Provincial parks have been closed since the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown. Provincial parks, such as the Horsefly Provincial Park (pictured), are closed during the May long weekend. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

Provincial parks have been closed since the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown. Provincial parks, such as the Horsefly Provincial Park (pictured), are closed during the May long weekend. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

What’s open, what’s not, for provincial parks in the Cariboo this long weekend

BC Parks plans to open up camping opportunities later in June and July

As of May 14, BC Parks has reopened hundreds of provincial parks and recreation areas for day use heading into the Victoria Day long weekend, however, anyone hoping to camp overnight will need to wait a little longer.

The province shut its parks down to all visitors on April 8 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and plans to open up camping opportunities later in June and July.

READ MORE: Visits to vacation homes, boating trips off the table this long weekend: BC officials

Anyone planning to visit a provincial park or recreation site in the province is advised to pack a ‘Clean Trip Kit,’ including hand sanitizer, gloves and toilet paper.

As we head into the Victoria Day long weekend, here is a list of provincial parks and protected areas opened and closed for day use activities to the public in the Cariboo region:

READ MORE: Canada’s national parks, historic sites to be at least partially re-opened by June 1

BC Parks and Protected Areas (OPEN)

• Beaver Valley Provincial Park

• Becher’s Prairie Provincial Park

• Big Basin Provincial Park

• Big Creek Ecological Reserve

• Big Creek Provincial Park

• Blue River Black Spruce Provincial Park

• Blue River Pine Provincial Park

• Bull Canyon Provincial Park

• Canim Beach Provincial Park

• Cardiff Mountain Ecological Reserve

• Cariboo Mountains Provincial Park

• Cariboo Nature Provincial Park

• Cariboo River Provincial Park

• Cedar Point Provincial Park

• Chasm Ecological Reserve

• Chu Chua Cottonwood Provincial Park

• Copper Johnny Provincial Park

• Cottonwood River Provincial Park

• Crater Lake Provincial Park

• Dante’s Inferno Provincial Park

• Doc English Bluff Ecological Reserve

• Dragon Mountain Provincial Park

• Eakin Creek Canyon Provincial Park

• Eakin Creek Floodplain Provincial Park

• Edge Hills Provincial Park

• Eleven Sisters Provincial Park

• Emar Lakes Provincial Park

• Fraser River Breaks Provincial Park

• French Bar Creek Provincial Park

• Harry Lake Aspen Provincial Park

• Ilgachuz Range Ecological Reserve

• Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park

• Junction Sheep Range Provincial Park

• Kluskoil Lake Provincial Park

• Lac La Hache Provincial Park

• Long Creek Provincial Park

• Marble Canyon Provincial Park

• Marble Range Provincial Park

• Mount Tinsdale Ecological Reserve

• Narcosli Lake Ecological Reserve

• Nazko Lake Provincial Park

• Pinnacles Provincial Park

• Punti Island Provincial Park

• Redbrush Provincial Park

• Ruth Lake Provincial Park

• Schoolhouse Lake Provincial Park

• South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park

• Titetown Provincial Park

• Wendle Provincial Park

• White Pelican Provincial Park

BC Parks and Protected Areas (CLOSED)

• Bella Coola Estuary Conservancy

• Big Bar Lake Provincial Park

• Bowron Lake Provincial Park

• Bridge Lake Provincial Park

• Dean River Conservancy

• Dean River Corridor Conservancy

• Downing Provincial Park

• Flat Lake Provincial Park

• Goldpan Provincial Park

• Horsefly Lake Provincial Park

• Juniper Beach Provincial Park

• Moose Valley Provincial Park

• Nuntsi Provincial Park

• Quesnel Lake Provincial Park

• Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Provincial Park

• Taweel Provincial Park

• Ts’il?os Provincial Park

• Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park

A full list of BC parks affected by COVID-19 is available here.

Recreation sites and trails closures, meanwhile, are listed here.


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Williams Lake Tribune