This weekend was a masterclass in pivoting. With 26 degree celcius heat in Surrey, I knew I needed to escape the city for the weekend. I texted my friend to see if she was interested in spending a weekend camping with me and got to packing as soon as she said yes! Our original plan for a spot at Kentucky-Alleyne fell through when we found the campground completely full. After a quick drive back to Merritt to find service, we pivoted and booked a site at Monck Provincial Park. Since it was opening weekend for the season, we managed to grab a spot just in time and hit the road toward Nicola Lake.
The Journey Up
We broke up the drive with a stop at Rolly’s for brunch. It’s the perfect halfway point—the food was great and gave us the fuel we needed for a weekend of hauling gear.
On the Water & On the Trails
Once we settled into Monck Park, we wasted no time getting out there:
- Paddleboarding: The lake was glass-calm and perfect for a long afternoon session.
- The Hike: We tackled the nearby viewpoint trail. While it’s technically a 3.4 km round trip, we tacked on some extra distance since our site was on the far side of the campground. The view of the lake was worth the extra steps.
Beach Vibes & Campfire Eats
We spent the evening at the beach with a deck of cards, playing Cribbage while the sun dipped behind the hills.
Dinner was a campfire classic: roasted hot dogs, followed by savoury s’mores, made with Brie, Gouda, crackers and prosciutto. We rounded out the night with popcorn and traditional sweet s’mores (because you can never have too many on a camping trip).
Wrapping Up
I was up at 5:00am to catch the sunrise the next morning, and enjoyed a few hours of peace and tranquillity before my friend got up. I squeezed in one last paddle board before having to pack up our site to head home.
While Nicola Lake wasn’t the original plan, it ended up being the perfect weekend trip to kick off the summer weather in BC.
