Best Boondocking and Off-Grid Campsites in Canada and Alaska

About

Anderson Flats is right on the Bulkley River, just outside The Hazeltons (New Hazelton or South Hazelton) between Terrace and Smithers B.C. on Highway 16. Anderson Flats Provincial Park, established in 2007, is a 99-hectare area situated at the confluence of two of the most important rivers in northwest B.C., the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers. These rivers have shaped the park's landscape over thousands of years, creating floodplains and terraced terrain.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

There is camping right next to the river, and you can walk along the water’s edge or enjoy fishing for salmon or trout.

Campground Amenities

Drinking water, a picnic area, and pit toilets are available. Garbage facilities are not provided.

Coordinates

55.2445024, -127.6676813

Submitted By

Drew McArthur

About

This is a free boondocking area near the Cape Bonavista lighthouse with incredible westerly views.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

There are hiking trails along the coast, and many whales are to be seen offshore. There are also grocery stores and restaurants in nearby Bonavista.

Campground Amenities

Washrooms, showers, a dump station, and 30/50 amp hookups are all available.

Nearby Attractions

Cape Bonavista Lighthouse is one of the few lighthouses in the world where you can still climb up the stone owner and see the same seal oil-fueled catoptric light apparatus that was used in the 1800s. This is a prime location to view whales, icebergs, and puffins.

Coordinates

48.5836655, -53.0911701

Submitted By

Bruce Harris

About

The views were spectacular. Stunning cliffs on the ocean on 3 sides and a beautiful lighthouse on the other side. We were by ourselves the evening and night and, to top it off, had a memorable sunset.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

Cape Egmont Lighthouse is situated on the extreme point of Cape Edmont, 30 meters (100 feet) from its south and west banks. The lighthouse overlooks Northumberland Strait on the southwest shore of Prince Edward Island. This was the only beacon in the 46-mile-long dark expanse between the lighthouse at West Point and Seacow Head.

Coordinates

46.4016, -64.1343687

Submitted By

Linda Elrick

About

This is a nice spot near the Outaouais River overlooking the Deep River.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

This is a little parking spot, but here you can see all of the boats and the water and enjoy the calming sounds that water brings.

Nearby Attractions

Huron Park is nearby, and this park offers all sorts of activities and even picnic areas.

Coordinates

46.1072851, -77.4911804

Submitted By

Nathalie Turcotte

About

A beautiful rest area near the village of St-Urbain.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

There are multiple beautiful hiking trails, including longer walking trails, daily hikes, and bike trails.

Campground Amenities

Picnic tables and pit toilets are available.

Nearby Attractions

This spot is a few kilometers from the National Park le Parc des Grands Jardins where you can enjoy fishing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, wildlife viewing, and many other activities.

Coordinates

47.576418, -70.554359

Submitted By

Fouquet Odile

About

This is an excellent fishing spot with a beautiful, quiet view. You may meet people from all over the world there, as the spot is on the iOverlander app.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

There are three old abandoned fishing trawlers on the land that makes for an eerie nighttime.

Campground Amenities

There is clean, running water.

Coordinates

48.840912, -88.487674

Submitted By

Juliana Balogh

About

Located on beautiful Haida Gwaii, just outside Queen Charlotte City, is a B.C. Parks Recreation site called Kagan Bay. The six spots are right on the water, with beautiful scenery of Haida Gwaii. Getting there requires a 7-hour ferry trip from Prince Rupert, but the history, culture, and location are well worth the trip.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

The Kagan Bay Recreation Site offers a host of activities for everyone. You can enjoy fishing, kayaking, hiking, or camping.

Campground Amenities

This site features a picnic table, a fire ring, and beach access.

Nearby Attractions

Nearby is the Tarundl Trail, which is one of the local village trails and is by far the easiest. It's 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) and includes two small loops. The trail takes you through the lush rainforest and floodplain.

Coordinates

53.241611, -132.1564508

Submitted By

Drew McArthur

About

Kaslo Municipal Campground is located at the foot of A Avenue, on the shores of Kootenay Lake, and conveniently located beside Vimy Park.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

This intimate campground is close to the S.S. Moyie National Historic Site and the bustling downtown, with many small shops and places to eat. There are also different places to walk, hike, and even kayaking opportunities.

Campground Amenities

You'll find serviced and non-serviced sites, free Wi-Fi, and hot showers. There is sani-dump facilities available adjacent to the campground, open spring through fall.

Nearby Attractions

A good distance away is Fletcher Falls. A well-established trail will lead you to this spectacular waterfall and moss-lined grotto on Fletcher Creek. There is also beach access.

Coordinates

49.9091369, -116.9009838

Submitted By

Alan Phillips

About

Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park is located in the heart of the cattle country. The rolling grasslands and dry open forest surround the sparkling turquoise waters of Kentucky Lake and Alleyne Lake. The scenery is spectacular from early April to late October, with spring’s palette of soft pastels slowly changing to the vibrant golds of autumn.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park offers wide-open spaces, great fishing, wildlife, old-west history, and a quieter camping spot that can be all yours in less than a 90-minute drive from the central Okanagan.

