Campsite to Trail - The Best Campgrounds for Biking Families

Let me know if this question from a reader sounds familiar:

"Packing up 5 bikes and a chariot is an ordeal we don't want to do every time we want to go for a ride, so we are looking for a campground where we can get onto some good trails right from our campsite.  We also don't want to have to bike on crowded, touristy roads through town to get onto the trails either."

Fortunately for this reader, and for anybody else looking for a good "bike base camp." I have several great campgrounds to choose from and they can all be reached within a half day of driving from Calgary. (Many are within a 1-3 hour drive.)  We love biking and agree that it is a pain in the butt if you have to constantly pack up the bikes every time you want to go for a short family ride.

Biking in Kikomun Creek Provincial Park at Surveyors Lake, British Columbia

The Best Bike Base Camps for Families 

Wapiti or Whistlers Campgrounds, Jasper National Park

We love camping at the Wapiti or Whistlers campground in Jasper because they are at the end of the Wapiti bike trail which leads to downtown Jasper, or connects you with other trails leading all over the park. There's also a great bike trail right in the Whistlers Campground that connects several small play areas with a big main playground.

Enjoy easy family biking in Jasper without ever jumping in the car

These campgrounds make #1 on my list for biking base camps because of all the amazing places you can bike to without ever getting on a road or highway, having to load up bikes, or having to take them apart to fit in a vehicle.

None of the trails in Jasper's trail network are paved, but they are all easy for children and relatively flat with few hills.

To read my full trail report on Biking in Jasper, read:  The Best Family Bike Trails in Jasper.

We biked to the Lake Annette Beach from Camp - no roads, no highway.  100% pathway riding

Surveyors Lake, Kikomun Creek Provincial Park (British Columbia)

Surveyors Lake is another great campground for families who like biking.  Located in the East Kootenays near the town of Fernie, you can bike around camp or take a day trip into Fernie to bike the town trails.

We loved biking around camp on the Great Northern Rail Trail.  It is definitely mountain biking terrain and has a few challenging hills.  Older kids and teens will love biking here though and my son has been riding the trails since the age of 4.

Biking the Great Northern Rail Trail in Surveyors Lake Campground

Alternately, you can drive into Fernie to play at the Bike Park, ride the easy trails in town, or try some introductory mountain biking near the aquatic centre.

For more information on biking and camping at Surveyors Lake, read my following stories:  Camping in British Columbia:  Kikomun Creek Provincial Park and Another Great Camping Trip to Surveyors Lake 

For information on biking in Fernie, read:  The Best Family Bike Trails in Fernie, British Columbia. 

Playing at the Bike Park in Fernie

Crimson Lake Provincial Park, Central Alberta

Families camping at Crimson Lake Provincial Park can bike the 9km Amerada Trail around the lake without ever jumping in a car.  You'll be on a nice gravel pathway the whole time and it's wide enough for a bike trailer. (note there are a few decent sized climbs though so prepare to do some walking if kids don't have gears on their bikes)

Alternately, there's a mountain bike trail that goes all the way from the nearby town of Rocky Mountain House to Crimson Lake and it's definitely challenging enough for all levels of riders.  We walked the tough hills but otherwise found the ride to be doable with kids.  You just might have to explain to young children that you are going for a "bike hike" and be prepared to walk the tricky sections.

Easy boardwalk biking at Twin Lake

The 12km long trail from Rocky Mountain House to Crimson Lake can be split up into shorter distances by using Twin Lake (half way between the town and Crimson Lake) as an ending or starting point.  (we found that we appreciated the use of a shuttle vehicle for this.)

For more information on biking and camping at Crimson Lake, read my story here:  Crimson Lake Provincial Park - Hidden Gem in Alberta Campgrounds.

Easy mountain biking between Crimson Lake and Rocky Mountain House

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis

There's no "one" campground here that is best in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.  As long as your campground is on the paved bike trail, you'll be able to bike out of your campsite anytime you want without ever jumping in a vehicle.

There is a 12 km paved trail that connects the PLPP Visitor Information Centre to the Mt. Sarrail Campground at the far end of the park. In the middle, the trail passes by four other campgrounds including Canyon, Elkwood, Boulton Creek and Lower Lake.  Camp at any of these five campgrounds and you will be right on the bike path.

