North Thompson River Provincial Park
RV Guide
Introduction
Sitting at the confluence of North Thompson River and Clearwater River, a combination of beautiful campsites and natural elements make North Thompson River Provincial Park every RV camper’s dream holiday destination. Located 5 km (3 miles) south of Clearwater, this provincial park is popular with highway travelers and RV campers who wish to explore Wells Gray Park and the Clearwater area.
The park features 69 RV campsites with facilities and amenities such as water and garbage, restrooms, playground, trailhead access, and sani-station. Hiking trails are also available in the park, as well as day use area available for picnicking, relaxing, and setting up for a swim in the river. A parking lot is available in the day use area. Along one of the trails in the park is a lookout point where RV campers can see the point where both rivers in the park meet.
Your time in the park is set to be memorable as you can choose to hike, watch birds and wildlife, enjoy the view of resplendent flora, angle for dolly varden and other fish species, picnic, swim, take photographs, and walk with your pets.
There are indications that the area was used by Shuswap First Nations; the remnants of kekuli (pit houses) and food cache pits have been found along the riverbanks.
RV Rentals in North Thompson River Provincial Park
Transportation
Driving
Located 5 km (3 miles) south of Clearwater, you’ll find it is straightforward to locate and access North Thompson River Provincial Park in your RV, trailer, or motorized vehicle because the park is a simple-drive park along Highway 5. Not only is accessing the park easy, but navigation within the park is also stress-free as the local roads within the park lead to the campsites, day use area and other sites of interest. Even more, there are no driving restrictions within the park.
Parking
There is a large parking space at the day use area in North Thompson River Provincial Park. However, if you do not wish to park at the day use parking area, you can park your rig(s) on the gravel portion of your campsite. Overnight parking is available for all RV campers in the park.
Public Transportation
There are no direct public transportation services to North Thompson River Provincial Park.
Campgrounds and parking in North Thompson River Provincial Park
Campsites in North Thompson River Provincial Park
Reservations camping
North Thompson River Campground
At North Thompson River Campground, there are 69 pet-friendly campsites that are available for RVs and tents. 16 of these campsites are available on first-come first-served basis, while the rest are available by reservation. No electric RV hookup options are available in the campground. However, other amenities such as water and garbage, restrooms, playground, trailhead access, and sani-station are available.
RV length limit at the campground is 32 ft (10 m), however if you have a larger RV, it’s best to contact the park ahead to find out if there is space available for your RV before embarking on the trip to the park.
A few campground rules include quiet hours from 10pm to 7am and maximum stay length of 14 days per year.
Seasonal activities in North Thompson River Provincial Park
In-Season
Hiking
Four short and easy-to-hike trails are available in North Thompson River Provincial Park – 1.1 km (0.7 miles) Northside Trail, 0.5 km (0.3 miles) Southside Trail, 1.2 km (0.8 miles) Campground Loop, and 1.3 km (0.8 miles) Terrace Loop. The trails offer exciting viewing opportunities for hikers and take campers through the vegetation in the park as well as along the shore of North Thompson River and Clearwater River. Posted signs are available along the trails to guide hikers and prevent instances of destruction of the park’s plants and soil structure.
Wildlife and Bird Viewing
North Thompson River Provincial Park is a great place to watch wildlife and birds, owing to the fact that the park features them in abundance. Examples of the wildlife species you’ll see in the park include coyote, squirrels, shrews, deer mice, moose, marten, deer, and black bears. The birds in the park include woodpeckers, chickadees, swallows, flickers, jays, ospreys, and eagles.
Flora
Sitting at the boundary of the drier south and the wet interior, North Thompson River Provincial Park features floral species and vegetation common to both areas, a characteristic that uniquely beautifies the park. For instance, you’ll find lodgepole pine, Douglas fir and juniper just next to spruce or cedar trees in the park, and if you look beneath the trees, wild rose, soopolallie, hazelnuts, Saskatoon berries and devil’s club are common.
Off-Season
Fishing
If you enjoy river fishing, then North Thompson River Provincial Park is the place for your angling pursuits as both North Thompson River and Clearwater River are available to you. Even more, there are fishing vantage points that are easily accessible within the park for you to get going. In particular, rainbow trout, dolly varden and chinook salmon are commonly caught fish species in the rivers.
Remember that you need an appropriate license to fish at the park.
Picnicking
Feel free to visit North Thompson River Provincial Park for a wonderful picnic experience. If you’re at the park on RV vacation, then the day-use area is even more accessible for you to enjoy lunch with fellow vacationers, be it family or friends. The area is equipped with amenities that make your time enjoyable, and the view of the waterfront will provide a perfect backdrop during your meal.
Pet Walking
As North Thompson River Provincial Park is a pet-friendly park, you can take your domestic animals on walks along the road and enjoy the fresh air and shaded points in the park. You’ll be responsible for keeping your pets on leash and cleaning up after them. Pets are not allowed around the shoreline areas in the park and the park buildings.
