Just north of Boston Bar you pull off the freeway and begin the 4 minute gravel driveway of terror. Sheer cliffs, death defying drops, and the teeny tiny road made me hold my breath in horror several times. We were driving Matt’s truck and pulling the tent trailer on our first trip. There are sections of the driveway that are a single lane and it is kind of freaky when you turn a corner and realize you have another vehicle coming at you. Play chicken to see who has the guts to back up. It did not seem to bother Matt so much. Also there were tons of large trailers and 5th wheels up there, so people appear to make this treacherous trek on the reg. Maybe I am just a scaredy cat in my old age. I had only just cracked my first wobbly pop when we pulled off the road so my liquid courage levels were low.
We camped in site 44 on our first round with our old friend’s the Teillets. The wooded site was not super private, but also not right on top of your neighbor. This Fraser Canyon resort is surrounded by thousands of acres of untouched wilderness. Hopefully people will be a tad more environmentally conscience in the future so it doesn’t all burn down. There are washrooms, pay showers and laundry if you enjoy doing laundry while you are camping. The kids loved the playground and petting zoo. They pestered the bunnies, goats, and chickens. The youth center had games and there was an outdoor family movie screening in the field on weekends. The main office has a limited store that sells the basics and ice.
The small beach is a quick stroll down the lane. It is rough sand and there is a roped area for swimming. The lakeside sites and cabins all have a private dock. We had warm water in July and this is a non-motorized lake so it was clean and inviting. There are a lot of critters living in those tranquil waters at Blue Lake so if you are squeamish you may want to hang back. The kids absolutely loved all the fishies and snakes they caught. It was a fun science lesson. OMFG the tadpoles. They were not right on the public beach, but in other sections they are thick and made me feel a little icky. Again, the kids loved catching them in buckets. I was happy to chill at the picnic table and sip cocktails while the moppets explored and splashed around.
Our second trip was a mini family reunion and we stayed in the Lodge. In all we had over 40 people. In our rental specifically there was around 14 adults and 10 kids and we still had beds that went empty. This place was originally a hotel and restaurant, and it was very dated but amazing for a large group. It had a gigantic deck with lots of seating and a hot tub. The kitchen had decent storage and the living room had a few couches and massive dining table. The bedrooms were a little musty and older. The downstairs staircase was roped off and looked like it led to an eerie dungeon of death. There were 11 bedrooms total, several with multiple beds. There is no AC and the top floor got hot. We paid around $570 per night and for that price we were willing to rough it a little. We are supposed to be camping after all..
Other family members stayed at lovely lakeside camp sites and different classes of cabins. I was able to see the Chipmunk and it was new, clean and modern. The sites right on the water were perfect for parking the canoes and kayaks. We did the half hour hike up to the viewpoint one day which was entertaining until the kids started whining. Carrying a toddler on your shoulders the whole way down can do some serious damage to your shoulders if you are not in top fighting shape. Damn them and their little legs.
As can be expected with our large enthusiastic group we were shushed twice in the late evening over the course of our 4 night stay by the resort staff. We mostly complied and were left alone afterwards. We had some great campfire nights. We had a roaring sing along complete with a band early one evening and received no complaints.
I would definitely go back if I was travelling with a larger group. The choice of tent, trailer, rustic or luxury cabins and the lodge is perfect for people with different camping styles and budgets. There is an accommodation for everyone. Because it is private you can book early and at your convenience, rather than fighting the internet trying to get a Provincial site. The surrounding temperate rain forest is dazzling and there are more extensive trails to explore if you do not have to drag along toddler tots. The water was unsullied and refreshing. Many of the wooded sites are a little close for comfort and the facilities and lodge could use a little facelift, but you can’t win them all. I did not get in trouble for drinking at the beach so it was a success in my books.
July 2018 / July 2019
KIDS AGES: 1 + 3 / 2 + 4
paRty of 4 