Easy biking in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

This is a great place for families to bike and all steep hills on the path are well marked in advance.

For more information on biking and camping in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park read this story:  The Best Place To Bike and Camp in Kananaskis. 

Biking on the paved trail in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Southern Alberta

Cypress Hills Provincial Park is our newest "favourite place" to go camping with our bikes.  If you camp down near the lake in the town of Elkwater, you can hop on and off easy little mountain bike trails that connect 5 different campgrounds with the lakeshore.  Meanwhile, the lakeshore has its own 2.4km long paved bike trail that's great for young children just learning to ride.

There's something for everybody in Cypress Hills from expert riders looking to challenge themselves on technical single track to children still riding with training wheels.

Enjoying some easy mountain biking in Cypress Hills Provincial Park

Thanks to the trail network in the town of Elkwater, you can bike from camp in search of ice-cream, bike to the coffee shop, to the interpretive centre, marina, beach, mini-golf course, or to trailheads for hiking.  You could spend a week in Cypress Hills Provincial Park and never get in your car.

Families looking for more challenging riding will appreciate the use of a vehicle to shuttle bikers up into the hills for some fun downhill biking that always ends back at camp near the lake.

To read all about the bike trails we enjoyed in this park check out my newest camping story: Our New Favourite Alberta Camping Destination.

Easy riding on the Shoreline Trail, Cypress Hills Provincial Park

Tunnel Mountain Village Campgrounds, Banff National Park

There are three campgrounds at Tunnel Mountain on a scenic bench located just above the town of Banff.  Circling the campgrounds is a lovely little mountain bike trail, very easy and great for novice riders.  There's a few small hills but it's easy double track riding on a nice gravel trail.

Around the outside of the easy Tunnel Campground Loop, you'll find the intermediate Tunnel Bench Loop.  We like to hop on and off the two trails at various intersections whenever the riding gets too easy or too tough.  Meanwhile, we send Dad on the black loops (running outside of the blue loop) and meet up with him further down the trail at the next viewpoint.

Family riding doesn't get more awesome than this with trails for all abilities starting and ending right at your campsite!

Mountain Biking on the Tunnel Bench Loop, Banff

Last year we camped at Tunnel Village II which had power sites for our trailer but this year we have been camping at Tunnel Village I which is more natural and rustic in nature. The third option is the trailer court for families camping in larger RVS looking for full services.  No matter what your camping style is, there is something for everybody and a bike trail for any level.

With the assistance of a vehicle, you can also drive down into the town of Banff, head to other nearby trails, drive to Lake Louise for the day or head to nearby Canmore.  You'll find enough trails to keep you biking for a month.

Campsites at Tunnel Village I have lots of trees, shade, and privacy - Premier campground for sure!

 Read these stories about biking in the Bow Valley and Banff for further inspiration:

• Mountain Biking the Tunnel Bench Loop in Banff - With Kids
  
  
• The Best Family Bike Trails in Banff National Park
  
  
• Biking the Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail - With Kids
  
  
• The Best Family Bike Trails in Canmore
  
  
• Our New Favourite Campground in Banff

Intermediate mountain  biking on the Tunnel Bench Loop

Bow Valley Campground, Kananaskis

We camped in the Bow Valley Campground last weekend and I finally got the chance to test out the paved Bow Valley bike trail.  Despite being paved, it was one heck of a workout and definitely had some hills to power up in both directions.  That being said, it's a lovely 4km long bike trail and older kids will do well on it.  Younger children just may have to walk a hill or two.

Biking the Bow Valley Campground Paved Trail

The other thing I liked about this campground is that families were biking all over the park to various trailheads and day use areas, to the store for ice-cream, and to the river to play.  You'll be biking on campground roads while there but most people weren't driving around much so the roads were very quiet.  There were even children on training wheels biking around the park on the main roads.

This is definitely a biking park and most campsites were filled with bikes of all shapes and sizes.  (there's a few good hills in the campground that the teens were having fun with on their scooters too.)

For more information on camping and biking in Bow Valley, read April Camping in Bow Valley Provincial Park. 


Other recommended reading: 

The Best Family Bike Trails in Canmore

The Best Family Bike Trails in Kananaskis.   

