rickm wrote: Ah, u forgot the most imporatnt thing about the private campground for 2 bucks less....u can hear your neighbour pass gas, cause you're camped atop of him!
Least the PP still give you some space, i'll take that over fancy fire rings and water hook up anytime...if thats most important, stay home, set up in the back yard
Actually, Whiskey Creek is rarely busy, which is why we like it. WE get our choice of spots to use (we usually take the back corner). Even when it's busy in there, noise from your direct camping neighbours isn't a problem; however, the barking dogs on the next property over can be. And the fire rings aren't anything like what the PP ones are, they're actually a lot smaller than the PP ones.
Sorry, trailer don't fit in the back yard, IF we could even get it back there. .
Little Kopit wrote: Rick and Paul, I enjoyed your posts. Yes, most of the time the government run parks give one more room.
Yet, I have seen a National Park east of me in this part of Canada, where the campsites had been divided in 2 or 3 rather than enlarging the campgrounds and where campers were so tight to each other, that Rick's passing gas comment was most apt. & the private cgs outside of that National Park gave one space. (Cape Breton Highlands National Park ie. where the Cabot Trail runs and there are some good hiking trails)
When my perspective is that of having 1.5 acres and my closest neighbour 400 feet from my house, to be squeezed like that is the outside of tolerance.
You want to see a PP campsite where you can pass gas and get your fellow camper 3 units down? Try Kitty Coleman PP just north of Comox. Stayed there 3 nights. Our site was literally 10 feet wide, though it was like 50 ft deep. You could hear the old guy fart in his sleep at the other end of the road! Not to mention the the fire rings weren't even in the sites, they were across the road at the beach; and you'd better like your neighbours on one side or the other, as it was 1 ring for every 2 sites. Cheap at $10/night (then) with a $1,000,000 view of the ocean (literally 50ft from your rig!), but not worth the effort of trying to keep your toddler quiet so as not to piss everyone else off.
No hiking trails there. The place is situated on 11 acres of private land.
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Besides the beach at Rathtrevor, Little Qualicum Falls has camping, good walks and falls for sightseeing. I have also enjoyed the quite campsites at nearby Englishman River Falls, as well as the hike and falls.
All of these places are relatively close to Whiskey Creek. In fact, LQF is about 5 minutes away by vehicle.
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One time, years ago, on the way south from Strathconia, we spent a night at crowded private campground along Alberni Hwy because the provincial parks were full. The campground had showers, laundry, playground, and no space between sites. We spent the next couple of nights at a nicer private campground near Goldstream (Victoria). Paradise Lake or something like that. We used it a couple of other since it was hard to get into Goldstream without a reservation (at least during the summer). Unfortunately Paradise has since been turned into condos.
Sounds like maybe the place you stayed at was on Cameron Lake? That's the only other private campground I am aware of along the Alberni highway.
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The nicest private campground we've stayed at was Gnome's Home near Bella Coola. That is set among old growth, and even has its own nature trail. And the owner (a retired school teacher) was a fountain of information on local sights and opportunities.
Nice! But due to the price of ferries and whatnot, I have no idea if I will get off this rock again.
It probably was Coombs Country on the old Alberni Hwy. This was before there were any divided highways on this part of the island. I probably choose next thing after seeing the 'full' sign for Englishman River. The campground maps looks right. Current prices are $30 for 'tent' site, up to 45 for full hookups.
It's a good example of a private campground taking advantage of the draw nearby public parks, beaches and trails, by offering amenities like full hookups and a man made lake. And with 90 sites it is quite a bit larger than Whisky Creek.
Of the 26 places I've camped on Vancouver Island (and adjacent islands), 3 were private, 2 First Nations (Quadra and Bamfield), 2 regional, 4 were RecSites (former forest service), and the rest provincial parks. That's ignoring a few marine sites.
Most BC parks have big 'industrial Rubbermaid' quality gravel pads with good spacing, but a few are tighter.
Premier Lake in the SE has tighter sites, possibly because of age, but perhaps more due to topography. It's a relatively narrow valley leading down to a beautiful lake. There are some closely packed lakeside sites in Whiteswan, occupied long term by Alberta fishermen. Part of Sproat Lake is a parking lot. Haynes Pt on a narrow peninsula in Lake Osoyoos is also tight, but most of the sites face the water.
paulj wrote: It probably was Coombs Country on the old Alberni Hwy. This was before there were any divided highways on this part of the island. I probably choose next thing after seeing the 'full' sign for Englishman River. The campground maps looks right. Current prices are $30 for 'tent' site, up to 45 for full hookups.
It's a good example of a private campground taking advantage of the draw nearby public parks, beaches and trails, by offering amenities like full hookups and a man made lake. And with 90 sites it is quite a bit larger than Whisky Creek.
Ah yes, Coombs Campground. Forgot about that place. Stayed there several times too. First time I ever stayed there we got shoehorned into the spot behind the laundry/shower/games room. I had to do some really tricky driving to get the pop-up into the site AROUND a tree. Then we packed in 4 adults and 5 kids in 3 tents and the pop-up, not to mention the 2 vehicles (my truck and wife's car) to get everyone/thing there. Then, to really make it interesting, the 100lb upright propane tank decided to spring a leak at 10pm, while we had the fire going and 2 of the adults were smoking! Luckily the hosts agreed to shut the tank valve to stop the propane from spewing out. Was a good trip, though.
kodiakcanuck wrote: You guys in BC are killing me with these stories and pics of nice camping spots.
We are supposed to get 10+cm of snow tomorrow
Can't wait to go out west and visit BC again sometime
How can you think about snow right now? This is the time to book camp sites for the summer! (I was very happy that I was lucky enough to get a beachfront site at Sandbanks this morning).
At a State Park in New Orleans right now, paved parking spot, BBQ pit, Fire pit, table, swimming pool (Not open yet), big area for kids to play, neigbourg on both side are about 80 feet away, electricity, water, all that for 16 dollars, would be 8 dollars for Louisianna citizen. What do we do wrong in Canada? We pay income tax, sales tax, we vote!!
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Not to mention the the fire rings weren't even in the sites, they were across the road at the beach; and you'd better like your neighbours on one side or the other, as it was 1 ring for every 2 sites. Cheap at $10/night (then) with a $1,000,000 view of the ocean (literally 50ft from your rig!), but not worth the effort of trying to keep your toddler quiet so as not to piss everyone else off.
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