Okanagan. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Safety information
- Be aware that the river runs fast and excellent swimming skills are required.
- Watch for poison ivy along the riverbank.
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
The park is 35 km east of Princeton and 8 km west of Hedley, on Hwy 3.
Camping
Frontcountry camping
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. The park operator accepts cash only. 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.
Frontcountry campgrounds
Things to do
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.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for this park.
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.
There is one hand pump for water located near the information shelter.
This park only has pit toilets, no flush toilets.
About this park
Early native habitation is evident by rock artifacts and the pit house depression.
Established March 16, 1956.
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
| Reservations, changes, and cancellations | Our call centre is open from 7 am to 7 pm Pacific Time. There is a $5 fee for reservations, changes, or cancellations made by phone.
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| Park operator | This park is operated by Kaloya Contracting Ltd. Please specify the park name when sending or leaving a message. |
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