The Bow Valley Biker Gang  

Biking in nearby Canmore, a short drive from the Bow Valley Campground

   

Mt. Kidd RV Park, Kananaskis

We haven't stayed at the Mt. Kidd RV Park yet but the campground is right on the paved Bill Milne Path and we love this easy bike trail. There's a big climb up to Kananaskis Village but as long as you stay low along the highway and just bike between the Kovach Day Use Area and Wedge Pond, it's pretty easy going. 

Read more here: The Best Family Bike Trails in Kananaskis. 

Biking on the Bill Milne Trail near Kananaskis Village

Also, from the RV Park, you are close to the trailhead for Troll Falls which is an incredible family bike ride.  Most people choose to hike this trail but it's one of our favourite rides for some easy mountain biking.

Photo opp. along the Hay Meadows Trail, Kananaskis

Wasa Lake Provincial Park (British Columbia)

There is a mountain bike park, half pipe and pump track right in the campground of this provincial park.  While it's a bit more challenging than many bike parks we've visited, it is still worth checking out if you have junior mountain bikers in your family.

Wasa Lake Bike Park

There is also a 8 km paved bike loop around the Village of Wasa called the Wasa Lion's Way. It is a very nice bike ride to enjoy with the kids after playing at the lake all day.

Biking on the Wasa Lion's Way Trail

Finally, families can drive to Kimberly for a day trip and bike the North Star Rails to Trails Path to Cranbrook in a 25km paved bike ride.  

More information can be found in this story:  Camping Across British Columbia - Wasa Lake.

Biking the North Star Rails to Trails Path

 

Want to go further afield?  

Check out this story I wrote about biking on the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR Trail) in Kelowna, British Columbia.  The story is here at:  Biking the Kettle Valley Railway from Kelowna to Osoyoos.

Biking the Myra Canyon Trestle Bridges in Kelowna, British Columbia

You'll have to drive to the Myra Canyon trailhead to do the trail in the photo above, but there are other sections of the KVR that cross right through campgrounds in the towns of Penticton and Okanagan Falls to the south of Kelowna.

Being able to jump onto the Kettle Valley Railway Trail from our campsite in Penticton was a highlight of our summer vacation last year.

Camp to Trail biking in the Okanagan, British Columbia

Suggested campgrounds:

• Wright's Beach Camp - Located in Penticton, this campground is right at the trailhead of the KVR section that goes from Penticton to Okanagan Falls
  
  
• Banburry Green Campground - Located in the town of Kaleden, the KVR crosses right through this campground en route from Penticton to OK Falls
  
  
• Sun and Sand RV Campground - Located in Okanagan Falls, this campground is located at the far trailhead of the Penticton to OK Falls section. 

Biking on the Kettle Valley Railway between Penticton and Okanagan Falls

Don't want to camp?  Check out these "resort base camps"

Kids on Wheels:  Nipika Mountain Resort - over 100km of bike trails on site with accommodations in cozy log cabins


Kids in the Backcountry - Escape to Banff's Sundance Lodge - The Brewster Creek Trail is a great trail for kids on balance bikes with all inclusive accommodations at Sundance Lodge


Family Backpacking in Banff National Park - No Tent Required - Red Earth Creek is another great trail for kids on balance bikes or for families with older kids and teenagers.  Accommodation is at the amazing Shadow Lake Lodge where every guest gets a private cabin


We went for the Snowshoeing and Returned for the Mountain Biking along with Just Another Day in Paradise - Mount Engadine Lodge in Kananaskis is a great base camp for biking the Mount Shark Trails.


How to Plan a Kananaskis Biking Weekend - without camping - the Kananaskis Hostel has quick access to the Bill Milne Trail, Troll Falls, and the trails of Kananaskis Village. 

 Nipika Mountain Resort is an awesome Biking Base Camp

Did I miss a great campground that you love to stay at while camping and biking?  Let me know and I'll add it to the list for review.

Camping in the Rain - Tips and Tricks for Making the Most of a Wet Weekend

We've all been there, checking the weather forecast before an upcoming camping trip only to see that it's supposed to rain all (or much) of the time.  Do you cancel your reservation?  Make alternate plans?  Choose a new place to go that looks more promising?  Or do you go anyway, fingers crossed, and hopeful that you'll still have fun?

