People now have more opportunities to enjoy a camping trip at McDonald Creek Provincial Park with the addition of 39 new campsites.

“Every year, millions of people head to provincial parks to experience the beauty and wonder that nature has to offer,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “We know people care deeply about provincial parks and want them stewarded effectively. Investing in our parks provides more opportunities for people to connect with nature and makes the BC Parks experience even better.”

Located south of Nakusp, McDonald Creek Provincial Park encompasses 468 hectares and is a popular holiday destination for people who enjoy swimming, boating and fishing. The park has several kilometres of sandy beach along the Upper Arrow Lake, an open grassy meadow and waterfront campsites. The new campground loop brings the number of vehicle-accessible campsites in the park to 112.

For 28 of the new campsites, reservations open at 7 a.m. (Pacific time) on Monday, June 26, 2023. The remaining 11 sites are first-come, first-served. All campsite furnishings and services in the new loop are accessible. Eight pit toilets in the existing campground have been upgraded to accessible standards.

"People who live here, and visitors alike, love to enjoy the amazing outdoor experiences that Nakusp and the area have to offer,” said Katrine Conroy, MLA for West Kootenays. “More campsites at beautiful McDonald Creek Park will mean more people can enjoy time outside along the Arrow Lakes and visit nearby communities to stroll, eat and shop."

The McDonald Creek Park campground expansion costs approximately $750,000 and is part of a $21.5-million investment to expand and enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation throughout B.C. The upgrades include new campsites and trails, and improvements to existing facilities. Many upgrades will also improve accessibility for people who use wheelchairs, strollers or have other accessibility challenges.

To enhance the visitor experience, upgrades have also been made at three other BC Parks – Ellison Provincial Park, Mount Robson Provincial Park, and Lakelse Lake Provincial Park. The estimated cost of all four projects (including McDonald Creek) combined is $2.2 million. More projects are scheduled for completion in the fall.

During the next three years, the BC Parks and Recreation Sites and Trails BC operating and capital budgets combined will increase by $71 million to support facility and trail maintenance. 

Quick Facts:

• B.C.’s provincial parks receive more than 23 million visits each year.
• One of the largest park systems in North America, B.C. has more than 1,000 provincial parks, recreation areas, conservancies, ecological reserves and protected areas covering approximately 14.4% of the provincial land base.
• Since 2017, more than 1,700 campsites have been added to BC Parks and recreation sites.
• New campsites are located in regions with the highest demand: the Lower Mainland, Thompson-Okanagan, Kootenay Rockies and Mount Robson.

Learn More:

For more information about McDonald Creek Provincial Park, visit: https://bcparks.ca/mcdonald-creek-park/

Camping reservations can be made here: https://camping.bcparks.ca/

For more information about BC Parks, visit https://bcparks.ca/