RV camping in Fernie BC

[fitchmo]

Has anyone stayed in Fernie BC? Best place for RV, preferably with hookups? We're driving up from Oregon for a wedding in Fernie and staying 3 days. Currently have reservations at Snow Valley Motel & RV Park, but I haven't been able to find any RV park reviews about it.

[3LittleDucks]

I agree completely, we've moved away from the PPs too. We camped with a PUP for years, and although we now have a HTT with full facilities it bothers me to camp somewhere (ie PPs) that have horrific bathrooms. The private CGs, even little ones, generally have decent w/cs.

We have found that many smaller, rural golf courses have adjacent camgrounds. They're quiet, inexpensive, well maintained, and don't charge extra for using the sani dump (not only does paying bother me, but needing the exact change to operate a slot machine sure does).

I find the national parks give somewhat better value, but require the park pass.

Camping isn't what it use to be, you could decide on a wed or thurs when and where to go. 😕

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

3LittleDucks wrote:
FullTimeWanabe...I've heard that PP are open for dry camping year round (not all parts of the CG are accessible), though one of our winter camping adventures was met with locked gates at the entrace, and we had even called ahead. Seems to be a bit hit and miss.

Quite likely 3LittleDucks with them now being bid on contracts that some may be gated but for example Little Bow, we stay at, have camped at various times year round, but there is access to the lake so from our experience has been opened in past years for boaters and ice fishermen.

Prices are way too steep nowadays compared to when we started for us to want to patronize our provincial parks during main season so we go on the shoulder seasons before/after opening when it's free for our dry camping limited needs. It's just our personal principal now on how privatization has caused ridiculous escalation of the parks that supposedly belong to the people that stops us, but .......... to each their own. Now don't get me wrong if there's a small PP on a lake that's still charging around $14 for dry camping or $18 with electric we don't have a problem but $30 to park on a badly maintained site and an additional $5 for the dumpstation we most certainly will not support.

[3LittleDucks]

FullTimeWanabe...I've heard that PP are open for dry camping year round (not all parts of the CG are accessible), though one of our winter camping adventures was met with locked gates at the entrace, and we had even called ahead. Seems to be a bit hit and miss.

[Uncle_Rj]

Can you give us an idea as to what you are camping with? You might be too big for some of the campgrounds in the national parks.

Lake Louise is beautiful, but the closest campgrounds are VERY close to the train tracks. As long as you don't mind sleeping with ear plugs, you will be fine.

[3LittleDucks]

Tunnel Mountain is fine to camp in, the canada parks campgrounds in jasper have more of a wilderness feel to them. Go online and check your dates, I recently made bookings for both and there are pretty slim pickings for many dates!

Here is the link. Lake Louise is also in the National Park, so you won't find any private CGs.

https://reservation.pc.gc.ca/Home.aspx

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

We stayed at the CG in Lake Louise many years ago, left after one night due to the noise of the train tooting all night long it felt (LOL).

You said you like boon docking. As a heads up I think the company is called Brewsters and it's the Columbian ice fields where you head up towards Jasper, many do an overnight dry camping there in the car park without event - seen them many a time and done it ourselves heading up towards Jasper after our Banff/Lake Louise fix. Worth seeing as well and tasting the ice cold blue water - we chose to walk out to them rather than take the big cats out. It is unfortunately receding each and every year somewhat so not far how much you need to walk today we did it several years ago.

Banff is very very touristy now, but they have a really neat miniature museum worth seeing. Tunnel Mountain is very popular with hook ups and easy to access down into the town. This was our first CG in April 1999 with our brand new fifth wheel when we were testing out the systems close to home just in case (LOL). Have fond memories of it. Make sure you hit Lake Minnewanka (might have spelt that wrong!) and Two Jack Lake area. If you like a little hiking there's a loop just off the main highway think it's Hwy 1A for sure check out Johnston Canyon up there. Also if you happen to come east outside of Banff Gate, check out Canmore but heading out around towards the Provincial park areas it's very very beautiful there = lots of wedding photos and ceremonies etc done in that area and we love camping just north of Spray lakes near Canmore.

Hope the above gives you some ideas, depending on what time you have in the area. We live about hour and half from Banff, and rarely do Banff townsite itself any more but the surrounding areas are out of this world in warm weather, and of course skiing in the winter.

[fitchmo]

Yes that would be great. We're going to Banff National Park, Jasper National Park and Glacier National Park. We'd like to stay at Lake Louise for a few days.

[3LittleDucks]

Sparwood is a good option, and not far. Do you need other campground recs for the rest of your trip?

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I love the Sparwood campground. It is community run, has good 30 amp power for the most part.

[SideHillSoup]

Besides putting gates across the entrance to most Provincal Campgounds, the Contactors that have the contacts through the Hwys Dept are even closing some gates into Rest Areas in the winter. Less hassle I guess of not having to keep the bathrooms clean and parking lots plowed.
I will be down in Org and Wash. the spring of 16, I will be looking for the open gate places! ( grin)
Soup

[fitchmo]

We dry camp all the time Fulltime, and we don't really care for crowded campgrounds and we like free even better. Thanks for the suggestions. Our kids are going up early so I'll have them take a look around for us. Also I called Alpine Lodge and they allow complimentary RV parking/camping in their parking lots during the slow season. Soup we have lots of campgrounds here in Southern Oregon that close for the season and some close the gates and some don't. Just no services.

[SideHillSoup]

Strange that the campground gate was even open if there was no host. The campgrounds around where I live don't open the gates until the campground has a host.
I'm talking Provincal campgrounds.
Soup.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Is it totally off limits Fitchmo or can you just go in and dry camp just zero hosts? We do this at Little Bow PP when it's not officially open over the past 17 years. I ask because our kids (24&31) just camped this past Thurs to Sun on Lake Koocanusa in the sites at Gold Bay (dry camping with picnic table and were allowed a fire). The lady at the 1800 number I called said "Oh if they are coming this weekend it'll be free not the $14 because there's no one there yet and they haven't raked the sites". They totally enjoyed it and late Friday just one other fifth wheel came in onto these 8 sites. Water level was down substantially but that aside they had a wonderful weekend. Also there is a dump on the NE of town Fernie ?chamber of commerce that cost them $2 in the honesty box, couple days ago FWIW.

We've also seen folks stay at Canadian Tire area in Fernie, and other areas for an overnight or two as a heads up if maybe needed in a pinch.

[fitchmo]

Thanks Soup, Just called about Mt Fernie and the park does not open until June 1.