I'm horribly guilty of cancelling plans when I see an unfavorable weather forecast (especially if we are going into the backcountry and planning to sleep in a tent without shelter or retreat from the wet conditions.)  Sometimes though, you have friends counting on you, you're already committed, and there's nothing you can do but suck it up and make the most of the crappy weather ahead.

Give a kid an umbrella and hiking is suddenly the "most fun" thing ever!

We've been quite lucky over the last few years of camping and haven't had too many "truly craptacular" weekends (probably because we cut our losses in advance and know when to stay home.)  We have learned a few things though about how to make the most of a "less than ideal" weekend at camp.

Tips and Trips for Making the Most of a Wet Weekend at Camp

 

Stay Busy

Do fun things to take your mind off the cool or wet weather and try to stay busy rather than just hanging out at camp.   I know many families like to "relax" when camping but it's not really much fun to sit around in the rain "chilling".

When it's cool and overcast it's even more important to stay busy and occupied rather than just hanging out at camp trying to keep spirits up.  Below are my favourite things to do at camp when temps. just aren't super pleasant:

This is a great way to spend a rainy day at camp

1.  Take a drive!  Go sightseeing, go for lunch in a nearby town, look for a nearby coffee shop, and use the opportunity to dry out and warm up.

2.  Seek Indoor Fun.  Find an indoor leisure centre, movie theatre, playground, or museum in a nearby town or city.  We've discovered some great indoor water parks and pools while camping in the rain.

3.  Have a movie party complete with tons of snacks and popcorn.  Thanks to portable DVD players and tablets, this is easy to plan at the campground and gives the kids a break from playing outside in cold temperatures.

Go Fish!  (everybody's warm, dry, and having fun.)

4.  Games and Cards!  Pull out the board games and cards, and set up a dry spot to play with a tarp or screen tent over a picnic table.

5.  Pull out the "crazy."  Plan some old fashioned children's games (think musical chairs with lawn chairs, tug of war, a three-legged race, etc. 

Old fashioned Camp Games

Alternately, crank the tunes and have a dance party in the campsite, go on a bike ride and look for the biggest puddles to ride through, plan a scavenger hunt, or head to the beach and swim in the rain.

What you're looking for here is FUN, CRAZY, and SILLY.  Anything to distract the kids.

6.  Do things that aren't overly affected by inclement weather.  Hike low elevation forest trails, canyons and interpretive trails, bike paved trails that won't get muddy, go swimming or canoeing - you're wet already, or try something new like geocaching or disc golf (offered in many campgrounds.)

You'd never know it was cool or less than ideal here.

It was cool but we still had fun biking here

7.  Seek Knowledge.  Check out provincial or national park visitor centres, museums or interpretive centres.  If you're lucky, the campground might even offer free family programs in the afternoon.

8.  Follow your Passions.  Do things you really love so you won't notice the bad weather so much.  For us, that would be biking and we are generally happy on our bikes regardless of the weather.

 

 

 

 

Do outdoor activities between showers 

Be prepared with lunches and snacks packed up, gear loaded in the vehicle if need be, and be ready to jump the second you see it stop raining.  You might only have a one or two hour break from showers so get out while you can.  The trails will smell amazing after the fresh rain and you'll find lots of puddles to stomp in.  This is the best time to go for a bike ride or a short nature hike.

The rain stopped and we were ready to pounce on the opening

Accept the Conditions

Play in the mud, stomp in puddles, take a bath in a creek - you're wet and dirty anyway!  Embrace the weekend for what it is and challenge yourself to see just how muddy you can get!  Hopefully the campground has showers!

Kids care much less than we do when it's rainy

Seize the opportunity to visit popular places without the crowds

Water parks, beaches, popular hiking trails or bike trails - all deserted and quiet on rainy days.  So get out there and enjoy the solitude.  You may get the whole beach to yourself!

These kids had the beach to themselves on this cool day

Don't be afraid to change plans

Cross over to a new valley that might have sunnier weather, get a relaxed start and head out Saturday morning instead (one less wet night at camp,) leave early (again, one less soggy night,) OR - if possible, reschedule and try again for a nicer weekend (this is especially important if camping with children or friends new to camping.)

