Campgrounds and RV parks near Quesnel, BC

Ten Mile Lake Provincial Park is the anchor activity for most families. It offers a large picnic area, three sandy beaches, a boat launch, flush toilets, attractive campsites, showers and great fishing. A fishing dock was installed in 2015 thanks to the efforts of the Fresh Water Fisheries Society of BC and the Quesnel Rod and Gun Club, making shore fishing easy for kids without a boat. A 2 km forested nature trail along an abandoned rail road leads to a large beaver pond which makes for a rewarding hike. Visitors can fish for rainbow trout either by boat, or by casting from shore, and the best time to fish in the lake is either in early spring or most evenings throughout the summer. In town, the Fraser River Riverfront Trail, the Quesnel Museum, and day trips east to the restored gold-rush town of Barkerville round out a family itinerary.

The RV season in Quesnel is short and heavily concentrated in summer. Ten Mile Lake Provincial Park is open from May 1 to Oct 31, and most private parks around town follow a similar operating window, though a few near the highway stay open year-round for overnight stays. July and August deliver the warmest, driest weather and the busiest campgrounds. Reservable sites at Ten Mile Lake typically fill for weekends well before arrival, and the May long weekend and August long weekend are the tightest dates in the region. Late June and early September are quieter alternatives with similar daytime warmth. Winter is cold and snowy. In the winter, the park's trails transform into near 10 km of cross-country ski trails, and there are also snowshoeing opportunities at this park and the lake freezes over in the winter allowing for ice skating. Wildfire smoke is possible in late summer across the Cariboo, so travellers should check BC Wildfire Service advisories before departure.

Expect a working Cariboo town rather than a resort destination. Highway 97 runs through the middle of Quesnel, and grocery, fuel, propane, and RV supply are all available in town, which makes it a practical resupply stop between Cache Creek and Prince George. At Ten Mile Lake, sites are treed and family-oriented. The Lakeside Campground features attractive, treed campsites, showers and flush toilets, while the Touring Campground offers sunny, open sites with pull through sites capable of handling even the largest RVs on the road. ORVs are prohibited in this park. ORVs include ATVs, off-road motorcycles, snowmobiles and side-by-sides. Quiet hours and generator rules are enforced. Generator use is only permitted between 9am and 11am, and 6pm and 8pm. Quiet time is between 10pm and 7am. Black bears are active throughout the Cariboo, so store food and scented items inside the RV.