Campground Amenities

You will find a boat launch, fire rings, drinking water, and pit or flush toilets.

Nearby Attractions

Located on the north end of Bluey Lake, you'll find a nearby recreation site with more fishing and boating activities.

Coordinates

49.9117361, -120.5705181

Submitted By

Colin Blondin

About

This dead-end road heads towards the closed, Kiskatinaw curved bridge, and just 500 meters before the bridge is this flat spot that overlooks the river and bridge.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

The bridge in itself is the attraction here. This three-span timber truss bridge has a nine-degree curve, a curve PRA engineers designed to accommodate the highway's steep change in grade on the west end and the need to land at a notch in the cliff on the east end.

Nearby Attractions

The bridge is approximately 30 kilometers north of Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Within Kiskatinaw Provincial Park, you can stroll to the bridge, jump in the river for a refreshing swim, or spend the day fishing.

Coordinates

55.9569303, -120.558895

Submitted By

Chantal Crete

About

From Fairbanks to Anchorage is the road known as the Parks Highway. It is the path to Denali National and State parks as well as many small Alaskan cities and towns with deep historical significance for the area. There are too many locations along this highway to list (State and National lands), but all of them are wonderful, accessible, and surrounded by tremendous beauty. The boondocking opportunities (and permissions) are endless and should be on the "must-do" list for any camper/boondocker.

Best sites or attractions here

There are many opportunities here to see North America's tallest peak, Mount McKinley, and there is also access to Denali National Park and Preserve.

Nearby Attractions

There are 48 miles of trails inside Denali State Park, just past Byers Lake, you'll find the Alaska Veterans Memorial, and in the turbulent Nenana River, you can take on whitewater rafting! Don't forget to stop in Healy to learn more about Alaska's largest coal-mining operation.

Coordinates

63.2438687, -149.2540635

Submitted by

Steve Cirongate & Chantel Crete

About

14 miles of fantastic beach on the St. Lawrence River. The parking is literally on the beach. The water is warm enough to swim in; if you're lucky, you may see whales pass by.

Nearby Attractions

The Musé Louis-Langlois is nearby. This ancestral home dates back to 1873 and features exhibitions on Admiral Walker's British fleet shipwreck in 1711. Take advantage of this stop, and be sure to also relax on the fine beach next to the site.

Coordinates

49.675441, -67.1706418

Submitted By

Charles Robitaille

About

This campground is located in Sechelt, on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. To get there, you must take a short ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay to Gibsons (where the Bruno Gerussi TV show "The Beachcombers" was shot). From there, drive about 30 mins north to Sechelt. Porpoise Bay Provincial Park on the Sunshine Coast offers many opportunities for coastal fun and is a favorite family park.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

A second-growth forest, open grassy areas, and sandy beaches characterize this park. The sites are generously spaced out, and there is a sand beach for swimming (though no dogs are allowed on the beach or in the picnic areas). You can enjoy canoeing, cycling, fishing, hiking, and swimming in Porpoise Bay Provincial Park.

Campground Amenities

Fire pits, drinking water, and picnic areas are available. The washrooms have lots of hot water in the showers. The closest sani-dump is at Roberts Bay Campground, which is slightly inconvenient but worth the effort!

Nearby Attractions

Burnett Falls is a short and easy hike in Sechelt, close to Porpoise Bay Provincial Park. The route from the parking area to the waterfall is easy to follow and has a gradual incline. The waterfall can be reached in about 15 minutes or less, and the trail is suitable for young children. There is also a lookout area directly across Burnett Creek from the waterfall. The viewpoint gives you a close-up and unobstructed view of the beautiful falls.

Coordinates

49.5045183, -123.7523448

Submitted By

Julia Rohan

About

Rural Rootz Nature Reserve is a protected sanctuary, and it is also a Harvest Hosts location nestled in a hundred-acre wood with great hiking trails and gardens.

Campground Amenities

A bonus is the four-level RV pads with 30 amp posts.

Nearby Attractions

Located outside Wiarton and close to Tobermory, you can take the ferry to Manitoulin Island.

Coordinates

44.755724, -81.1724417

Submitted By

Franklin Beecham

About

The site is located at the base of the Twillingate Lighthouse. It was a managed campsite at one point, but it is now free. A century ago, this was a copper mine, and while all that's left is the crimson and yellow painted remnants of machinery, they are all a silent witness of the short-lived industrial activity some time ago.

Best Sites or Attractions Here

You can watch the gannets dive for fish and see icebergs, whales, and orcas passing by. You also cannot forget the most beautiful sunsets.

Nearby Attractions

The Twillingate Lighthouse, one of the most photographed landmarks on the northeast coast of Newfoundland, is located at Crow Head, Twillingate. More than 300 feet above sea level, this is a lookout point where thousands of visitors every year enjoy the panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean and is another place where you can see icebergs, whales, seals, and other sea birds.

Coordinates

49.6841865, -54.8051581

Submitted By

Steve Jurecki