Only three weeks into our journey and we are becoming experts on campgrounds. Jokingly, earlier in the trip we decided we should create our own campground review system, based on what we think makes a campground good. Jokes turned into a 20-point scale with notes, photographic evidence and this blog post!
As much as this is a fun exercise, it is also a record of where we have been (if sometimes, only fleetingly), what we enjoyed about camping, and what we didn’t.
My 20-point scale is made up as follows:
- Location (5 Points): was the campground in a useful place on our road trip? Was there a supermarket/coffee shop/brewery close by? Were there things to see and do close by?
- Natural Surroundings (5 Points): was there wildlife? Were there trees/bush at the campground? Was there air pollution? Was there just too much nature (i.e. mosquitoes)?
- Campsite (5 Points): was there privacy? Was it flat? Was there a view?
- Campground (5 Points): Were there showers/toilets and were they clean? Was there firewood, a store, wifi?
Hidden Valley Campground, Salmon Arm, BC
Total: 12/20 Points
Location (3/5 points): Located right off the highway, it was a convenient stop. The town of Salmon Arm was close by, with a Walmart where we were able to buy a tarp as shelter from the storm we had started our journey in.
Nature (3/5 points): There was a stream winding its way through the campground, and colourful snails (who lived in a nearby tree) that kept finding their way into our stuff. There wasn’t much wildlife to be seen, except for the life-sized elk and bear statues scattered throughout the campground.
Campsite (3/5 points): Large, flat with firepit and picnic table. Only let down here was that we looked directly across the stream to another campsite, who were much better at tying their tarp shelter than us. Tarp envy.
Campground (3/5 points): Showers were up a windy path in the top part of the campground. Showers cost $0.25 for 3 mins, a steal! Firewood was for sale along with “things you forgot” at the store.
Revelstoke Campground, Revelstoke, BC
Total: 15/20 Points
Location (4/5 points): Off the main highway, only a 10-minute drive (or 1-hour walk – which we did in an attempt to let the tent dry out) into Revelstoke town. Heaps to see and do in the area! Supermarket, check. Coffee shop, check. But trains, all night long.
Nature (3/5 points): Basically, just a big square field with many rows of campsites. Not much nature in the campground, except the goats and geese that you could feed and pet. We did spot some pileated woodpeckers who had crazy red mohawks!
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Campsite (3/5 points): Medium sized, flat with firepit and picnic table. No privacy. But some entertaining people watching.
Campground (5/5 points): A part of the KOA Campground group, it had all the extras for entertaining the family; heated swimming pool, movie nights with free popcorn (Moana played the night we arrived, and we eagerly watched it with all the other children), ice cream socials and Sean’s favourite – pancake breakfast.
Illecillewaet Campground, Glacier National Park, BC
Total: 17/20 Points
Location (5/5 points): Right off the highway, in the forest. The campsite is located at the Illecillewaet Glacier trailhead, lots to see without having to fold up the tent. Yes!
Nature (5/5 points): Totally blown away by the landscape here: towering mountains and raging glacial rivers. Bears in the campground the day we arrived, along with squirrels and pair of stellers jay birds who lived in a tree in our campsite.
Campsite (4/5 points): Large, flat with firepit and picnic table. Reasonably private, with three sides of forest. No shop for ice or ice creams – but our surroundings entirely made up for it.
Campground (3/5 points): Unlike the private campgrounds we have stayed at previously, here you were required to buy a fire permit and with it you were provided with unlimited firewood from a shared supply. A much better system, we think. Points off for no shower or hot water. Ew.
Wapiti Campground, Jasper National Park, AB
Total 17/20 Points
Location (5/5 points): Turn off is right off the highway, about a 10-minute drive from Jasper town. Centrally located to heaps in the area – so much to see and do, all in easy driving distance. Jasper village also has a brewery, coffee shop, supermarket and laundromat (which after 8 days camping was very important).
Nature (5/5 points): In the campground, we saw deer, squirrels and chipmunks (which we initially thought were just small squirrels)! The campground was sparsely forested, but because sites were well spaced out, this was not a problem. Lots of dead trees as a result of the mountain pine beetle.
