops along the way...

Canmore for the August long weekend then drift over to Blaeberry for a night.

From there I'm thinking Wasa Lake? Check out Whiteswan lake and the Lussier hot springs.

Down towards Creston then crossing the Crawford Bay/Balfour ferry, up to the Kaslo area for a night.

Take the Galena/Shelter bay ferry and stop in at a friends in Revelstoke.

I would like to go down the Mabel Lake road from Three Valley Gap all the way to Lumby, continuing on to Kelowna.

Over to Kamloops via Merrit the next morning, hang out a few days between there and Adams Lake before we start the trek home.

I would like to stay a night around Mount Robson on the way home but that might end up being Valemount or Jasper...

If you have any suggestions for Wasa Lake, Kaslo, Mabel Lake areas I would love to hear it or any other suggestions for stops and places to visit along the way.

 

[NoBrakes!]

 

[RXN]

Check out Ainsworth hotsprings as well. Not sure what all for camp grounds is near there. Kaslo is just 30 minutes north .
Sandon is another town to check out. Ghost town. With the oldest still operating power plant in BC

 

[RXN]

If you are looking to check out a few touristy places. On the east side of Kootenay lake headed towards Creston is the glass house. (I thought it was cool). Made out of embombing bottles

 

[NoBrakes!]

I have a new AB/BC road map in the camper that I will mark up here one of these days... it will be awesome to see all of these trips laid out on one map

 

[catinthehat]

There is a nice campground at Mirror Lake by Kaslo.

 

[NoBrakes!]

Thanks guys! keep it coming

Ainsworth Hot Springs is on the list, I hear the cave area is pretty cool, Ill check out the Glass House and Mirror Lake campground!

 

[Sessionsdoo]

Near Wasa Lake I liked going up the Bull River FSR road. Some places to camp along the river as well there is a beautiful lake way up there. Forgetting the name. Its a ways drive up to the lake but was trucks and camper and trailers up there. Few pics attached of some camp sites I stopped at along river

 

[freeflorider]

Kaslo has the in town campground down by the water. great location to hit the beach and short walk into town. Woodbury resort also has camping by the water and is between Ainsworth and Kaslo, so close to the hot springs. Mirror lake also has a good camp area, only 5 min south of kaslo. everything gets booked fast so I’d call and make arrangements now.
pm me if you want to chat, I’m very knowledgeable about these areas and can give you the lowdown.

 

[NoBrakes!]

We are in a 3/4 ton truck/box camper setup and don't need power, which makes it a little easier to find sites but I am going to get these stops booked now to avoid the rush.

 

[freeflorider]

We are in a 3/4 ton truck/box camper setup and don't need power, which makes it a little easier to find sites but I am going to get these stops booked now to avoid the rush.

Well then you need to head north of Kaslo and hit trout lake my friend. It will spit you out at the galena bay ferry to revy. Great trip through there. Yah pm me your number and I’ll give to a call.

 

[NoBrakes!]

Yessir, Kaslo up through Trout Lake and on to Revy is the plan.

I’ll PM! Thanks!

 

[RMKRookie]

Well then you need to head north of Kaslo and hit trout lake my friend. It will spit you out at the galena bay ferry to revy. Great trip through there. Yah pm me your number and I’ll give to a call.

check out the south end of Trout lake = at the bridge turn west and follow road for a km to a landing road to the right = camp right on the water for free = never see anyone when we have camped there and what a great view

 

[MOUNTAIN MICKEY]

Three valley Gap southbound to Mable. Good idea to have a programed radio for this part of your trip. RR frequencies change 3 times along this road. Nice drive going this way. Cottonwood campground is a good camping spot--my info is about 5 years old now.

 

[NoBrakes!]

Thanks for the radio heads up! I usually bring a programmed baofeng and an inreach in the camper just in case.

 

[freeflorider]

check out the south end of Trout lake = at the bridge turn west and follow road for a km to a landing road to the right = camp right on the water for free = never see anyone when we have camped there and what a great view

I know it very well. Built a lot of logging roads In that area. It’s called west trout road now but I know it as creig benson. Old town site there and that was a ferry landing site. Now that parks and the left wingers got ahold of it sure has been over populated. It’s been very busy over the years. I now have to find new places because when I go up that way I get skunked. Trout lake has also been nuts, I use to go just south of trout but bcts has now gated the old heli site. Even Beaton is gated by left swinging tree huggers And tek (let’s not go there right now lol)
very sad these areas are going away. Been camping and riding there for 30 plus years.

 

[team dirt]

Grey creek pass from Kimberly to grey creek is really cool. Also near castelgar north of the kneelyside dam there is a natural water slide under the bridge at either km7 or 11 on the logging road. It’s pretty awesome and well worth the stop.

CAYUSE CREEK WATERFALL - only where you have walked have you been

By far the most fun waterfall near Castlegar is the one at Cayuse Creek, because not only is it pretty to look at, it’s also a lot of fun to slide down. The four-metre-high waterfalls cascades over perfectly smooth rock shaped like a natural water slide that takes you into a beautiful turquoise...

www.ronperrier.net

 

[pano-dude]

Grey creek pass from Kimberly to grey creek is really cool. Also near castelgar north of the kneelyside dam there is a natural water slide under the bridge at either km7 or 11 on the logging road. It’s pretty awesome and well worth the stop.

CAYUSE CREEK WATERFALL - only where you have walked have you been

By far the most fun waterfall near Castlegar is the one at Cayuse Creek, because not only is it pretty to look at, it’s also a lot of fun to slide down. The four-metre-high waterfalls cascades over perfectly smooth rock shaped like a natural water slide that takes you into a beautiful turquoise...

www.ronperrier.net

I don't think I'd want to take a truck and camper over Grey Creek pass, it's really rough. Great on a motorcycle.

 

[S.W.A.T.]

I don't think you can go wrong with your plan, beautiful trip the whole way.

About 7 years ago, wife and I drove top to bottom of BC on 2 different routes, lots of territory out there to see

 

[Cableguy]

we took our truck n camper over that pass 3 years ago
pretty slow process but seen some nice country