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Gordon Bay Provincial Park
Overview
Gordon Bay Provincial Park is a premier destination located on the western shore of Cowichan Lake. Known for its **second-growth Douglas-fir forest** and expansive sandy beach, it offers a quintessential Vancouver Island camping experience. This park is particularly popular during the summer months due to the area's reputation for having the **highest number of sunny days** on the island, making it a reliable choice for outdoor enthusiasts.
Location & Surroundings
Nestled within the Cowichan Valley, the park sits approximately 35 kilometers west of Duncan. The landscape is defined by the massive **Cowichan Lake**, one of the largest freshwater bodies on Vancouver Island. Surrounded by lush mountains and dense forest, the park provides a serene escape from urban life while remaining accessible via paved roads. The **tranquil lakeside environment** provides a stunning backdrop for any RV adventure.
Amenities & Park Features
While the park offers a more rustic experience without electrical hookups, it provides essential comforts for RVers. Facilities include **flush toilets and hot showers**, a large picnic day-use area, and a convenient **sani-station** for waste disposal. For those traveling with children or groups, the park offers several features to keep everyone entertained, including:
- A well-maintained **adventure playground** for children.
- Multiple **horseshoe pits** located near the picnic area.
- A designated swimming area with a clean, sandy beach.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
Water activities are the main draw here, with an onsite **boat launch** providing easy access for water skiing, fishing, and paddling. Visitors can explore the nearby town of Lake Cowichan for local shops or take a short drive to experience the famous **tubing down the Cowichan River**. Hikers will enjoy the various trails winding through the park and the easy access to segments of the Trans-Canada Trail located just a short distance away.
Who This Park Is Best For
This park is ideal for **families and outdoor enthusiasts** who enjoy water-based recreation and do not mind dry-camping. It is a fantastic choice for those seeking a **vibrant community atmosphere** during the peak summer season. RVers who appreciate natural beauty and a traditional camping feel while still having access to clean showers and well-maintained grounds will find it a perfect fit for their Vancouver Island itinerary.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Discounts
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
Brïan Graham
This is THE iconic family campground that one makes memories that last a lifetime. We've been coming to Gordon Bay Provincial Park for over 30 years with our kids, our friends and ourselves, and the good memories just keep stacking up! By far, the best campsite is the group campsite as it not only has hot and cold running water at the sinks in the shelter, but on rainy days when fires are allowed you have under-cover wood stoves for heat and electrical outlets for charging, kettles, griddles etc... It's the closest campsite to the beach. And you have all of your friends in one place... There is a downside: most of the area is tent camping with only a couple spots to park RVs or trailers. We've made so many memories here with our kids growing up together, and lifelong friends with the parents who brought their kids. We've windsurfed, waterskied, snorkeled, swung off the rope swings further along and across the lake, and generally just relaxed and enjoyed the marginal cell service over the years. Not to say we haven't had our bad experiences: vandalism to our cars, buses burning in the parking lot and kids having epileptic fits requiring ambulances... But this place fosters great memories of life with one's family and friends, and life will have laughter and tears combined. Gordon Bay filled our albums with those memories and I hope it will for many, many more years. June 2024: Just returned from another great camping trip. Some things have changed which need a comment or two: The iconic log boom that ran across the bay of the beach is now gone--it broke apart during the winter storms and blew up onto the beach. While we were there, loggers finally arrived to buck up and remove the logs, and supposedly there's a modern floating boom on its way. In the interim I saw two boaters come into the swimming area causing consternation on the part of campers/swimmers/kids/parents/staff... This needs to be addressed immediately before someone gets hurt!! This is just a small example of the underlying management of this facility. Most of the staff onsite are friendly and helpful, but there are many examples of how the management of the park is more concerned with making money than making memories for families. Bathroom facilities that are half finished, there's the cheapest toilet paper ever made, the bathrooms have broken windows, the propane heaters never warm up the building and the showers that don't work properly. Garbage overflowed in containers, and the beaches weren't cleaned overnight. We still had a great time camping. But it's getting harder to book a campsite and it's costing more money every year to camp. One would expect the experience to get better under those terms, but it actually feels like the campground is slowly rotting away without any of the money being used for improvements.
Cara Webb
Gorgeous Bay, so many campsites, pictures make them look more private than they actually are. I had never been able to book one in summer so went in May! Friendly park staff, clean washrooms with hot showers, lots of kid friendly things to do, so many picnic tables at the beach, swimming in summer.
Lauren Ricketts
Beautiful park with a great campground! Nice facilities, a convenience store nearby, crystal clear water, and incredible views.
Quentonitron
This is the perfect campsite for families. It's close to the beach and they have bathrooms with running hot water and showers. Firewood is sold on site and delivered to your campsite for $10 a tub. The beach does not have a lifeguard.
Md Rezaul Karim Robin
Amazing place! Abundance of parking available on day beach! Lots of picnic tables and swimming area is secured. A heated washroom, a shower room and taps available beside picnic tables for water supplies! Would love to go there on a sunny day. Pictures are from a smokey day from the wild fire!