This would have been a good morning to pack up early (yes, that's snow)

Final thoughts RE Planning Ahead

Sometimes planning ahead is the smartest thing you can do.  Here are just a few final suggestions that could set you up for success in the event it rains while you are camping.

• Always invite some crazy fun friends to go with!  (everything's better with friends.)
• Look for campgrounds that have cook shelters with indoor stoves if camping early in the season (this should be imperative for the May long weekend!)
• Have a back up plan (if possible, have alternate plans for bigger trips like backpacking when you may not want to go in the rain)
• Try to make last minute plans when possible early in the season.  (I still haven't booked sites yet for my June backpacking trip and won't till I see a long range weather forecast!)
• Leave some open weekends later in the summer for trips that need to be rescheduled.  (something we finally decided to do this year!)

Always invite fun people to go camping with

More Inspiration

Outdoor Play Ideas and Tips for Rainy Days - Rain or Shine Mamma

Rainy Day Fun - Painting with Mud - Rain or Shine Mamma

10 Things to do Outside on a Rainy Day - Bring the Kids

Rainy Days Made Fun - Campers Village

Rainy Day Hike - Walk Simply

Our New Favourite Alberta Camping Destination

I've written a lot about the best campgrounds and camping destinations in Alberta but we are starting to realize that most of our favourite ones are in Southern Alberta.  Dinosaur Provincial Park, Writing on Stone Provincial Park, AND Cypress Hills Provincial Park.

I'd written about Cypress Hills before and even listed it as one of the best camp destinations in Southern AB.  Then I removed it from my story on the best provincial park campgrounds in Southern Alberta because I realized I just didn't know enough about the area and needed to explore more.  We only camped there once when my son was quite young and all I could say was that the beach was nice.  However, there are closer beaches to access from Calgary and we always seemed to end up at Dinosaur Provincial Park every time we headed south for the weekend.

Cypress Hills Provincial Park and Elkwater Lake

We've now visited Cypress Hills a second time and LOVE it!  I can't wait to plan another trip next summer.

 

What's so Awesome About Cypress Hills Provincial Park

The Lake and Shoreline Trail

Elkwater Lake has a beach with sand to play in, a roped off area for swimming, and boat rentals.  There's also the awesome Shoreline Trail that passes by three playgrounds, leads you to a free mini golf course (payment by donation,) and that navigates through several marsh areas where you get to cross on wooden boardwalks.

Biking towards the West Day Use Area on the Shoreline Trail

Boardwalks on the Shoreline Trail in Cypress Hills Provincial Park

The boardwalks were a lot of fun to hike and bike over, and the Shoreline Trail is very easy for young children.  The section from the Marina to the East End Day Use Area has no boardwalks which would make it good for kids on scooters. 

Easy Biking on the East part of the Shoreline Trail

 

The Mountain Biking

We are always looking for new mountain bike trails and Cypress Hills definitely delivered! We tried a few trails during our three day weekend and came up with one clear favourite!

Starting off on the Horseshoe Canyon Trail

The Horseshoe Canyon Trail is one of my new fav. bike trails in the whole province. The trail is 4.1 km in length and can be ridden one way in the downhill direction in less than an hour (set up a shuttle with friends or have somebody drive down to the lake to meet you at the end.)  It's rated as an intermediate trail for biking and this seemed like a fair rating to us.

Easy double track riding on the Horseshoe Canyon Trail

We started from the Horseshoe Canyon viewpoint and after riding some rolling terrain on an old road, we proceeded to lose 190m of height as we rode down to lake level, coming out in the Old Baldy Campground.  There was one short section of single track riding near the end through a wide open meadow, but most of the ride was definitely on an old road and double track the whole time.  This made it easy for novice riders despite some bumpy hills, loose rocks, and a few interesting bits where the trail would turn sharply or become eroded in spots.

Riding across open meadows on the Horseshoe Canyon Trail

I would definitely say that a 20" bike with gears and hand brakes is the minimum requirement for this trail, but one of my son's friends did the ride with coaster brakes and no gears.  This also isn't the best choice for "first mountain bike ride."  Capable kids with previous mountain biking experience will love the ride though. 

The Horseshoe Canyon Trail is a great Evening Ride

Other Bike Trails we "Tested"

The Shoreline Trail and Soggy Bottom Trail - Easy, paved with wooden boardwalks, both follow the lakeshore.

