Hello all,We've got a fabulous two week trip planned and reserved this summer from Seattle to Banff and Jasper. The last remaining detail to get ironed out is where to stay on the way home. Currently, because of time constraints, I think we're going to be making a beeline back home from Jasper via Hwy 5. It looks like Kamloops is about exactly half way for us, so I thought a quick overnight there would be a good idea.Any recommendations for a reasonable overnight stop with electric? With the likely summer heat we're going to want to run the AC, so I think a Costco/Walmart camp is probably out for us. Not looking for anything other than a quick stop and crash really. We're probably going to be sightsee'd out by then, so scenery isn't a priority, so long as the place is clean and safe and reasonably presentable.I did a search and came up with Knutsford Campground and Kamloops RV Park as possibles.Any thoughts about these, or other suggestions?Thanks!

I stayed at Wild Rose Campground its Good Sams RV in Hope for just one night. Just what I was looking for. Not too expensive one night then on my way again. Quite and all the amenities. Easy in easy out.

Maybe look just a bit further east, it's before Kamloops, eh...Salmon Arm or Sicamous. That would just extend your search criteria a bit, is all. Thinking on this some....Chase has a lakeside RV park but the railway is close...you choose. geeez..I mis-read the posting....corrected mine. Gary Haupt

I've driven south from Jasper a couple of times.First we stayed at Mt Robson PP, and drove the whole way to Vancouver in one (long) day. We had lunch in Kamloops.Second we also stayed at Mt Robson, but took our time getting going, and ended up with a lunch stop near Valemount. We then spent 2 nights in Wells Gray. On the way out we did laundry in Clearwater, and camped behind a motel (Duck Lake). There is a Prov Park near Clearwater, N Thompson River, that should be convenient for camping. Paul Lake PP is much closer to Kamloops (and probably cooler). Kamloops itself is in a hot dry valley. Lac le Jeune is a large PP off of 5 south of Kamloops. There are other parks on the Merritt plateau.On that 2nd trip I stayed on 5A, and ended up camping at a small road side PP near Princeton, and the next day drove the Fraser valley and Harrison Hot Springs.

Knutsford/Kamloops RV campground. Great place nice folks!

We stayed only one night at the overpriced Kamloops RV Park last summer. We were given a space that only had room for our trailer, but not our truck (and our trailer is only 21' long). The Trans-Canada truck and CP train noise was so loud during the night that we had trouble sleeping even with our normal ear plugs in. I personally wouldn't stay there again. Instead, I would suggest someplace outside town and away from the highway and railroad track if at all possible.

Overnight recommendation in Kamloops | Good Sam Community

20 Replies

luckyd
Explorer
May 06, 2014
"The Merritt WM is more suitable for overnight camping"

Walmart IS NOT FOR CAMPING.
When are you people going to get it????????

It is no wonder that more and more Walmarts are
refusing overnight "PARKING"
BC_Explorer
Explorer
May 06, 2014
paulj wrote:
On Google Maps Streetview, the main entrance sign form WM also lists Michaels, Payless Shoes, Pier one, etc. And from sat view, there's no out-of-the-way corner of the parking lot where RVs could cluster and be away from the other stores.

The Merritt WM is more suitable for overnight camping. It's just off the freeway, out of town, the only neighbors is the airport and a Husky station with a large empty parking area.

I have seen a lot of RV's at the Merritt WM any time I have passed through. Surprised they have not clamped down on the abusers who have their whole campsite setup in the parking lot.
paulj
Explorer II
May 05, 2014
On Google Maps Streetview, the main entrance sign form WM also lists Michaels, Payless Shoes, Pier one, etc. And from sat view, there's no out-of-the-way corner of the parking lot where RVs could cluster and be away from the other stores.

