Responsible Recreation

British Columbia is beautiful, and we think that outdoor exploration is a great thing. In fact, we encourage it. To help everyone on their way to having a safe, responsible and respectful adventure in a BC Park we’ve come up with a few guidelines. We hope these messages can inspire respectful behaviour so that we can all enjoy our parks for a long time to come.

Parks are not self-cleaning

• Trash ruins the park for everyone. Remember to pack out your garbage.
• Litter attracts wildlife and increases wildlife-human conflict.
• Leaving trash in bear caches and bear hangs can damage these facilities and prevent others from using them.

Messy campsites cause mayhem

• Treat your campsite like your home. If you aren’t around, your food shouldn’t be either.
• Store all wildlife attractants like food and smelly items, including things like deodorant and toothpaste, in a hard-sided vehicle, trailer, bear cache or bear hang.
• The firepit is not a garbage can.
• Pack out all garbage, recyclables, and organics. Organic matter can attract wildlife.
• Learn more in our Frontcountry Visitor Guide
• Learn more in our Backcountry Visitor Guide

Wildlife is meant to be wild

• Travel in numbers and make some noise – startling large animals may not end well so make your presence known.
• Help keep wildlife wild – when you see animals, do not approach or taunt them; give them space to simply be.
• Know how to look for signs of recent animal activity, follow posted wildlife closures, and know what to do in case of an encounter.
• Learn more about Wildlife Safety

Wild animals are supposed to eat wild things

• Fed animals lose their natural fear of humans and can become aggressive.
• Wildlife have access to a whole forest full of food; they’re not hungry.
• Animals change their patterns to accommodate food sources like garbage; don’t mess with nature.
• Learn more about Wildlife Safety

Nice people make nature nicer

• Acknowledge others on the trail; this is a shared space so remember to be kind and considerate so everyone can have a good time.
• Stay on the trail; shortcutting and trampling cause erosion and impacts plant and animal habitat.
• Give animals space; it’s their home first.
• Don’t blast music; not everyone came to the park to listen to your music.
• Learn more in our Frontcountry Visitor Guide

Keep nature serene

• Let the sound of nature prevail.
• Parks are for everyone and not everyone enjoys it with a bass line.
• Keeping your neighbours up at night isn’t cool; adhere to posted quiet hours and noise rules.
• Learn more in our Frontcountry Visitor Guide

The best thing to inhale is fresh air

• Smoking tobacco and cannabis, using e-cigarettes, and vaping are not permitted in any BC Park, except in frontcountry campsites.
• We recommend you just get high on life.
• Learn more in our Frontcountry Visitor Guide

Outhouses are toilets not garbage cans

• If you wouldn’t put it in your toilet at home don’t put it in the outhouse.
• Garbage backs up the outhouse, renders it unusable and can attract wildlife.
• Outhouses can be some of the best views on the trail. Help keep them clean and enjoyable for everyone.
• Learn more about outhouses – understanding a bit about how your business becomes our business ensures that these toilets remain functional for all users.

Poop considerately in the wild

• Pooping in the backcountry can have detrimental effects on the environment, water quality, and landscape. Try to hold it until you can find an outhouse.
• If you have to go, dig a hole 100m away from camps, water sources and trails and bury your waste, or pack your poop out.
• No one wants to see human waste and toilet paper while hiking.
• Learn more in our Backcountry Visitor Guide

If everyone took something there would be nothing left

• Items like flowers, mushrooms and dead wood all play a role in our parks, so please let them do their thing.
• Learn more about Regulations in BC Parks

Forests are not firewood

• Use supplied firewood and burn it only in designated areas.
• Before you plan on having a campfire, check to see if a campfire ban is in effect.
• Campfires are illegal in many backcountry and alpine locations.
• Buy it where you burn it. Moving firewood can spread invasive species and diseases.
• Learn more about Campfire Bans and Safety

Fido can’t always be free - for good reason

• Leashing your dog keeps you, them, and other wildlife safe. Triple win.
• An unleashed dog can cause negative impacts to the trail, park visitors, natural resources, and sensitive wildlife that call the park home.
• Adhere to posted signs regarding on- and off-leash areas.
• Not everyone is a dog-lover, yet everyone has a right to enjoy the trail.
• Find a dog-friendly BC Park near you

Plan ahead and prepare

• Prepared people get lost less and stay alive more. Do your research and pack your essentials.
• Nature is unpredictable, so it’s good to be prepared for anything.
• Make a trip plan and tell someone responsible where you are going and when you expect to be back.
• Learn more about trip-planning with Adventure Smart
• Learn more about Visitor Health and Safety

Drones should be kept at home

• It’s illegal to operate drones in the park without permission
• If you get permission, keep drones away from people and wildlife
• Learn more about Drones in BC Parks

It’s important to camp safe not sorry

• If you want to sleep in the wild, do so in designated areas only.
• If a permit is required, get one.
• Learn more about Making a Reservation in a BC Park

Responsible Recreation Ambassadors

Like these messages and want to help us spread the word?

• Responsible Recreation Messages Guide

We love BC Parks and we hope you do too! Show your love by recreating responsibly and share your photos with us @yourbcparks on Instagram and Facebook using #ilovebcparks