6 National Parks to Visit in B.C. this Year! (Because it's FREE!)

Our beautiful nation is commemorating 150 years since confederation, and as part of the celebration, it’s free to visit national parks across the country this year!

We are fortunate to not even have to leave the province to see some of the most breathtaking parts of Canada, and all you need to access the parks is a Discovery Pass.

Here are the national parks to add to the summer road trip list in British Columbia:

1.Yoho National Park (7.5h from Vancouver).

“Named for a Cree expression of awe and wonder, Yoho lies on the western slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains…With exceptional hiking and sightseeing, the park offers a unique glimpse of Canada’s natural wonders, from the secrets of ancient ocean life to the power of ice and water.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPMUF47gthL/?taken-at=256292114

2. Kootenay National Park (8.5h from Vancouver).

“Kootenay National Park is a place of unique contrasts, from icy mountain rivers to steamy hot springs. Take a 90-minute scenic drive and discover a new surprise around every bend. Spend the day exploring deep canyons and tumbling waterfalls just a short stroll from the road or traverse the park’s backcountry trails.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPO9Jn6BXW7/?taken-at=223157131

3. Glacier National Park (6h from Vancouver).

“With exceptional alpine scenery and deep valleys filled with ancient forests, Glacier National Park is a year-round paradise. Scale its heights following trails pioneered by legendary Swiss mountain guides, take a gentle stroll amid moss-draped old-growth cedars or hike through alpine meadows strewn with lichen-covered boulders.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BO8KfXEjrNj/?taken-at=222480533

4. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (5-6h from Vancouver).

“Pacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada is composed of three geographically separate units: The Long Beach Unit (named after the 16 km (10 miles) sandy beach of Wickaninnish Bay), The Broken Group Islands Unit is a group of more than one hundred islands and rocks scattered throughout Barkley Sound and is accessible by boat only. The third unit is The West Coast Trail Unit; a 75 km (47 mile) backpacking route along temperate rainforest, sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, caves, sea arches, sea stacks and beaches.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BORxShsj2nj/?tagged=pacificrimnationalpark

5. Mount Revelstoke National Park (5-6h from Vancouver).

“Take a cool stroll through a lush rainforest on a hot summer day, or gaze at infinite brilliant stars from atop a 2,000-metre mountain peak in the dark of night…Climb the only mountain in the national park system that you can summit just a short walk from your car.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BN80uN4AH2m/?taken-at=236403730

6. Gulf Islands National Park Reserve (3h from Vancouver).

“A series of islands, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve represents the Strait of Georgia Lowlands natural region…an area tucked under the rainshadow of the mountains of Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula, and graced with a Mediterranean climate of warm, dry summers and mild winters that rarely see snow.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIV7Ne2AYs3/?taken-at=254428579

7. Bonus!

Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve (** Only for those willing to travel great distances, as this is tricky to get to!)

“Massive moss-draped cedar and Sitka spruce tower above the Haida people’s ancient carved poles and fallen longhouses on the lush rainforest islands of Gwaii Haanas…Experience a rich, remote landscape steeped in spirituality, protected by Parks Canada and the Haida who draw cultural inspiration from this land of their ancestors.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAPn1gRlXCQ/?taken-at=310524321

And to liven up those car rides, here’s some of our favourite jams to keep you goin’ strong!

Enjoy exploring!