Syringa Provincial Park is a popular destination for RV holidays for the comfortable camping as well as exciting experiences offered at the park. Located 19 km (12 miles) northwest of Castlegar off Highway 3A, British Columbia, this 45 sq. km (17 sq. mile) provincial park sits on the southeast end of Lower Arrow Lake, which is part of the Columbia River, and offers various opportunities for fun water activities and recreational pursuits.
Numerous opportunities to enjoy recreational activities are available in Syringa Provincial Park, including fishing for bull trout, rainbow trout, and kokanee salmon, hiking on moderately strenuous trails to the summit of a hill, wildlife and bird viewing, flora observation, canoeing and kayaking on Lower Arrow Lake, swimming in any of three beaches, hunting, waterskiing and windsurfing, photography, nature observation, and many more.
There are two RV campgrounds in Syringa Provincial Park consisting of more than 85 pet-friendly campsites available by reservation and on first-come first-served basis. Electric RV hookups are available in some campsites. Amenities available at the park include washrooms, showers, picnic tables, playground, waste disposal stations, water taps, lookout point, firewood, boat launch, trailer dump station, swimming beaches, and parking lots.
Syringa Provincial Park was established in 1968, and the area is significant to the Okanagan, Shuswap, Sinixt, and Ktunaxa/Kinbasket First Nations.
Syringa Provincial Park is located 19 km (12 miles) northwest of Castlegar off Highway 3A, and is easily accessible via Broadwater Road. The park is a simple drive-in park for RVs and trailers, as well as other motorized vehicles. Local paved and gravel roads within the park connect the campgrounds and day-use area, making navigation within the park easy. There are no driving restrictions at Syringa Provincial Park.
Two large parking areas are available for RVs, trailers, cars, buses and other vehicles in Syringa Provincial Park. The parking lots are located around Bighorn Campground. RV campers can also park their rigs at their respective campsites in the park. Overnight parking is available in Syringa Provincial Park.
There are no direct public transportation services to Syringa Provincial Park, however, BC Transit - West Kootenay Transit System operates bus services from Nelson and from Trail to Castlegar.
Bighorn Campground in Syringa Provincial Park features 25 pet-friendly campsites available for RVs and tents. Nine campsites in the campground are equipped with electric hookups, while the remaining campsites do not have RV hookup options. RV length limit at the campground is 32 ft (10 m), however, RV campers who have larger rigs can call ahead to find out if space is available. Amenities in the campground include washrooms, water and garbage, firepits, picnic tables, wheelchair accessible areas, garbage disposal station, access to trailhead, beach and waterfront access.
All the campsites in the campground are reservable.
Main Campground in Syringa Provincial Park features 61 pet-friendly campsites available for RVs and tents. There are no RV hookup options available in the campground. RV length limit at the campground is 32 ft (10 m), however, RV campers who have larger rigs can call ahead to find out if space is available. Amenities in the campground include water and garbage, recycling stations, firepit, picnic tables, wheelchair accessible areas, dump station, telephone, firewood, picnic area, playground, washrooms, access to trailhead and waterfront.
28 campsites in the campground are reservable, while 33 campsites are available on first-come first-served basis only.
Syringa Provincial Park features exciting hiking trails that offer lovely sights and memorable experiences for RV campers. The 4 km (2.5 mile) Yellow Pine Nature Trail, which is the most prominent trail in the park, has three access points, and takes campers up the fairly-steep hillside behind the park. Consequently, the hike is considered moderately difficult. Along the trail, you’ll get to walk past several granite rock outcrops, through mature yellow pine, and enjoy the view of Arrow Lake from the beautiful vantage point of a terraced hillside. RV campers can proceed all the way to the summit of the hill, or stop by the lookout point along the trail.
Syringa Provincial Park is located within West Kootenay which features a moderately dry and warm climate that is conducive for the rare flora such as bunchgrass and ponderosa. Grasslands, Douglas-fir forests, open and closed pine forests are also found in the park. In addition, wildlife is commonly seen in the park, including rocky mountain bighorn sheep, deer, bears, elk, and cougar. The grassland and forest habitats in the park also host bird species such as white-throated swifts, great blue heron, and canyon wrens.
Excellent fishing opportunities are available at Syringa Provincial Park, and this makes the park a well-visited destination for RV campers that enjoy fishing and angling. Fish species available in Lower Arrow Lake in the park include bull trout, rainbow trout, and kokanee salmon. To enjoy fishing in the park, an appropriate license is required.
A Learn to Fish Program is run in the park by The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, and this provides hands-on angling training for youths under 16 years of age in a totally fun way.
There are opportunities to paddle canoes and kayaks on Lower Arrow Lake in Syringa Provincial Park, particularly when the water level in the lake is high. Due to the tendency of the lake weather to change rapidly, canoeists and kayakers are advised to paddle close to the shoreline. The boat launch in the park and the day-use area are easy points of access to the lake for RV campers.
Syringa Provincial Park features three beaches available for RV campers and open to RV campers; Camper’s Beach, Boater’s Beach, and Main Beach. The beaches have a sandy portion and a rocky portion. The sandy areas are in the upper part of the beach while the rocky areas are in the low water portions. All the three beaches offer opportunities to swim in the refreshing to cool park’s water.
In winter, Syringa Provincial Park offers RV campers opportunities to enjoy waterskiing and windsurfing. Both activities are enjoyed on Lower Arrow Lake in the park. The north wind that blows on the lake is what makes the lake ideal for windsurfing.
