Flooding prompts long-weekend closure of B.C. provincial park campgrounds

A campground at a popular B.C. provincial park is closed this long weekend due to flooding.

A campground at a popular B.C. provincial park is closed this long weekend due to flooding.

Garibaldi Lake Campground, which Is located in Garibaldi Park and has a 50 sites, closed Thursday and will remain so until further notice, according to BC Parks.

"High heat and unseasonably large snowpack has caused the lake to rise and flood the Garibaldi Lake Campground. This has impacted facilities, and is blocking access in or out of the campground," says a post on the website.

Another more remote campground in the park's backcountry closed Friday. The Rampart Ponds campground, which has 12 sites, closed due to a bridge washout, BC Parks said in an online update.

Last month, the park closed three campgrounds and a day-use area due to an "aggressive and food-conditioned bear." On July 11, the Helm Creek Campground reopened and day use resumed at the Cheakamus Lake Trailhead. The park's website says the bear was not trapped, "indicating that it has likely moved on."

However, Cheakamus Lake and Singing Creek campgrounds remain closed "to ensure safety of park visitors and to further reduce food attractants," the post continues. There is no estimated date for reopening.