Winter Sightseeing in the Rocky Mountains
November 27, 2024
Western Canada Winter Campgrounds And Camping Spots
Karma Campervans was founded in Calgary, Alberta, so winter adventures are at the core of who we are! We’ve made it our mission to show Karma guests what all the hype is about. You won’t want to head home after your road trip.
Finding a campground that’s open (and good!) in the winter can be a bit tricky, so we’ve made a list of our favourites. Choose from one of these many winter campgrounds close to our Western Canada locations in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and the Okanagan Valley.
Banff Winter Campgrounds
Mountain View Camping
Jasper National Park Winter Campgrounds
British Columbia, Winter Campgrounds
Fernie, British Columbia
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Lower Mainland, British Columbia
Sea-to-Sky Corridor
Thompson Okanagan
Kootenay Rockies
Banff Winter Campgrounds
Banff Winter Campgrounds
Enjoy Rocky Mountain camping at its finest in Banff National Park! A classic Canadian experience. There are a couple of great winter camping options in Banff perfect to visit with a Karma Campervan.
Tunnel Mountain Village II
Tunnel Mountain is a go-to Banff campground. With 188 campsites in Village II open year-round with running water, electrical hookups, and much more space than in the summer months, you know they’ll always have a campsite for you. NOTE: While our campervans run off-grid, we do suggest having access to electrical hookups when the temperature drops below -10º C in the event of a heater malfunction when you may need a battery boost.
Park your Karma campervan, strap on your snowshoes and enjoy the winter wonderland trek back down the hill into Banff’s townsite. It’s just far enough for an afternoon hike and back. On your way down the hill, check out the Surprise Corner viewpoint. It’s a quiet spot to take a break tucked along the river.
Lake Louise RV Campground
Park your Karma campervan in Lake Louise Trailer Campground if you want to beat the rush to the frosty lake! The Ice Magic Festival is a favourite of both locals and visitors. Bring your ice skates, snow shoes, and grab some hot chocolate for a quintessential Canadian winter vacation.
Extra perks for winter camping at Lake Louise… hot running water is available, flush toilets, showers and electrical hookups.
Wherever you choose to take your Karma campervan, always check the Banff National Park winter road conditions before you go winter driving! The Rockies are as unpredictable as they are beautiful.
Mountain View Camping
Mountain View Camping
If you want the best of both worlds—a quick drive to the mountains, but all the amenities of the city—park your Karma campervan at Mountain View Camping just a few minutes outside Calgary. Head to the ski hill one day and the downtown core the next!
Kananaskis Country Winter Campgrounds
When travelling to Kananaskis, check the road reports and annual closures. Highway 66 and Highway 40, along with other offshoots close each winter, and extreme weather conditions may affect other routes. Despite this, there are a few great winter camping options in Kananaskis to park your Karma campervan.
Maclean Creek Campground, Bragg Creek
Maclean Creek Campground in Bragg Creek is open year-round, and the town sits in the foothills of the Rockies just outside Kananaskis Country. The hiking trails double as snowmobile paths in the wintertime. Soak in the scenery along the Elbow River or check out one of the easier winter hikes, like Troll Falls Trail. Pop into Bragg Creek to fill up on food and supplies, but spend most of your time enjoying the winter wonderland.
Mount Kidd RV Park and Campground
Explore Kananaskis Country from the comfort of Mount Kidd RV Park and Campground. This year-round, privately-owned campground has all the amenities you could want, including hot tubs. Did we mention it’s right next to Nakiska Ski Resort? You might want to reserve your spot here in advance!
Sheep River Provincial Park
If you like wildlife, Sheep River in Turner Valley is for you. The wildlife sanctuary is located near Sandy McNabb Campground where campers can explore the 37 kilometres of trails by ski or snowshoe. The park is known and named after the plentiful bighorn sheep, but if you’re lucky, you’ll catch some moose roaming the area too!
Fisher Creek Campground
Kananaskis camping is a snowmobiler’s delight! Park your campervan at Fisher Creek Campground and spend your days hiking the deep snow-covered trails. It’s just a short drive west of Bragg Creek.
Jasper National Park Winter Campgrounds
Jasper National Park Winter Campgrounds
Camping in and near Jasper National Park is a must-do any time of year! It’s a dark sky reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the largest park in the Canadian Rockies. Just be sure to always check the latest bulletins for closures and warnings in Jasper before you go.
There are a couple of great winter camping options in Jasper perfect to visit with a Karma Campervan. Here are a few worth checking out:
Wapiti Campground
Wapiti Campground sits close to town and is open year-round. In the winter, there’s no need to reserve your campsite, and there are still running water and power hookups. The best part about Wapiti Campground is its location. Enjoy easy access to both cross-country and downhill skiing while other skiers drive in to hit the slopes.
Whirlpool Winter Hub and Camping
The Whirlpool Winter Hub is only open in the winter months! It’s farther from the Jasper townsite but offers all the fun you could expect from a Canadian winter: 25 kilometres of skiing trails come to a head here. Keep in mind there’s no power or water at this campground.
British Columbia, Winter Campgrounds
British Columbia, Winter Campgrounds
There are plenty of amazing winter camping options in British Columbia perfect to visit with a Karma Campervan. Here are a few worth checking out!
