Camping For Fun While Gold Panning

 by: Ranger Bob

If you want a good camping vacation and want to find gold I have just the spot for you. Princton BC was noted for the gold found in the late 1880’s. You will find Granite city which is now a ghost town. Lots of gold and platinum was found in the area.

To get to the gold camping ground from Vancouver BC take the number one highway to Hope. Be sure to spend some time exploring the area as the gold miners used hope as a jump of point to the Caribou. As you leave hope you will that route 3 towards Manning Park. After arriving at manning park for a short stop you are only 40 minutes to the camping site.

The park has lots to offer including a restaurant, visitor’s booth, restrooms, and park tables on green grass for you to rest. You will find a dog play area as you turn off the highway and enter the park it is just on the right side as you enter. Be sure to pick up after your pet the park supply’s containers for this.

As you leave the west gate on the highway you will find a gas station with a small store the ice cream cones are extra large. From the west gate you are about 30 minutes to you campsite.

This road changes from four lane to two lane as you go down the mountain. Watch for wildlife you will see lots. The campsite is just 30 miles away watch for the sign Elk Ridge Outdoors on the right hand side of the road if you shoot past the turn in there is a place to turn around just up at the next corner but be very care for on coming traffic as you turn.

As you enter the camp road you will see a road that goes straight and a road to your right. If you have a smaller rig you can go straight and check in at the main house the road is bumpy and the turn around at the house is not very big.

If you have a large rig, take the right hand road and follow it all the way down the side of the ridge. Note use low gear as the road in is very steep and bumpy with some very tight turns. In some places you will be right along the edge of the road which goes straight down for a few hundred ft. If your passenger is nervous get them to watch you and not the road. This is a dirt road be aware of traffic coming up as the road is narrow in some places.

If you are towing a car behind you motor home un hook the car after you turn in to the main campsite road and get your second driver to go ahead of you or drive the car down and get a good look at the road before you take you rig down

Once down at the bottom you will find A large A framed lodge and 6 smaller cabins which are all for rent by the day or week. The cabins are all new as of 2004. You will find 12 sites along the river and some set back in the trees with some out in the open. There is an over flow around the back of the A-frame.

Amenities are primitive as they have pit outhouses and you will only be able to get water when the generator is running. The showers should be up and running by 2006. They have a large wood fired hot tube just above the beach The scenery is absolutely fabulous you will find gold in various quantities all along the river. All gold hunting must be by hand no power equipment allowed

Good fishing is found all along the river and the swimming is great with shallow rapids to tube on. They are on the net at www dot elkkridgeoutdoors dot com.