Spring has finally arrived - just in time for the long weekend. Whether your family adventure is camping under the stars, fishing in a remote mountain lake or exploring a hidden glacier, there's never been a better time to find your British Columbia backcountry playground.

For those looking to get off the beaten path this weekend, B.C. offers more than 1,300 recreation sites and 800 trails to enjoy. Recreation sites provide rustic camping experiences with basic facilities and are generally located in remote areas accessed by gravel roads. Recreation sites and trails offer a number of activities including hiking, swimming, horseback riding, mountain biking, dirt biking and fishing.

Recreational users are encouraged to respect the environment and practice 'no-trace' camping.

Tips for No-Trace Camping:

• Pack-in, Pack-out - what you bring in to a site should be taken home afterwards.
• Stay on authorized roads, trails, and designated motorized vehicle areas.
• Limit your stay to no more than 14 consecutive days.
• Respect the peace and quiet of others. Designated quiet times are 11 p.m. - 7 a.m.
• Keep campfires within the fire rings provided. Extinguish campfires thoroughly before you leave.

Photo of Gold Bay recreation site: http://bit.ly/jeJpWx

• Every year, more than two million residents and visitors alike take advantage of our vast network of forest recreation sites and trails.
• The vast majority of recreation sites are free; only about eight per cent have a small user fee.
• Recreation Sites and Trails BC manages recreation use on Crown lands outside of parks and settled areas - that's over 80 per cent of total provincial land (48 million hectares).
• Since 2005, the provincial government has invested more than $26 million to maintain and rehabilitate B.C.'s recreation sites and trails system.

Learn More:

Find a recreation site or trail near you: http://www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca/

Join the backcountry community on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BCRecSitesandTrails

To report a wildfire: 1 800 663-5555 or *5555 on you cellphone.

Contact:
Cheekwan Ho
Media Relations
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261