Shuswap Lake Provincial Park
RV Guide
Introduction
Established in 1956, Shuswap Lake Provincial Park was named after the Shuswap Natives. Sited on the old delta of Scotch Creek, the unique combination of sandy and pebble beaches, well-equipped campsites and an island available for camping makes Shuswap Lake Provincial Park perfect for outdoor recreation. This provincial park on the north shore of the main arm of Shuswap Lake, just west of Scotch Creek, British Columbia has to be your next RV holiday destination.
At the park, you’ll find an adventure playground, a large grassy play area, amazing hiking and biking trails, a large boat launch, restrooms with showers, an amphitheater, group camps, and winter camping opportunities. There's also pit toilets, parking lots, a marina, pay phone, firewood, trailer dump station, and many other facilities that will make your vacation absolutely lovely. In addition, there are 330 RV campsites in the park, some of which are equipped with electric hookups.
Recreational opportunities at the park include hiking and biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, nature observation and photography, picnicking, sunbathing, and lots more. And the presence of the water means you can take part in fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Other water-based activities include swimming,waterskiing, windsurfing, scuba diving, and snorkeling. There’s just so much to do and enjoy at the park.
RV Rentals in Shuswap Lake Provincial Park
Transportation
Driving
Locating and accessing Shuswap Lake Provincial Park is easy as the park is 19 km (12 miles) off Highway 1 along paved roads. The park also includes Copper Island, which is accessible only by boats. The roads in the park are very busy and the speed limit in the park is 20 km/h (12 mph).
Parking
Five parking areas are available at Shuswap Lake Provincial Park for RVs, trailers, and other motorized vehicles. You’ll find two of the parking areas around the campgrounds and the other three close to the shore of Shuswap Lake. You can choose to park your rig(s) at any of the parking spots in the park or on the graveled portion of your campsite. Even though parking is prohibited on the side of the roads in the park, overnight parking is available at the park.
Public Transportation
Various bus services are available to Shuswap Lake Provincial Park such as Loud Travel, Rider Express, EBus Canada, Red Arrow, Brewster Express, and Revelstoke Shuttle.
Campgrounds and parking in Shuswap Lake Provincial Park
Campsites in Shuswap Lake Provincial Park
Reservations camping
Campground A
Campground A consists of 135 campsites that are available for RVs and trailers. You’ll find electric hookup options available at 34 campsites in the campground. Even though the other campsites do not have electric hookups, other facilities and amenities are available. These include water, garbage station, picnic tables, restrooms with showers, wheelchair accessible areas, pay station, amphitheater, access to trailheads, and parking lot.
At the campground, RVs/trailers up to 32 ft (10 m) are allowed. However, campers with larger rigs can contact the park ahead to find out if there is space available in the campground for their rigs. At the campground, maximum stay is 14 days and the quiet hours span from 10pm to 7am, during which period music, generators and other noise producing equipment are required to be shut off completely.
All the campsites in the campground are reservable and pet-friendly.
Campground B
Campground B consists of 195 campsites, all available for RVs and trailers. Electric hookup options are available at only three campsites in the campground. Facilities and amenities available in the campground include water, garbage stations, restrooms with showers, wheelchair accessible areas, access to trailheads, parking lots.
RV/trailer limit at the campground is 32 ft (10 m) however, campers with larger rigs can contact the park ahead to find out if there is space available in the campground. At the campground, maximum stay is 14 days and quiet hours span from 10pm to 7am, during which period music, generators and other noise producing equipment are required to be shut off completely.
All the campsites in the campground are reservable and pet-friendly.
Seasonal activities in Shuswap Lake Provincial Park
In-Season
Hiking/Biking
At Shuswap Lake Provincial Park, abundant opportunities to enjoy hiking and biking are available as the park features numerous hiking and biking trails, including one self-interpretation trail. On Copper Island, for example, there is a hiking trail almost 3 km (2 miles) long that offers wonderful views of the surrounding areas. Another trail takes hikers around the boundary of the park and along the shoreline. Some of the trails are open to bikes, while some are not. All bike paths are gravel. Bikes are allowed on the park’s roads. The use of bicycle helmets while riding is mandatory in the park.
Fishing
Bring your tackle and fishing gear along on your visit to Shuswap Lake Provincial Park to enjoy the recreational fishing opportunities available at the park. You’ll be able to catch species such as rainbow trout, lake trout, bull trout, whitefish, and kokanee as long as you possess an appropriate fishing license. You can purchase this license locally.
In addition to the fishing in Shuswap Lake Provincial Park, a Learn to Fish Program is organized by The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC which teaches fun, practical angling skills to young campers.
Canoeing/Kayaking
On Shuswap Lake, canoeing and kayaking are popular activities. In spite of the fact that the lake conditions often change quickly, similar to the frequent changes in weather and wind conditions, you can still get to enjoy paddling on the lake. There is a paved double boat launch in the park at the day use area available for all RV campers to begin their adventure. You’ll definitely want to paddle to Copper Island and spend some time relaxing there.
Off-Season
Swimming
At Shuswap Lake Provincial Park, there is a designated swimming area marked with buoys available for all who wish to take a dip in the lake. Besides, there is sand and pebble beach 1 km (0.6 miles) long for those who want to sunbath or just relax. The water temperature of the lake in the summer months is very inviting. Note that there are no lifeguards on duty at the park.
Winter Recreation
Winter is a fantastic time to visit Shuswap Lake Provincial Park. For example, most of the trails in the park are well suited for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing during the winter months. The only thing to note is that the trails are not maintained during this period. Regardless, you’ll have a swell time enjoying various winter activities at the park.
Waterskiing and Windsurfing
The waves and winds on Shuswap Lake make it great for waterskiing and windsurfing. As there is no motor restriction on the lake, you are in for a world of fun, so long as your boat has a below-water exhaust. Besides the windsurfing and waterskiing opportunities on the lake, you can also enjoy snorkeling, a very popular activity in the park.
