Campgrounds and RV parks near Gold River, BC

Gold River is a village on central Vancouver Island at the west end of Highway 28, roughly an hour's drive from Campbell River. It sits inland from Nootka Sound, surrounded by mountains, rivers, and old-growth forest, and serves as the main road access point to Strathcona Provincial Park, British Columbia's oldest provincial park. Most campgrounds within reach of Gold River are provincial park sites in Strathcona and Schoen Lake, both operated under BC Parks. Buttle Lake and Ralph River campgrounds sit on Buttle Lake inside Strathcona, while Schoen Lake Provincial Park lies north of Highway 19 past Sayward on a gravel access road. Neither park offers RV hookups, and both sit deep in Vancouver Island wilderness with limited cell coverage. RV travellers generally use Gold River itself for fuel and groceries, then base at a lake or river campground for exploring. Private options such as Fisherboy Park cover full-service overnights, and Bella Pacifica Resort in Tofino is a common add-on for travellers extending the trip to the outer coast.

Buttle Lake and Ralph River reservations are handled through the BC Parks reservation service. For the 2026 season, BC Parks moved to a three-month rolling booking window, so campers can book no earlier than three months ahead of their arrival date. Unreserved sites operate as first-come, first-served on a nightly basis, and there is no overflow camping. The group site at Driftwood Bay is reservation only. Schoen Lake Provincial Park does not accept reservations. The nine vehicle-accessible sites and the walk-in sites are first-come, first-served, and fees are collected on site through self-registration envelopes. Private campgrounds such as Fisherboy Park and Bella Pacifica Resort take direct bookings through their own websites or by phone. Bella Pacifica in particular requires advance reservations for summer stays and books out early for peak weekends.