Camping Etiquette
British Columbia, Canada EH!
Camping Etiquette and Rules
Millions of people visit British Columbia, Canada private, public and recreation Campgrounds and RV Parks every year. Without some rules, guidelines and self respect the campgrounds in British Columbia would be operating around a very short life cycle.
Below are some simple guidelines to camp by so all can enjoy camping in BC, Canada now and in the future.
Noise: Most campsites have noise restrictions from 11 PM to 8 AM. Some have strict enforcement others do not. It does not matter because not everyone needs to hear your music in the campground anyway. This does not mean you cannot stay up late and have fun, laugh, drink and listen to your music which just your campsite can hear.. because you can. Just be cool about it.
Litter: Big pet peeve. There is nothing worse than driving for kilometres along backcountry gravel roads, mountain highways or backpacking along wilderness trails to a campsite only to find the previous camper's garbage. How hard is it to pack it out and place it in a garbage can. Are people who litter that useless?
Pretty simple here. Whatever you pack in, ya better pack out. Leave no trace behind. Most public and private campgrounds have designated garbage containers. Some with environmental recycle bins. Wilderness campgrounds everything must be packed out.
Be Bear Aware: Simply put, do not approach any wildlife especially bears as they are unpredictable and dangerous when provoked. Bears are interacting more with humans. becoming humanized and unafraid of us. Bears are attracted by food and garbage so never store food in tents or outside in a cooler. Best places for food storage at campgrounds are in your vehicles trunk or hung from a tree in a concealed container 100 metres from your campsite. (HINT: Talking out loud while hiking scares animals away before confrontation is necessary and then there is always a Bear Bell and Bear Spray when exploring)
Drive with "Eyes Wide Open": When driving in campgrounds it is important to maintain a controlled speed of your vehicle. A recommended speed is 5-10 km/h as the campground roads are often used by campers for walkways and by children as bike areas. Stay on the designated roads and do not drive on vegetation. Park your vehicle in designated areas only and please do not block traffic.
Campfires: Keep the campfires small and within the confines of the campfire ring provided at most campsites. DO NOT light fires during high forest fire season. Do not leave campfires unattended. And by all means use common sense and do not cut down any of our trees for firewood. (HINT: a good fire starter is laundry lint - light weight and easy to pack around)
Report Forest Fires: 1 - 800 - 663 - 5555
Pets: Keep your pets quiet and under control at all times. Observe campground rules for all pets by obeying leashed areas and off-leash areas. Pick up all doggy-do as no one likes stepping in your pets mess. Remember , not all people are animal lovers. (HINT: Bring a leash)
Camping and Day Use: Most campgrounds allow campers to stay for up to a maximum of 14 consecutive days. Campgrounds do not allow the construction of permanent structures nor should they. It is wise to book your camping trip prior to your arrival to your campsite. Some campgrounds have group camping areas that can accommodate multiple camping groups who wish to be together. Check with individual campsites.
Camping Fee: The camping fees are collected at the individual campgrounds. Most camping fees include parking for one vehicle and tent or one vehicle and trailer or one RV. BC Parks in most cases allows up to 4 people (16+ of age) or 8 people (adults with children 15 years or younger). Camping fees can range from free at recreation sites to $5 a night to $55 a night at most campgrounds. Year round park passes are available at park offices. These do not include camping fees..
Thank you for being clean!
Clean is Cool! - The EH Team