Buckinghorse River Wayside Park

Highlights in this park

A scenic campground for those traveling the Alaska Highway, Buckinghorse River Wayside Park provides visitors with a chance to view moose or fish for arctic grayling.

This park is cooperatively managed by a community, society or other partner. Services and facilities may differ from those offered in other BC Parks.

Know before you go

Advisories

Special notes

Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) are prohibited in this park. ORVs include ATVs, off-road motorcycles, snowmobiles and side-by-sides.

Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.

Visit responsibly

Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:

Maps and location

Getting there

This park is located approximately 200km northwest of Fort St. John at kilometre 278 of the Alaska Highway (Hwy 97).

Camping

Frontcountry camping

This park offers vehicle-accessible campsites on a first come, first served basis. Campsite reservations are not accepted. The sites are able to accommodate an RV of up to 32 feet (9.7 metres) in length, with no height restriction.

Long stay camping is available full season. Please contact the park operator for information and to book one of these sites.

Vehicle-accessible camping fee	$20 per party per night
BC seniors’ rate (day after Labour Day to June 14 only)	$10 per senior party per night
Long-stay camping	$90 per week

For information on the BC seniors’ rate, see the camping fees page. Information on long-stay camping is available on the Frontcountry Camping webpage.

Frontcountry campgrounds

Buckinghorse River Campground

Operating season

2024: May 15 to September 15

Winter season

No services

Winter season note

The gate is closed during the off-season. Walk-in from the gate. There are no fees and no services.

Number of campsites

Vehicle-accessible sites: 17

Things to do

Hiking

Visitors can hike around the area but there are no developed trails at this park.

Swimming

There are swimming opportunities in the river.

There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.

Fishing

Anglers can try their luck along Buckinghorse River for arctic grayling.

Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.

Wildlife viewing

There are wildlife viewing opportunities. Moose, caribou, black bears and grizzly bears frequent the surrounding area.

Pets on leash

Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.

Cycling

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 Buckinghorse River Wayside Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy will be for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.

Facilities

Accessibility information

Accessibility information is available for this park.

Campfires

While 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 and may vary from park to park.

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.

Picnic areas

This park has a day-use and picnic area.

Pit or flush toilets

This park only has pit toilets, no flush toilets.

About this park

Conservation

Buckinghorse River Wayside Park lies just east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in the Muskwa Plateau ecosection.

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.

Contact