Featuring incredible mountain wilderness and amazing wildlife viewing opportunities, Stone Mountain Provincial Park is an RV lovers paradise in northern British Columbia. Located at the highest point on the Alaskan Highway, the history of Stone Mountain Provincial Park dates back to more than 80-90 million years ago when the mountains were formed thanks to sedimentary rock (mostly seabed dolomite) being raised.
The park is quite unique in comparison to most other British Columbian parks thanks to the very steep elevations and glaciation. There are two bio geo-climatic zones (subalpine and alpine tundra) and many bodies of water to be found within the massive 63481 acre park.
During the summertime Summit Lake is a great place to enjoy some boating, fishing or relaxing on the banks of the lake with a picnic. Away from the lake, the park attracts experienced hikers who want to explore some of the rugged trails on and around the mountains. Trails vary from being under an hour to over a few days depending on the length and complexity of each individual trail.
If you choose to call Stone Mountain Provincial Park home for the night there are 28 RV-friendly camp sites that are available on a first come, first serve basis only. All sites at the campground are primitive and the camping fees are payable in cash only. Peak season at Stone Mountain Provincial Park runs from May until September.
Stone Mountain Provincial Park is located in the northern region of British Columbia and is easily accessible thanks to the Alaskan Highway running through the park. The highway is the only entrance and exit point to the park and you will find the campground entrance right off the highway on a small exit.
The park is in a very remote part of British Columbia and there are next to no supplies, services and amenities available within a short drive. Most visitors to the park will be traveling from the east along the Alaskan Highway so you will have opportunities to stop and get any supplies that you might need to make your trip enjoyable. Fort Nelson (around 86 miles or 139km away) is the closest town to the park by far as others (such as Lower Post, Fort St John and Dawson Creek) are between four and six hours away. The closest city to the park is Grande Prairie, which is located around 450 miles to the south east.
Accessing the park should be quite straightforward as the road is right off the highway. Due to its remote location the biggest concern about traveling to the park is running out of supplies so remember to be stocked up. The road into the campground is kept in very good condition and it is also very wide to allow for ease of turning. During the winter the park gate is closed so you won't be able to get to the park.
There is plenty of parking at Stone Mountain Provincial Park.
Summit Lake Campground is the only campground that is available for visitors to stay at once they reach Stone Mountain Provincial Park. The campground is located within a short drive from the Alaskan Highway and consists of 28 vehicle accessible campsites that are known for being quite open, flat and featuring a gravel base.
All of the sites at Summit Lake Campground are primitive and there are no hookups available. Despite this there are a few other amenities in the campground, including a water hand pump and pit toilets. Some of the sites also have great views of the lake and the campground is also pet friendly. Due to the remote location of the park there is no cell phone service available within all of the park or campground.
All sites at Summit Lake Campground are available on a first come, first served basis only and the campground is open from May until September.
If you are looking for a peaceful activity during your stay at Stone Mountain Provincial Park we recommend that you get out onto the waters of Summit Lake. The lake is a great boating destination as the waters are calm and usually not too busy. The most popular watercraft on the lake are canoes or kayaks but there is also a small boat launch (although quite rocky) that you can use to launch larger watercraft. There are no rentals available at the park due to its remote location so make sure you bring your own.
Fishing lovers rejoice! Anglers have the option to get some amazing fishing done while visiting the park thanks to the waters of Summit Lake and MacDonald Creek. The most popular species that are found in the lake are mountain whitefish, rainbow trout and lake trout. There are also arctic grayling found within MacDonald Creek for those looking for a different fishing experience. Please note that anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.
Stone Mountain Provincial Park is one of the best locations within northern British Columbia to have a lovely relaxing picnic. There is one day use area located near the lake that you can use on a first come, first serve basis. The day use area features numerous picnic tables but lacks other amenities usually found at day use areas, such as toilets, water collection points and picnic shelters. Along with the day use area there are also many other spots near the lake that you can throw down a blanket and have an old-school picnic.
There are no public transport options that will take you to Stone Mountain Provincial Park.
The most popular attraction to visitors of Stone Mountain Provincial Park is the chance to explore the gorgeous mountains. In total there are six different trails that make up a total of 72 hiking miles. The trails suit many different experience levels, but the longer trails are only recommended for very experienced hikers due to their steep terrain and the multiple days of trekking that they take. For more information on hiking trails and specific trail maps you can contact the park office.
A great aspect to parks in the wilderness is the chance to go riding on horseback. Since Stone Mountain Provincial Park is so huge they are many different opportunities for backcountry horseback riding. If you choose to go riding at the park make sure that you are very experienced and are prepared for wilderness travel as there are no designated trails. Since this is such a remote are there are no private horses available for hire so you must bring your own.
Due to the terrain and geo-climatic zones within Stone Mountain Provincial Park the wildlife viewing opportunities are a little different from the average park. There are lots of bare, rocky slopes that aren't full of the usual diverse wildlife. Despite this the valleys within the park are way different. The lower valleys contain animals such as mountain caribou, stone sheep, mountain goats and moose. The park is also known for regular grizzly and black bears so use caution if you are exploring the valley.