The Merritt WM is more suitable for overnight camping. It's just off the freeway, out of town, the only neighbors is the airport and a Husky station with a large empty parking area.
luckyd
Explorer
May 05, 2014
Two problems with W/M in Kamloops.
There was a group of RV's that came in, put their slides out, jacks down
on new pavement, set up barbecues, etc. They were asked to pack it all up as they were only allowed "parking", not camping. They refused and the police
had to intervene.

W/M does not own the land and that is why the signs went up.
Has not been overnight parking for several years....as stated.
Johnny_G1
Explorer
May 05, 2014
Tothill wrote:
luckyd wrote:
Two CG's in Kamloops. One is Kamloops RV park. Noisy and high price.
The other is at Knutsford RV Park. Quiet, off the highway, lots of shade,
BUT, most sites are 30 amp.
Coming from Jasper on Hwy 5. there is a CG about 15 miles north of
Kamloops.

For a major center, we really are lacking in CG's.

You are not allowed overnight at Walmart.
Costco lot is very small now with the gas pumps and cement islands.

When did they stop over nighting at Walmart in Kamloops? We spent the night there(with store permission and about 15 other rigs about 6 years ago).
About 3 yrs ago, signs everywhere, maximum 3 hrs parking with an RV.
dfm
Explorer
May 05, 2014
Chinook cove golf and Rv Park is just 3 miles north of Barriere, B.C. right off highway . They have 18 sites with full hookups. Nice and quiet and around $30.00 a night. We stay there numerous times during the summer because it has a great 9 hole golf course.
Barriere is only 40 minutes north of Kamloops.
Tothill
Explorer
May 05, 2014
luckyd wrote:
Two CG's in Kamloops. One is Kamloops RV park. Noisy and high price.
The other is at Knutsford RV Park. Quiet, off the highway, lots of shade,
BUT, most sites are 30 amp.
Coming from Jasper on Hwy 5. there is a CG about 15 miles north of
Kamloops.

For a major center, we really are lacking in CG's.

You are not allowed overnight at Walmart.
Costco lot is very small now with the gas pumps and cement islands.

When did they stop over nighting at Walmart in Kamloops? We spent the night there(with store permission and about 15 other rigs about 6 years ago).
luckyd
Explorer
May 04, 2014
Two CG's in Kamloops. One is Kamloops RV park. Noisy and high price.
The other is at Knutsford RV Park. Quiet, off the highway, lots of shade,
BUT, most sites are 30 amp.
Coming from Jasper on Hwy 5. there is a CG about 15 miles north of
Kamloops.

For a major center, we really are lacking in CG's.

You are not allowed overnight at Walmart.
Costco lot is very small now with the gas pumps and cement islands.
fanrgs
Explorer
Apr 27, 2014
docj wrote:
We have dual pane windows in our RV and didn't think the noise was particularly noticeable with them closed.

The OP's truck-trailer combination is much closer to ours than to a 40-ft. coach. We might have had a 60-ft. pull-thru if we had been in a Class A MH. But we weren't, so ended up with a 20-ft. back-in space for a 21-ft. trailer with no place to put our truck. I would stay away from Kamloops RV Park.
docj
Explorer
Apr 26, 2014
fanrgs wrote:
We stayed only one night at the overpriced Kamloops RV Park last summer. We were given a space that only had room for our trailer, but not our truck (and our trailer is only 21' long). The Trans-Canada truck and CP train noise was so loud during the night that we had trouble sleeping even with our normal ear plugs in.

I personally wouldn't stay there again. Instead, I would suggest someplace outside town and away from the highway and railroad track if at all possible.

We have dual pane windows in our RV and didn't think the noise was particularly noticeable with them closed. The staff are very nice and the park is next to the BC Wildlife Park which, although it is just a zoo, was an enjoyable place for the kids to see some grizzly's up close. IMHO the short backtrack back to the highway to Jasper was not a big deal; I've drive a lot farther off course to get to a CG.

Kamloops is a good place to stop either coming or going from or to Jasper. The shopping is good so it's a great place to stock up or re-stock, as the case may be.