Like trail riding? Like camping? Why not take your horses camping with you? If you've never camped out with your horses before, you might want to contact a local chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of BC for tips.
There are some great places to go in B.C. where you can take your horse camping with you. Many of them are listed on the Horse Council BC Online Trail Guide. Some require you and your horses to be familiar with hobbling and high-lining, but here's a list of camp sites that have corrals. Where possible, we'll continue to add links to pages with descriptions and photos, and personal stories from horse campers who have used the sites. If there's a place you'd like us to add, or if you have photos, or any additional information other horse campers might find useful, please send an email to recreation@hcbc.ca.
SITES
Barkerville Campgrounds/Forest Rose CampgroundChurn Creek Protected Area
Fish Trap Horse Creek Camp
Headwaters Corral Equestrian Campsite in Manning Park
Hideaway Horse Camp
Kettle River Trails at Rock Creek
Larch Hills
Lundbom Lake
Skimikin Lake
Squamish Valley Campground and RV Site
Tabor Mountain
The Hills & 108 Mile Trails
Timber Ridge Trails
Tunkwa Lake
Whitworth Horse Camp
BARKERVILLE CAMPGROUNDS/FOREST ROSE CAMPGROUND
Telephone (Local) 250-994-3297
Toll free 1-866-994-3297
www.barkervillecampgrounds.ca
info@barkervillecampgrounds.ca
Forest
Rose Campground, located just 3 km from Barkerville, on Bowron Lake Rd,
54 campsites with a group picnic shelter, horse paddock rentals, coin
operated showers and flush toilets. Pull-through spots are available and
this site is handicap accessible. Horse Friendly! Rates: $23
per night for campsite. Paddock Rental is $10 per horse. Campsites
open May 15th to Sept. 30, however there may still be snow on the trails
until sometime in June.CHURN CREEK PROTECTED AREA
This is in the Cariboo, a somewhat challenging drive from Hwy 97 north of Clinton. For directions and map, see the Churn Creek page from the Trails Database. There's camping and corrals at the old Calving Barn area.Check This Out:
- Rose Schroeder of Back Country Horsemen Yarrow Chapter has written a great article, complete with photos, describing the Aldergrove chapter's camping experience there in May of 2010. View Rose's article.
- View Churn Creek photo gallery.
- Please read the Churn Creek Protected Area's Horse Riders Backcountry Ethics page of the BC Parks website before you plan your trip.
FISH TRAP HORSE CREEK CAMP
Not far from Barriere, this camp had its grand opening in May of 2010. The newly built campsite has outhouses, fire rings, picnic tables, Gazebo and horse corrals. This project started after the 2003 Wildfires with corrals for cattle coming in from the range and has developed into a true passion of some dedicated horse enthusiasts to build a camping spot and starting point for the horse and hiking trails.Fishtrap Creek runs right beside the camp which is a great water source. There are 6 campsites set up, each with their own corral. There is also a shower house at the site which you would bring your own shower bag. At this point there is no advance booking required. There are cowboy corrals on the other side of the creek for overflow, so lots of corrals, and lots of room.
Directions from Barriere: Follow Hwy 5 through to the north side of Barriere, and immediately after the bridge over the North Thompson River turn left onto Westsyde Road. Follow Westsyde Road to km 12.5 and you will see the campsite on the left.
Check This Out:
- The location of the camp in relation to the trails is shown on the Skull Mtn Trail map.
- See Fish Trap Horse Camp area trails maps.
- Photos available in the Fish Trap Horse Camp photo gallery or on the BC Equestrian Trails Group
HEADWATERS CORRAL EQUESTRIAN CAMPSITE IN MANNING PARK
Just opened officially on July 30, 2011, the Headwaters Corral Equestrian Campsite in EC Manning Provincial Park is located behind the Manning Park Resort, on the road to the Lightning Lake campsite. The camp was a joint project of the Back Country Horsemen of BC, BC Parks and Manning Park Resort, with a significant amount of funding provided through Horse Council BC. Back Country Horsemen's Yarrow chapter headed the project, with much volunteer help from the Aldergrove chapter.Manning Park Resort is easily accessed from the main highway through Manning Park, between Hope and Princeton. There are six campsites within the Headwaters Corral perimeter fence, two of which can accommodate two trailers (and 4 equines). There are skookum highline poles at each campsite, but no corrals yet. At present, reservations are not required, and campsites are available on a first come, first served basis. Trail maps are available from BC Parks website, or at the lodge. Campers have access to the Manning Park Resort, including restaurant, shop, and other amenities. At this time, no camping fee has been set.
