Park overview
Stemwinder is a quaint, 3.6 hectare sized park near Hedley. You can find this pine-dotted camping area beside the Similkameen River, just off Highway 3. Anglers like to try their luck from the rocky shoreline.
Advisories
Dates of operation
The park gate is open April 12, 2024 to September 30, 2024
- Facility type
- Frontcountry camping
- Main operating season
- 2024: April 12 to September 30
- Winter season
- Not known
- Booking required
- 2024: April 12 to September 29
- Winter season note
- The gate is closed during the off-season. No camping fees are collected and no services are available.
- Facility type
- Frontcountry camping
- Main operating season
- 2024: April 12 to September 30
- Winter season
- Not known
- Booking required
- 2024: April 12 to September 29
- Winter season note
- The gate is closed during the off-season. No camping fees are collected and no services are available.
- Booking note
- This park accepts Cash Only
Safety info
- Be aware that the river runs fast and excellent swimming skills are required.
- Watch for poison ivy along the riverbank.
Camping
- Total number of campsites
- Total reservable frontcountry sites: 27
- Total vehicle-accessible sites: 27
Campsite reservations are accepted and first come, first served sites are also available.
All campsite reservations must be made through the BC Parks reservations system. When reservations are not available all campsites function as first come, first served.
This park offers 28 vehicle-accessible campsites, including one pull-through site. Campsite reservations are accepted. The small sites are located on two levels overlooking the Similkameen river, amidst Douglas fir and ponderosa pine trees. The sites on the upper level are more open and those closer to the river are more shaded.
First come, first served customers can be accommodated for one or more nights, depending on availability. Campers can register themselves if staff are not present. To do so, deposit the fee in the registration vault beside the information shelter at the entrance to the park.
There is no phone in the park. Hedley has the closest store and Princeton has the nearest hospital, fire, ambulance and police services.
Vehicle-accessible camping fee | $18 per party per night |
BC seniors’ rate (day after Labour Day to June 14 only) | $9 per senior party per night |
For information on the BC seniors’ rate, see the camping fees page.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for this park.
There is one hand pump for water located near the information shelter.
Campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite. We encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using campstoves instead.
Firewood can be purchased in the park or you may bring your own wood. Fees for firewood are set locally.
To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.
Campfire bans may be in place. Before lighting a fire, check for bans or restrictions on BC Wildfire Service and on local or Indigenous government websites.
This park only has pit toilets, no flush toilets.
Activities
Visitors can fish from the rock covered shoreline.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement.
Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Stemwinder Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted.
The park is 35 km east of Princeton and 8 km west of Hedley, on Hwy 3.
Park and activity maps
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: March 16, 1956
- Size: 3.6 hectares
Park contact
This park is proudly operated by:
Kaloya Contracting Ltd.
camping@campokanagan.ca
236-970-7815
- This is not a campsite reservations number.
- Please specify the park name when sending/leaving a message.
Nature and culture
History
Established March 16, 1956.
Cultural Heritage
Early native habitation is evident by rock artifacts and the pit house depression.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.