The Sunset Trail - A continuation of the two easy trails above,  this 1.1 km long trail is not paved and serves as a great introduction to easy mountain biking for children.  It is not especially narrow as seen in the photo below as well.

Biking on the Sunset Trail

The Plateau Trail - We renamed this one to "Root City."   Do not bike this trail with kids.  We were mislead by the "easy" rating but that's clearly for hikers and not bikers with small 20" wheels.  Even I found the trail to be unpleasant on a bike. 

The Trans Canada Trail - This is another one that I can't entirely "recommend" with kids for a few reasons. The full length of trail is 8.3km one way with 127m of height gain.  It's rated as intermediate and the description mentions an old road.   We took that to mean it would be double track and relatively easy. We started from the Reesor Viewpoint and biked one way down to Reesor Lake.

The challenge with this trail is that we started off biking a few km across a wide open cow pasture.  It was beautiful as you can see from the photo below but it was bumpy, rough, and very unpleasant.  None of us enjoyed it.  It was also poorly signed near the beginning and we spent a bit of time trying to figure out where the trail went when we came to a ravine.  (Don't  go down into the ravine.  Stay high and bike around it.)

Scenic Riding on the Trans Canada Trail (not the same as "fun" riding)

We finally entered the trees and left the cow pasture behind only to find out we were now on a horse trail, equally bumpy and rough, and still not very pleasant.  Again, it was still pretty so I guess that's something...

Bumpy riding on the Trans Canada Trail

And the ending:  Finally smooth, finally some awesome riding, BUT - single track and very challenging.  My six year old was able to ride the full length down to Reesor Lake but I was not.  I found the trail to be too narrow, too twisty, and entirely too scary for my liking at this point.

The Descent down to Reesor Lake

We got down to the lake and then had to send my husband back up for the truck which was still at the viewpoint.  Not a fun way to end a ride, climbing uphill on the road.  If you're going to do this trail, set up a shuttle!

Next Time:

Next time we go to Cypress Hills, we want to try the Rangers Trail, Ridgetop Trail, and the Lakeside Trail at the Spruce Coulee Reservoir.  Let me know if you have experience biking any of these trails with kids please.

We rode the kids pretty hard

The Hiking Trails

We went for a lovely hike on the Old Baldy Trail up to a beautiful lookout over the lake.  Then we descended via the Firerock Trail past a glacial erratic that was fun to climb on.

Hiking on the Old Baldy Trail to the View Point

Great way to spend a chilly morning in Cypress Hills

Thanks to the awesome folks at the Visitor Centre, we also had these great scavenger hunt sheets to check off as we hiked.  The kids got pretty excited every time we found something on the list and we all learned more about the unique landscape around us.

For more information on trails in Cypress Hills, visit the Alberta Parks website.   All trails are multi-use for hiking and biking so make sure you pay attention and look out for bikers when hiking on narrow trails.

One of these is a "White Spruce" Right??

Climbing on the Glacial Erratic we found on the Firerock Trail

The Visitor Centre

It's always good to have an indoor place to retreat to when weather gets miserable.  The Visitor Centre in Elkwater is an amazing place to spend an hour or two.  There's two rooms full of interpretive displays, a toddler play area, and there's a restaurant next door.  The staff were also very welcoming and helpful.  They got us set up with scavenger hunt maps, maps of the disc golf course, information on everything to do from mini golf to biking and hiking, and spent a good deal of time highlighting recommended hiking loops and directions on maps for me.

Looking at the displays at the Visitor Centre in Cypress Hills

The kids were totally fascinated by the interpretive displays

The Campgrounds

We stayed in a group campground so I have no first hand information or opinion on which regular campground is "best."

I have theories though.

• The main Elkwater Campground has a big open meadow for playing in with a playground.  It would be a great place for families to camp.  Best sites would be in loop C around the playground.
• Old Baldy Campground is right at the bottom of the Horseshoe Canyon Trail.  This could be convenient if you were biking back to camp after being dropped off at the top.
• Beaver Creek Campground has a playground and a nice little hiking/biking loop around it.
• Firerock Campground is very close to the lake and a giant playground at the West End Day Use Area.  Loop A and AA are closest to the water and playground. 

