Johnstone Creek Provincial Park Campground
Camping at Johnstone Creek – the basics
Johnstone Creek is located on Highway 3, 44km (about 35mins) outside of Osoyoos. The closest town is Rock Creek, 7km away.
Campsites: 16 campsites (1 double campsite)
Cost: $18 (bring cash) Plus an extra $9 if you have multiple vehicles.
Toilets: Drop toilets (no running water)
Booking: You can’t book in advance – First come first served.
Camping dates: mid-May to mid-September
Fires: Is there is no fire ban (check here) use the fire rings provided in each campsite.
Each campsite in Johnstone Creek Provincial Park has bench, a fire pit and plenty of space for a vehicle and a tent. Several of the sites looked large enough for RVs, although some sites have trees, so they are better for campers that bring tents.
I thought the nicest sites were to the east (as they are next to the creek.) But the gorgeous trees mean all of the sites are pleasant and shady at some point in the day.
Johnstone Creek Provincial Park map
There is a short (15min) hiking trail in the park. I’ve included a map of the campground, along with the Loop trail within the Provincial Park. (Strava recording here)
The loop trail – Johnstone Creek Provincial Park
Distance:Â 0.8km
Elevation Gain: 30m
Time: 15–20 mins
What to bring: Â
You don’t need much – we just brought our cameras.
Facilities: There are loos within the campground.
Dogs:Â Dog friendly.
How hard is it? Super Easy
The loop trail at the edge of the campground is only a mini trail. But it is a pretty good as a place to stretch your legs as you drive along Highway 3. The loop takes you up to a couple of pretty viewpoints with benches.
The area beyond the benches has some steep cliffs, so you shouldn’t go beyond the fence. Still, it’s a nice spot to look over to the American border and appreciate the gorgeous trees.
Trees in Johnstone Creek Provincial Park
One of the highlights of this area are the trees. There are a mix of douglas fir, spruce trees as well as ponderosa pines. Lastly we spotted some larch trees, (that turn golden in the autumn.) In the summertime the sap from these creates an incredible, sweet smell that has to be one of the most pleasant smells in British Columbia.
Whether you are looking for a quick stop to stretch your legs as you drive along Highway 3, or if you are looking for a campground near Osoyoos, Johnstone Creek is a lovely spot.
10 thoughts on “Johnstone Creek Provincial Park Campground”
Johnstone Creek looks like an excellent campsite. The tall tress make it so beautiful. I would love to visit one day.
This looks like some very rustic camping in BC. Saving it in the hopes that one day I can convince someone to go there with me. haha
Thanks! Yeah it was such a sweet rustic location.
Looks like a low main range hiking spot ! Good detailed guide for it 🙂
Looks like lovely camping weather in August! And everything is so lush and green!
Last summer had quite a lot of rain in the springtime so it was still lovely and lush! 🙂
What an awesome place to stay! This is right up my alley!
Woot woot. Thanks Marga.
first come first served Is so stressful, so it’s good to know that so many sites were available on an August weekend. It looks like a nice spot!
Right!? We hardly ever use FCFS on road trips as we are so worried everywhere will be full. Heading out along highway 3, we found multiple campgrounds that were not busy… even on summer weekends (they were also cheaper than the ones we booked in advance…)