Fernie, British Columbia
Fernie, BC
Fernie RV Resort
Experience winter camping at Fernie RV Resort! Direct access to cross-country skiing trails from full-service sites and only a short drive to the downhill runs at Fernie Alpine Resort. Pay for a week or a month for a great rate.
Mount Fernie Provincial Park
In the winter season, Mount Fernie Provincial Park offers free camping. The trade-off is that the sites are user-maintained and unserviced. If you’re okay with roughing it a little bit, this campground is an outdoors person’s paradise with nearby trails and the Elk River.
Fernie Alpine Resort
Winter campers love the ski-in access at Fernie Alpine Resort. Strap on your skis at your Karma campervan and make your way to the Timber Quad.
Hartley Lake Recreation Site
If the road has been maintained, a great free boondocking option is Hartley Lake Recreation Site located just east of town. This recreation site is first come, first serve and has three available campsites. There is no power or running water.
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Jordan River Regional Park, Vancouver Island, BC
About a 1.5-hour drive from Victoria, see why the locals love Sandcut Beach at Jordan River Regional Park. The long cobbled beach boasts an impressive waterfall at its south end that you must check out. The Jordan River Regional Park campground operates year-round on a first-come, first-served basis, serving spectacular ocean views.
Salt Spring Island, BC
A vibrant island community, Salt Spring Island is a relaxed, ocean-side getaway. With many independent shops and restaurants to choose from and plenty of beaches, camp at an RV resort or go off the grid at Ruckle Provincial Park.
Elk Falls, Vancouver Island, BC
Make the large campground at Elk Falls Provincial Park your base camp for day-tripping around central Vancouver Island, with Gold River, Rock Bay, and the parks of Quadra and Cortes Islands nearby. You’ll find 122 vehicle-accessible campsites bordering the Quinsam River in a great forest setting.
Lower Mainland, British Columbia
Lower Mainland, British Columbia
Golden Ears Provincial Park, Maple Ridge, BC
A popular summer destination, off-season camping is also available at the Gold Creek campground in Golden Ears Provincial Park. Named after the twin peaks of Mount Blanshard, the beautiful mountain setting is a welcome retreat from the city but is still an easy drive from Vancouver. Relax by Alouette Lake or explore the park’s extensive system of hiking trails.
Fort Langley, BC
A gem in the lower mainland, Fort Langley is a small village community full of great restaurants, boutiques and antique stores, and situated beside the Fraser River. You’ll find year-round RV sites at Fort Camping in Brae Island Regional Park, within walking distance of all that Fort Langley has to offer. Less than an hour away from Vancouver, it makes a good base camp for exploring the lower mainland.
Sea-to-Sky Corridor
Sea-to-Sky Corridor
Porteau Cove Provincial Park, Squamish, BC
The coveted ocean-side campsites at Porteau Cove Provincial Park are open through the winter, with beautiful views over Howe Sound to the mountains beyond. The campground is not far from both Squamish and Whistler and the endless winter activities they offer.
Whistler RV Park, BC
We love Whistler in the winter. With days on the hill and exceptional entertainment and dining at the village in the evenings, the area is packed with things to do. Stay at the nearby Whistler RV Park, where you can rent snowshoes and hit the trails right from the campground.
Thompson Okanagan
Thompson Okanagan
Manning Park Resort, BC
An easy road trip from Vancouver, Manning Park Resort is a winter playground in the heart of the Cascade Mountains. Located in E.C. Manning Provincial Park, there’s both Alpine and Nordic skiing, as well as snowshoeing, skating, tobogganing and more. Winter camping costs $13 a night at the Lightning Lake Day Use Area parking lot, with pit toilet facilities.
SilverStar Mountain Resort, Vernon, BC
Find tranquillity on the slopes of SilverStar Mountain Resort. From skiing and snowboarding to fat biking and ice skating, you’re in for some winter fun. No overnight camping is allowed on the mountain, but they recommend staying at the nearby and nicely equipped Cedar Falls Campground. The campground also puts you in close proximity to the bustling Okanagan cities of Vernon and Kelowna, and the many local wineries.
Sun Peaks Resort, Kamloops, BC
The second largest ski area in BC, check out Sun Peaks Resort, just outside Kamloops. You’ll find both alpine and Nordic skiing and a convenient place to park your campervan for the night. The resort has 12 unserviced RV sites in Parking Lot #5 that are available on a first-come, first-served basis, for $25 a night.
Big White, Kelowna, BC
Known for its epic power days, Big White Ski Resort is the perfect place to point the campervan. Overnight parking is allowed and will require an RV/camper permit which you can purchase at Central Mountain Check-in for $50/per night. Just down the road, you’ll also find MacDonald Acres RV Park which offers lake-view campsites for $45/night, but after a long day on the hill, who really wants to drive anywhere?
Kootenay Rockies
Kootenay Rockies
There are year-round campgrounds in Revelstoke, BC, but if you’re only stopping for a day on the hill, Revelstoke Mountain Resort allows one complimentary night of camping in their parking lot. Just visit The Sutton Place Hotel front desk for your complimentary overnight permit.
Have any questions? Ask us! We’re happy to help you plan your winter camping trip in the Rocky Mountains. Above all, we want you to have fun and stay safe when camping! Especially in the winter months.
Ready to hit the road? Share your Karma camping trips with us on social media by tagging us @KarmaCampervans and using the hashtag #GoodCamping. Need some winter camping tips? Our staff are avid campers and are always ready to help. See you out there!
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