Free Camping
Free camping is the best way to camp. Because there are few or no services it allows you to experience real back to nature camping. You see more unique places with less camping pressure because you're in the company of fewer people.
There are different ways to camp for free in BC. The first way is using Forest Service Rec sites. Exploring back roads is the second way to do it. The third way is to leave the vehicle at the trail head and travel by another method to the campsite.
The majority of land in BC (81%) is Crown Land. There are over 200,000 kilometers of dirt roads networked across it. This network of roads provides access to a huge area of the province for anyone who wants to take advantage of free camping opportunities.
There are almost 1,300 Forest Service Rec sites maintained throughout the province. Most of them are completely free, although some have small fees. The sites are usually chosen for some sort of reason, be it natural beauty or a local attraction. About half of them are maintained by the Forest Service, local First nations or some other group. The rest of them are user maintained, meaning what you pack in you have to pack out.
You can also use the network of roads to take you to unorganized camping. These sites are often the best ones. The law says you can camp anywhere on Crown Land as long as you don't stay in one place longer than 14 days. You will find roads leading to lakes, or crossing rivers or meadows that make great camping places. Watch for logging trucks, especially during the week, and try to get off to the side of the road when you encounter one.
Its a good idea to take drinking water with you, or have a method to purify it. In most sites firewood will be easy to find. Widespread beetle kill makes dry standing wood easy to find and harvest with a small chainsaw. Be careful with your fire and make sure you extinguish it completely before heading home. Forest fires are a big threat in BC. The fire danger season starts in the spring and lasts until the first rains in October.
For more adventure leave your vehicle at the road. Hike to a remote spot, or get there some other way. You can also use ATVS or snowmobiles to penetrate deeply into the woods. These modes of transport can get you to really wild areas. The wildlife viewing in such areas is remarkable.
The BC Forest Service has also created some canoe routes and hiking networks. There is a system of trails through the South Chilcotin as well. Some are very amenable to almost everyone but there are some routes that require some experience for self guided expeditions.
Pack out what you pack in. Address the issue of sanitation properly. Don't make new fire rings if there is an existing one and leave all sites in better shape than you found them. It's no fun to have to clean up other people's garbage. In contrast, it's great to find some stacked firewood if you get to a camp late or in the cold. Some people will leave frying pans or buckets or grills in some back country camps. Use them, but leave them for the next guy when you go.
There can be issues with wildlife, specifically bears. Leave a clean camp, and in bear country be aware. It may make sense to hang your food, especially if you're a small party, or not armed. You don't want to be caught in a small tent in the middle of the night, together with your food, looking for bear spray. On the other hand, a black bear walking by an occupied camp in the middle of the day is a completely different experience. Use common sense and remember that they are wild animals and are opportunistic. Realistically, however, you'll lose more food to mice.
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