Smelt Bay Provincial Park — RV Camping in British Columbia, CA

Smelt Bay Provincial Park sits on the southern tip of Cortes Island in coastal British Columbia, offering the only provincial campground on this remote Gulf Island. Accessible via two scenic ferry rides from Campbell River — first to Quadra Island, then onward to Cortes — the journey itself sets the tone for an off-the-beaten-path adventure. The park's 22 spacious, wooded campsites overlook the bay, blending forest seclusion with stunning ocean views. A sandy beach stretches from Smelt Bay around to Sutil Point, ideal for low-tide exploration, ocean swimming, and wildlife watching. The area is rich with marine life including seals, sea lions, river otters, bald eagles, great blue herons, and salmon — making it a standout destination for nature lovers. Each fall, capelin fish spawn ashore by the thousands, a rare spectacle unique to this coastline. Historic earthwork mounds attributed to Coast Salish First Nations add cultural depth to the landscape. Campers have access to picnic tables, water hookups, toilets, fire pits with firewood available, grills, and a boat launch, making it well-suited for kayakers, canoeists, and anglers targeting salmon and rockfish. Smelt Bay is a truly wild and memorable British Columbia camping experience.