If you are anything like me, in good weather, home just becomes a place to do laundry and restock the camp cooler; outside is where you really want to be. That’s why as soon as I got back from my May tenting trip, I booked a weekend at Nairn Falls campground.
I love the Sea-to-Sky Corridor (Highway 99 from Horseshoe Bay connecting Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton). It’s just curvy enough to make driving exciting without being scary. Combine that with an almost endless succession of spectacular water views on one side and mountains on the other, and it’s no wonder car makers love to shoot their TV ads on this road. Besides the scenery, it offers an area that’s close enough to Vancouver for a day trip yet with enough adventures to keep you engaged through a long weekend. Or even a full week.
Nairn Falls is located five minutes from Pemberton and 20 minutes north of Whistler, making it an excellent overnight stop on a road trip or a ideal base for a weekend of local exploration. I used it as a basecamp for hiking Joffre Lake Provincial Park, visiting the Nairn waterfall, and just enjoying downtime in camp. I had expected it to be a great spot to camp, but I was extra delighted when I discovered I had lucked into a site right along the crystal clear, green river. When you are booking your site, try to score one of these riverside spots; it will make a wonderful visit even better.
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Most visitors to Nairn Falls Provincial Park come just to see Nairn Falls, a short 1.5 km hike along the bank of the Green River. I found it well worthwhile to spend a bit more time there. If you go beyond the campsite to Couldre Point, a short trail takes you to a bend in the river where you can sit on the rocks, wade in the river (be careful of the swift currents) and marvel at the clear, emerald water. It’s a lovely spot to watch the sky change, listen to the river flowing by and just relax by yourself or with a soul mate.
A home away from home. No matter how long the camping trip is, it always amazes me how comfortable I feel. Taken at Nairn Falls, where the river next to me roars by. A photo posted by Megan Kennedy (@wanderlustmegan) on
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After a full-tilt day of hiking, I returned to camp to cook, just on time to watch the sun drop behind the mountains. Relaxed in my chair, I contemplated the river flowing endlessly as while I enjoyed the tingle of a spicy curry, quenching its fire with regular sips of frosty beer. Nothing beats going to bed well fed and pleasantly tired, being sung to sleep by a murmuring river, and waking up to sunlight glowing softly through tent walls.
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Reservations: You can pre-book at Discover Camping website. The campsite is opened and services from May 15 – September 30 2015. Reservations are accepted – May 15, 2015 – September 6, 2015. You can camp there in the off-season for free, walk-in from the road.
Cost: $22.00 a night plus $6.00 reservation fee as of 2015.
Number of Campsites: 94 campsite, 50 reservable ones.
Gate hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Campfires: Fire rings are provided and are allowed pending no fire ban.
Checkout: 11 am
Facilities: Pit toilets and hand pump water. Pay showers are available at the Pemberton Community Center. More details on the BC Parks Website.
Things to do: If you are looking for a hike to do in the area, Joffree Lake hike is something you need to do. Three glacier fed lakes that are a vivid turquoise hue makes it a hike that you will remember for years to come.
Wanderlust Megan 