Campsite (4/5 points): Large, flat with firepit and picnic table. Not many trees to attach our tarp to, but we solved the problem by buying more rope. Our site was right on the Athabasca River! It pays to get a site on the outside edge of the campground, I reckon.
Campground (3/5 points): With over 300 campsites, there was only one shower block. The walk to the shower took about 20 minutes – but did provide opportunities to check out lots of other camper’s set-ups (and steal their tarp hanging expertise) and spot the wapiti deer which graze in the area. Like Illecillewaet, no firewood for sale, but a fire permit was required, and unlimited free firewood was on site.
Tunnel Mountain Village I, Banff National Park, AB
Total 13/20 Points
Location (3/5 points): A 10-minute drive to the village, with supermarket, brewery and coffee shop. A lot to see and do in the area, including several turquoise blue lakes! Everything was expensive and busy with bus-loads of tourists. Also, noisy trains at all hours!
Nature (4/5 points): Although the nature in Banff National Park is beautiful, there wasn’t much of it in the campground. The campground emptied out on Sunday, and several squirrels made their presence known – a significant redeeming feature. Did you know squirrels make a chirping/squeaking/chattering noise? We didn’t, until our stay here!
Campsite (3/5 points): Medium sized, flat with firepit and picnic table. Very few trees to provide shelter or privacy. Our site was located on the end of a lane, and we were surrounded by campers on all sides.
Campground (3/5 points): The campground is one of three on Tunnel Mountain. This was a tent only campground, with over 800 campsites! Insanely big. Only two showers in our campground suburb, which were dirty and always had a queue. Like Illecillewaet and Jasper, no firewood was for sale, but unlimited firewood was provided on site.
Hoodoo RV and Campground, Drumheller, AB
Total 9/20 Points
Location (3/5 points): Located right on the highway. We were at the campground for approximately 8 hours, and it served our purpose.
Nature (2/5 points): In a valley, surrounded by hoodoos which were quite a sight. Not much other nature to speak of in the campground itself.
Campsite (1/5 points): Tiny but flat with firepit and picnic table. When we arrived in the dark, we struggled to find our spot, because it was literally only wide enough to fit the car and pop the tent between the other campers.
Campground (3/5 points): There was a playground and baseball diamond (which we hadn’t encountered before). Showers cost a loonie and were clean and hot. Worth every cent after a day in the heat at the Calgary Stampede!
Kokanee Provincial Park Campground, Kootenay Lake, BC
Total 13/20 Points
Location (3/5 points): On the west arm of Kootenay Lake, it gave us the opportunity to adventure along roads less travelled. We happily explored the area for three days, although that was probably long enough.
Nature (3/5 points): Mosquitoes. I got eaten alive. Located on the edge of a lake with a strange beach made of sand and springy greenery (I assume) underneath, local and migrating bird populations who pooped all over the beach.
Campsite (4/5 points): Huge, flat, with firepit and picnic table. Trees and bush on all sides, lots of privacy. Showers were clean, tidy and free! Wifi and very welcome air-conditioning in the visitors’ centre. Firewood was $7 for a laundry basket load full, which when empty you popped on the edge of your campsite, and someone came along and collected.
Campground (3/5 points): Lots of families, crying children. Also, lots of loud squawky birds. And more trains!
Peach Orchard Campground, Summerland, BC
Total 9/20 Points
Location (3/5 points): Scary! The campground was walking distance to Okanagan Lake, with a lovely park area. The valley was full of orchards and wineries, yum! Summerland was within just a few km of several raging wildfires. As a result, the air was full of smoke and had a pinkish tinge in the evening.
Nature (2/5 points): Very little nature at this campground, it was just a field with some picnic tables. Although, the local cherries and nectarines we enjoyed earned it a couple of points.
Campsite (1/5 points): Skinny and on a hill – not good with a rooftop tent. No firepit (a justified fire ban was in place). Also, our own potable water tap, such luxury!
Campground (3/5 points): Showers and toilets were clean enough. Showers cost a loonie. There was also an arcade and wifi throughout the campground.