Bear Lake & northern lakes / Full trip pack
Crooked River campground
https://hikingprincegeorge.com/hikes/crooked-river-campground
A lakeside camping base north of Prince George with beaches and several short forest walks. Livingston Springs is a longer separate outing whose winter approach changes when the gate closes.
1. Getting there and parking
Use the signed Crooked River Park entrance from Highway 97, approximately 70–75 km north of Prince George near Bear Lake. Follow campground signs rather than a trail or lake-centre pin. Confirm the operating season and current booking information with BC Parks; winter access begins outside the closed highway gate and does not provide the same vehicle access as a summer stay.
- Follow Highway 97 north from Prince George for about 70 km to Crooked River Park. BC Parks describes the drive as approximately one hour.
park/campground. Source-published approximate distance from Prince George; not a current routed travel time.
2. At the campsite
From the campground, choose a marked walk around Bear Lake, toward Square Lake or along a viewpoint route above Crooked River. BC Parks lists about 9 km of marked trails overall, with the three main short outings each taking roughly an hour. Use the park map to select the individual loop instead of interpreting 9 km as one circuit. The open pine forest can look repetitive away from the paths, so stay on the marked network. Livingston Springs has its own longer route description. Beaches are unsupervised, and fishing and bicycle permissions differ by lake and path; follow the current park rules.
Location map
Mapped trail network
© OpenStreetMap contributors. Route geometry is available under the Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0. · Line source · Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 · Source-line database: https://hikingprincegeorge.com/data/osm-route-lines.geojson
Published locations
Numbered points match the map. Use the role beside each point. A summit or park reference point is not a parking location.
| Place and role | Coordinates | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crooked River campground official park map reference; campground entrance unverified | 54.473227 -122.671324 | BC Parks detailed-map link explicitly publishes center=-122.671324,54.473227.
Marker locates the associated park as chosen by BC Parks, not an individual campsite or verified campground entrance. Do not calculate trailhead driving distance from this point. https://bcparks.ca/crooked-river-park/ |
5. Camping, facilities and seasons
Camping and tenting
The park lists 65 vehicle campsites, with reservations and first-come options. The published 2026 operating season was May 13–September 30, subject to snowmelt. Use the BC Parks booking service for the intended dates.
Water
Cold well-water taps are provided in the campground and day-use area for drinking and cooking.
Toilets
Pit and flush toilets are available, and the park lists hot showers. The beach’s outdoor shower is cold water.
Winter route
The hiking trails and campground loops are available for snowshoeing; this does not mean summer campground water and shower service continues through winter.
Practical details checked 2026-10-17.
Reservations and current availability
Check the operator’s current rules, opening dates and booking requirements for your chosen campsite or cabin.
Your trip notes
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