Note that Headwaters Corral is closed for the season as of October 17, 2011. We will let you know when it opens again in the spring.
Check This Out:
HIDEAWAY HORSE CAMP
Opening is Spring 2014 and located in the hills, 15 kms east of Oliver, B.C.(the Wine Capitol of Canada), Hideaway Horse Camp is pleased to offer the best in rustic horse camping. Each of the 4 campsites has an assigned, separate, 14’ x 28’ corral which can easily be divided into two 14’ x 14’ corrals. Amenities include the best little outhouse in the South Okanagan, solar-heated cowboy shower, central enclosed fire-pit, and the Hideaway Hut, (a central, cozy shelter to socialize in). Clean, cold water from our deep well is readily available for guests and horses.
The trailheads are a short ride from our front gate and access endless miles of old logging roads and wildlife trails on Crown Land. Many of the trails interconnect, allowing for countless ways to explore the area. Situated at an altitude of 3,500ft, the mostly forested trails offer a cooler environment for more pleasurable summer riding. Wildlife abounds including elk, deer, bears, wild horses and sometimes even the rare white-headed woodpecker.
Three of the campsites are better suited for smaller rigs (camper with 2 to 3 horse trailer) and one pull-through site is for longer rigs (up to 55’ total length). Dogs are allowed if well behaved and leashed while on the property. No high-lining, private pens or off-road motorized vehicles please.
**Trail-carriage drivers: Many of the old roads are trail-carriage safe. We welcome carriage horses but due to possible conflicts with riders, we can only accept them with bookings of all 4 campsites.
Reservations are essential due to the small size of this private campground. Daily rate is $20, which includes campsite, one double corral and use of all amenities. One rig and 3 riders maximum per site. Proof of membership with Horse Council of BC (or equivalent) required. Open May to September.
To book your stay, please email: hideawayhorsecamp@xplornet.ca or call Anna-Maria at 250-498-8318. For additional information, please go to our Hideaway Horse Camp Facebook page.
For photos visit the photo gallery for the Hideaway Horse Camp .
KETTLE RIVER TRAILS AT ROCK CREEK
Located in Rock Creek, BC the Kettle River Trails were developed to allow for non motorized recreational activities. These trails are now registered as such and are accessible from the Rock Creek Fairgrounds. Horsemen and hikers alike will love the trails and scenery, tranquility and natural surroundings. The trails accessible from the camping area have been used by the Endurance Riders Assoc. of BC for spring rides. This was also the site of the Back Country Horsemen Rendezvous in 2009, 2010 and 2011.Camping with highlines is available in the livestock camping area. Camping is $17 per night and dogs are allowed in the "livestock/horse campground". Outhouses and water available in the campsite. There are showers and toilets, open from May to September (approx.) in a campground closer to the river where dogs and horses are not permitted. In addition, there are stalls that can be rented in the barn at the Rock Creek Fairgrounds at $15 per night, and they also rent portable panels for temporary corrals. Panels are $5 each/day plus a $100 cash deposit.
Contact Anita Castle or Rob Gill at the Rock Creek Fairgrounds ph (250) 446-2465 or email rcfair.info@gmail.com.
Directions: From Hwy 3 at Rock Creek, turn onto Hwy 33, then right on S. Kettle Valley Road to cross the Kettle River. S. Kettle Valley Road then turns right, continue until you reach the fairgrounds. If coming from Kelowna on Hwy 33, turn left on S. Kettle Valley Road before you reach Hwy 3 junction.
Check This Out:
- You can download a map of the loop trails with distances marked.
LARCH HILLS
The Larch Hills cross country ski area, 20 km from Salmon Arm, is home to some of B.C.s finest cross country ski trails, 125 km in all. The area is a wonderful riding experience from spring to fall, the real appeal is a cool, shaded place to ride when it is too hot to ride on the Okanagan Valley floor. In the summer of 2010, the Okanagan Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of BC, with funding assistance from the Equine Canada/HCBC Recreation & Industry Grant, added to the existing corrals so there are now two sets of 4 corrals for overnight stays with your horses.The parking area can accommodate quite a few horse trailers. Camping is free of charge, or you can stay in a large cabin for $10 a night or $75 for a group by calling Pauline Hickson at 250-838-2358. There's a spring up the road from the campsite for water, and there are outhouses at the site.