For information on the campgrounds, go to the Alberta Parks website.  Reservations can be made in advance and many sites have power for RVs.

Camping in Cypress Hills

More Campground Reviews for Cypress Hills

Camping in Cypress Hills Provincial Park - Play Outside Guide

Firerock Campground Review - Play Outside Guide



Have you camped in Cypress Hills?  Which is your favourite campground?   Also, what did you enjoy doing best in the park?  I'd love to read your comments.

A Beginner's Guide to Family Camping

For many families, the word ‘camping’ evokes memories of their childhood spent at a lake learning to swim, riding bikes around a campground chasing cousins and friends, going on family nature hikes or catching that first fish with Grandpa.

Meanwhile, many of us (myself included) didn’t grow up camping and it can be very intimidating to get started. You may have questions like:

“How much gear do we have to purchase if we want to just try camping one time?”

“What if a bear tries to get into our tent?”

“What if the baby wakes up at 2am and won’t go back to sleep?”

“What if our toddler screams the whole night?”

Before you know it, you may have a very long list of questions.

Camping - when everything goes right

My family has grown to love camping over the past several years, and I can assure you that every trip gets a little bit easier. First though, you have to get started.

In my newest story for Calgary's Child Magazine, I cover my top 5 suggestions for families wanting to try camping and who may be looking for practical tips on how to get started or how to make it a pleasant experience for everybody involved.

In my story:  Camp Dazed? A Beginner's Guide to Getting it Right,  I talk about comfort camping, equipped camping  in campsites that are already set up for you (yep, that exists,) choosing the right kind of weather and location, gathering the gear that you'll need, and making it FUN (something that should be a primary goal if you are going to go camping!)

Camping when you've finally figured it all out

Here's a preview from the story:

Tip #1:  Try comfort camping or book an "equipped" campsite. Parks Canada has started placing tent style cabins called O’TENTiks in some of their more popular campgrounds. These small cabins offer sleeping for up to six people, comfortable mattresses and a heater to ensure your first camping experience is a pleasant one. Two Jack Lakeside in Banff is the closest location where you can try comfort camping, and it’s one of the best campgrounds in Banff with lakefront camping, showers and nearby amenities in the Town of Banff. While you’ll still need to bring sleeping bags and food, you won’t need much else, so this is a great way to ease into camping without investing in a lot of equipment.

Parks Canada also offers a new service called "Equipped Camping." Together with Mountain Equipment COOP, Parks Canada has equipped 22 campsites at the Two Jack Main Campground in Banff. Each site comes with a six-person tent fully set up, sleeping pads, a stove with propane and a lantern. Bring your sleeping bags with food for the weekend and you’re ready to go!

Comfort Camping in Banff

Read the rest of the story here at Camp Dazed? A Beginner's Guide to Getting it Right.

Kids on Wheels - Nipika Mountain Resort

I've written a lot of stories now in my "Kids on Wheels" series and I'm really excited about this new one because Nipika Mountain Resort is one of my favourite places to spend the weekend!  We usually visit in winter for cross country skiing but it was high time we checked the place out with bikes instead.  And wow, are we ever glad we did!

Family Mountain Biking at Nipika Mountain Resort

 

What and Where is Nipika?

Nipika Mountain Resort is located in the Kootenay Rockies of British Columbia approximately 45 minutes outside the town of Radium Hot Springs.  It's a short drive for a weekend getaway from Calgary and an easy day trip from Invermere or Radium Hot Springs in the Columbia Valley.

Nipika has over 100km of bike trails ranging in difficulty from wide double track ski trails (great for family biking in  summer) to challenging and technical single track trails perfect for the more advanced riders in your group.

Easy riding on "Main Street"

Dad taking a spin on "Cliff Hanger"

Families wanting to visit Nipika can either pop in for the day (donations accepted if you want to use the trails in summer) or stay overnight in one of Nipika's log cabins.  The cabins can accommodate 6-8 people and include a kitchen, bbq, fireplace, and lovely deck to spend your afternoon on.  The largest cabin, the Rocky Mountain Cabin, can accommodate 13 people which is great news for those wanting to travel with friends and family members.

Log cabins at Nipika Mountain Resort

The Rocky Mountain Cabin can sleep 13 people at Nipika