What You Need to Know About Camping in Squamish

Squamish is our small town with big nature, attracting people from all over the world looking to reconnect with the outdoors. Camping in Squamish has long been a favorite activity for both locals and visitors. Camping is a great option to take advantage of the the wide array of beautiful Squamish hiking trails that are available, in addition to the other great things to do in Squamish. We created this guide to Squamish Camping to help you make the most out of your next overnight camping trip in Squamish.

The Best Places to Go Camping in Squamish:

Alice Lake Provincial Park

Located just north of Squamish is Alice Lake campground and recreation area. Home to 4 lakes, a bike skills park, fishing and great hiking, this family friendly campground is always a popular spot. Be sure to book your campsite far in advance, as Alice Lake is sure to fill up with Smore loving kids and their families.

Nearby Hiking Trails – The Four Lakes Trail is a great hiking spot with the main trailhead starting near the campground. This is a great beginner to intermediate trail that offers stunning vistas through an interpretive forest.

Cat Lake Provincial Park  

The campsites surrounding the lake are nicely spread out, offering a feeling of space and privacy. The 1km walk into the campground also allows for more tranquility than other campsites with vehicle traffic. The weekends tend to draw a bit more of the party crowd, so if you are looking for a more relaxed camping experience we recommend planning your camp trip for Monday – Wednesday.

Nearby Hiking Trails: The quick loop around cat lake offers a quick and fun hike around the lake. This trail will also take you to quieter locations for swimming and log rolling. Bring your mountain bike as two of our favourite trails start in the cat lake campground area. 

Klahine Campground Squamish

Offering stunning views of Shannon falls and the Howe Sound. Kalahine Camp Ground in Squamish has been open for over 30 years. The location halfway between Whistler and Vancouver provides outdoor adventurers an ideal access point for all the recreation opportunities in the Sea to Sky region. Open year round for camping in Squamish, however, reservations are highly recommended during summer months.  

Nearby Hiking Trails: Klahine campground is ideally located to take advantage of the hiking trails in and around the Sea to sky gondola. Try the Sea to sky trail that will take you up to the top gondola base where you can reward yourself for your 3 hour hike with a refreshing beverage and a gondola ride down!

Wonderland Valley Resort

Wonderland Valley Resort offers a stunning nature getaway close to brackendale bc. Directly off of highway 99, but tucked away in the forest is a mix of serviced and un-serviced campsites for tenting and RV’s. For those interested in “glamping” Wonderland Valley also offers relaxing hotel rooms, while enjoying their stunning nature setting.

Nearby Hiking Trails: Wonderland hiking and biking trail starts at the campsite and brings you through crisp west coast forest towards the Alice lake recreation area. Or head across the highway towards the Ray Peters trail for a maze of trails through mossy green forests.

Whistle Punk Hollow Adventure RV Park ( formerly Eagle Vista RV Park resort)

This new RV Resort is designed for rigs and family RV camping. With a convenient location in Squamish, this property offers an ideal location to set up camp and have access to all in  town amenities.  Bonus: The whistler punk golf course is located on the property providing a great afternoon for kids of all ages.

Nearby Hiking Trails: The sea to sky trail starts at the adventure center and makes its way past the adventure rv park.

 For more details on camping locations in Squamish check out our camping location guide here. Be sure to pick up a physical copy of the Squamish Hiking Map, which outlines all of the trails mentioned above and is water proof. 

The Best time of year for Squamish Camping:

The mild weather in Squamish allows for camping year round, however,we would recommend skipping the wet fall months. With the ideal Squamish camping season being from April to September.

 Camping Preparation Tips and Checklist:

A camping checklist is a very personal thing depending on your own camping style, destination and length of trip. Personally, I enjoy packing light and facing the challenges of making do with less,  as camping is meant to be roughing it in the outdoors.  However, it doesn’t hurt to inviting at least one friend who likes to bring all the extra gear.

This gear and more is available from at our Local Favourite Outdoor store: Valhalla Pure

Camping Checklist for The Minimalist:

• Tent ( poles, stakes ect )
• Bed Requirments: Sleeping Bags, Pads or Air Mattress, Pillows
• Air Pump
• Food
• Cooler
• Water
• Portable Stove
• Multi – Tool
• Spork
• Guitar
• TP

Camping Checklist for The Prepared Campers:

• All the above plus:
• Day Pack
• Trekking poles
• Medical Supplies
• Bug Spray
• Deck of Cards
• Folding Chairs
• Folding Table
• Mallet or Hammer
• Head Lamp
• Candles
• Extra Batteries
• Lantern
• Toys & Tools for Adventure

Camping Checklist for The Excessive Campers:

• IPAD, IPHONE
• Extra Charger
• Cell phone booster

Potential dangers/considerations

The biggest consideration is the to check the current fire bans in the area. In the United States, As many of 90% of wildfires are humans caused, please check the current fire ban here  and know before you go if campfires are allowed.

Dangerous Animals– The biggest wildlife concern for camping in Squamish is to be bear aware. Store your food correctly, clean up your campsite and do not feed the wildlife. For a complete list of the wildlife you can expect to see and want to avoid check out our wild life of the Squamish Trails by clicking here 

If you’re not feeling up to the bold adventure of the taking on the Squamish wilderness, That is ok. Squamish is a great destination for many different types of vacationers. (To find out which type of vacationer you are and how to make the most of Squamish click here.) With a wide range of choices available, there’s something for everyone!