For directions, view the Larch Hills information in the Online Trail Guide or visit the Larch Hills website at http://www.skilarchhills.ca/.
Check This Out:
- Photos in the Larch Hills photo gallery courtesy of Ralph Livingston of BCHBC Okanagan chapter.
LUNDBOM LAKE
Near Merritt, the wilderness campground on the shores of Lundbom Lake is one of the larger recreation campsites in the area and is extremely popular. It is packed to overflowing on weekends and often full during the week. The campsites are well set up for horses as the corrals were built by Backcountry Horsemen of British Columbia. Although there are several corrals, they are often full, so come prepared to tie your horses to your trailers.There are a few sites in the horse camp that have both picnic tables and fire pits, and beautiful lake views. but most do not. But there are many other non-horse camp sites with those features. ATVs are very popular. The only water source for the horses is the lake, which is a short walk from the site and it takes a good effort to lug water back to the corrals.
The Lundboom Lake area is one of the most awesome places to ride - a place that that all horse people are sure to adore. Its proximity to the Lower Mainland makes it very popular for horse enthusiasts. There is a camp host there from May though September. The cost is $12 per night; maximum stay is 14 days.
Check This Out:
- More detailed information and map on the Lundbom Lake page of the Trails Database.
- View Kelly Allen's photos on the Camping and Horses website.
SKIMIKIN LAKE
The Skimikin trails are 15 km west of Salmon Arm. There is a campsite at Skimikin Lake with picnic tables and fire pits, and 15 paddocks with double corrals and pull-through parking spaces. No reservations, but a caretaker on site collects a $10 camping fee and sells maps.
There
are over 100 kilometers of marked and mapped trails for riding, some
with spectacular views. The equestrian campsite is managed by the EQ
Trails Association who is active in creating and maintaining trails in
and around the Shuswap, along with the Shuswap Trail Alliance. Inquiries
may be made by phoning Shawnee Venables at 250 804-0602 or Shirley
Bates at 250-835-4496.
Check This Out:
- Maps, photos and other information are available on the EQ Trails Association website at http://eqtrail.webs.com/.
- Map and directions are also in the Online Trail Guide and some great photos on Kelly Allen's Camping and Horses website.
SQUAMISH VALLEY CAMPGROUND AND RV SITE
If you're riding the Whistler Olympic Park trails and wish to stay overnight within easy driving distance, contact Squamish Valley Campground and RV Site. There are also riding trails from the campground, which is on 250 acres. Note that horses must be highlined, tied to your trailer, or in a portable corral. There are no corrals.
Located a short drive off the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler, the scenic Squamish Valley offers a camper's paradise. Visit their website at: www.campsquamish.com
A stunning private sandy beach along the Squamish River, snow peaked mountains, glacier and waterfall views are what you find waiting for you at the Squamish Valley Campground and RV site. This natural setting boasts an abundance beauty and charm and it is the perfect location to catch glimpses of eagles soaring above and deer foraging nearby. The pristine wilderness offers rustic camping with the convenience of Squamish a short distance away and the world renowned resort of Whistler and Vancouver within an hour.
Reservations required. Contact 604 898 9310 or info@campsquamish.com. Campsite fee is $30 for up to 3 people per night, and each horse will be an additional $20 per visit. There is water available, and outhouses, but otherwise the camping is "rustic". Directions: Located 1 hour from Vancouver and Whistler, the Squamish Valley Campground and RV Site is located a short 25 minute drive from downtown Squamish and off the Sea to Sky Highway. Head north through Squamish towards Whistler on hwy 99. Turn left at the Alice Lake Provincial Park intersection. Follow Squamish Valley Road 2km over 1st bridge until 'Y'. Continue left on Squamish Valley Road for 14km. Look for sign on the left 1km after 2nd bridge
Check This Out:
- More information on the Whistler Olympic Park trails in the HCBC Online Trail Guide.
- For photos visit the photo gallery for the Squamish Valley Campground & RV Site.
