Arrow Lakes Provincial Park
RV Guide
Introduction
Arrow Lakes Provincial Park—Shelter Bay is one of many parks in the West Kootenay Region of British Columbia. Each park offers something special, and it is not uncommon for visitors to stay in one park for camping and visit other parks for day use. Arrow Lakes Provincial Park is known for its waterfront campsites surrounded by mountain peaks as well as the water recreation opportunities, and because of the park’s location, it is easy to move from one region of Arrow Lake to another without having to travel far.
Arrow Lakes Provincial Park—Shelter Bay is located on the southwestern portion of Upper Arrow Lake, and it is located next to the Shelter Bay Upper Arrow Lake Ferry Terminal. The ferry is free for people who want to go from one side of Upper Arrow Lake to another. The Shelter Bay Ferry moves between Arrow Lakes Provincial Park and Galena. The ride to Galena is approximately 20 minutes, and it transports guests to the southeastern region of Upper Arrow Lake.
Arrow Lake Provincial Park—Shelter Bay is one of four small sites located along Arrow Lake that used to operate similarly. Now, the park system runs Arrow Lake Provincial Park, while local community groups operate the other facilities. Camping, recreation, and additional entry fees vary from one area to the next.
RV Rentals in Arrow Lakes Provincial Park
Transportation
Driving
Arrow Lake Provincial Park—Shelter Bay is accessible by land and by ferry. From Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, the park is located 145 miles (234 km) northeast, and passes through a mountainous and curvy area.
From Spokane, Washington, United States, the route takes you across international borders and across the Arrow Lake Ferry. It is a 268 mile (431 km) drive, and drivers will need passports to enter into Canada. Before your trip, download the ferry schedule so you are aware of the times the ferry leaves Galena and heads toward Arrow Lake Provincial Park. The ferry limits the transport of hazardous materials such as propane. Before your trip understand the ferry regulations when transporting gas and propane in your travel trailer, 5th wheel, motorhome, or other RV.
British Columbia’s provincial parks do not asses daily parking fees, but there may be fees for dump stations, boat launches, and other areas of interest within the park that are additional costs on top of the overnight camping fee. Guests arriving early or late to the park should be aware that the entrance gate is locked nightly from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am. All of the park’s gates are closed during the off-season.
Parking
Public Transportation
Campgrounds and parking in Arrow Lakes Provincial Park
Campsites in Arrow Lakes Provincial Park
First-come first-served
Arrow Lakes Campground
The Arrow Lakes Campground is the ideal setting for RVers who want lake views with a mountainous backdrop as well as the feeling of camping in the wild. This campground is a pet-friendly, first-come, first-served, seasonally operating facility. The campground has 17 sites, all primitive, that accommodate car camping, and each site has a fire ring and a picnic table and a natural surface driveway. Some of the spaces may accommodate RVs and trailers over 32 feet in length. Contact the park for questions relating to size. The amenities at this campground are simple; the camping area has vault toilets and water faucets. Campers will need to visit another campground or location for a dump and fill station. Revelstoke, the closest town, has a few sanitary stations to choose from if you need to clean your tanks. All campers should secure and lock up food and trash items at all times. Staying in a bear country means you need an extra level of safety for you and the bears! Generator use is permitted in the accessible campsites between the hours of 9:00 am to 11:00 am and again from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Seasonal activities in Arrow Lakes Provincial Park
Off-Season
Biking
Arrow Lakes Provincial Park doesn’t have any official bike trails, but the park’s roads often attract road bikers, especially during the shoulder and peak seasons. Cyclists are permitted to ride any of the designated roads, as long as they are careful of passing cars and other traffic. As with any outdoor activity, prepare yourself ahead of time by planning your route, wearing the appropriate clothing, and notifying a friend of your whereabouts. When you pack for your trip, don’t forget your helmet. All bike riders must wear a helmet while riding in British Columbia.
National Parks
Arrow Lakes Provincial Park is located close to some of Canada’s most beautiful National Parks. Guests who want a waterfront site in a serene location should stay at Arrow Lakes and take day trips to Banff National Park, Yoho National Park, and Glacier National Park of Canada. Depending on the park you choose, most of the National Parks nearby are less than a day’s drive away, and all of the parks offer activities like hiking, biking, fishing and boating, and there are interpretive activities, historical sites, and shopping in the vicinity as well. Contact the park you want to visit for more details.
Hot Springs
When the weather is a little chilly, what better way to warm up than to soak in the hot springs? People interested in visiting the hot springs should Take the ferry from the Shelter Bay Terminal to the Galena Terminal, and head south to Halcyon Hot Springs, one of the many natural springs in the area. Halcyon Hot Springs is open year round, and there are different types of healing waters offered from hot soaks to cool water plunges. There are even quiet time and an adult-only area for guests who want to have a little time to relax in silence. Contact Halcyon Hot Springs for information on pricing, hours of operation, and other questions you might have.
In-Season
Swimming
Swimming in Arrow Lake is perfect for people staying at the campground who want to cool off after hiking or spending time outside. The swimming beach has the same beautiful backdrop as the camping area, and swimmers won’t want to leave their scenic swim because it’s so enchanting. The water is cool, and the sand is soft, so spending the day next to the water will be nothing short of perfection. Bring your swimming gear as well as a swimming buddy because there are no lifeguards on duty at the park.
Boating
Because there aren’t boat launches at some of the parks nearby, anglers and people who want to boat on Arrow Lake use the boat launch Arrow Lakes Provincial Park. The concrete boat launch and large parking lot provide plenty of space for boaters, and boat trailers may stay overnight if necessary. Boaters should be aware of the impact of wind and weather as well as the places where gas is available since there isn’t gas at Arrow Lakes Provincial Park.
Fishing
Anglers hoping to catch Dolly Varden, rainbow trout, and kokanee come to Arrow Lakes Provincial Park because the fishing opportunities are strong. The park’s boat launch is one of better boat launches in the area, and because Arrow Lake doesn’t have fishable shoreline in some of the nearby provincial parks, anglers come from the other parks to fish at Arrow Lakes Provincial Park. Anglers should launch their boats from the concrete boat launch. Before heading to the water, all people who want to fish must have the proper freshwater fishing license. For questions relating to fishing limits, regulations, and restrictions, visit the Fishing Regulations Synopsis on the British Columbia Freshwater Fishing website.