TABOR MOUNTAIN
Tabor Mountain is 16 km. east of Prince George on the Trans Canada Highway, and has been used by outdoor recreation enthusiasts year round for at least 50 years. There are 250 km of multi-use trails, a recreation trail system now formally registered with Recreation Sites & Trails BC under what’s known as a “Section 56″, thanks to the Tabor Mountain Recreation Society, who maintains the trail network.For the access road to the horse camping site, which has corrals, picnic tables, outhouses and a water pump, go south on Hwy 97 from Prince George to Buckhorn Road to foot of the mountain, then left onto Scott Road until you pass "end of public road" and cross a small bridge, right into the campsite road.
There are 4 rustic corrals at this time, and 6 campsites that will accommodate rigs Dogs are allowed. Water available from a pump. No charge for camping at this time. Any questions or to inquire about available sites, contact the Tabor Mountain Recreation Society via their website at www.tabormountainrecreation.ca.
Check This Out:
- Map and photos in the HCBC Online Trail Guide.
- Additional photos in the Tabor Mountain Photo gallery.
THE HILLS AND 108 MILE TRAILS
The 100 Mile House area boasts about 150km of groomed cross country ski trails that are suitable for horseback riding when ski season is over. The 108 Mile ski trails north of the highway are excellent for horses. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails. Trails can be accessed via The Hills Health Ranch.See Online Trail guide for directions and map, Register for the campsites with corrals at Hills Guest Ranch, and show them your HCBC membership card for a 10% discount. There is no charge for day riding and just $25.00 for overnight. You will also have access to The Hills' restaurants, lounges, hot tub, pool, and showers, plus you can pamper yourself with a massage or pedicure if you like. There is no power at the campsites, but there is water for horses and an outhouse. There are about 30 corrals and room for big rigs. More on The Hills at http://www.hillsguestranch.com/.
Check This Out:
- Photos in the 108 Mile Trails photo gallery
- Additional photos and info on Kelly Allen's Camping and Horses website.
TIMBER RIDGE TRAILS
Timber Ridge Trails is a small horse oriented camp site, complete with corrals and a timber-framed eating area, located in a private and peaceful setting just 20 minutes from Vernon, with access to miles and miles of crown land trails. The number one focus of Timber Ridge Trails is to be a relaxing place to come and spend time with your friends while having fun with your horses. In addition, they cook some delicious Dutch oven and fire grilled meals on site for groups of 10 or more, using locally sourced meats and seasonal produce.Check This Out:
- Visit the Timber Ridge Trails photo gallery.
- Call to reserve: Darlene Wolney at 250-309-3544 or email timberridgetrails@gmail.com
TUNKWA LAKE
Not far from Kamloops and Logan Lake, Tunkwa is listed in the top 10 provincial rainbow trout fisheries. This park protects mid elevation grasslands, forests, lakes, and wetlands including bogs and ponds. This is a year-round recreation area, noted for camping, hunting, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, fishing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.The horse camp is located at the Leighton Lake campsite. Horseback riding on trails within the park is permitted and riding out of the park from the Leighton Lake camp is allowed. The trails are shown on the map as ATV trails, but due to deadfall from pine beetle infestation, the trails are more horse friendly and less attractive to ATV's. Much of the area is rolling hills and open meadows. There are 10 corrals that the Kamloops chapter of Back Country Horsemen put in and camping spots for rigs. They have outhouses, picnic tables, fire pits and the area is all paved into the campsite. The current fee is $16/night and that is for the rig, with use of the corrals included. Water is available for the horses and firewood is sold on site.
Check This Out:
- Visit the Online Trail Guide for additional information and map.
WHITWORTH HORSE CAMP
Just a couple hours drive from the Lower Mainland, this beautiful horse camp is located approx. 54 km south of Silver Creek on the Silver Skagit Rd., reached by turning off Hwy 1 just southwest of Hope. Facilities include picnic table, camping pad, pull thru driveway, fire ring, hitching rail and corrals at each of 11 sites. There are also several day use sites with picnic tables and hitching rails, and one central watering trough. Horseback riding is permitted on the Skagit River Trail, Centennial Trail and to the height of land on the Skyline II Trail. The gate is locked in the off season. Check the BC Parks page for Skagit Valley Park for updates.Check This Out:
- More information and map for the Whitworth Horse Camp in the Online Trail Guide.
- Photos in the gallery include some scenes of the Skagit River from the pedestrian suspension bridge further down the Silver Skagit Road.
