Brannen Lake RV Park & Campsite — Hotel in Area C (Arrowsmith-Benson)

Can't agree with the rave reviews, unless perhaps those people stayed in an RV site...

I stayed in tent site 55D, which is 400m each way from the nearest flush toilet (other sites are even further away). That washroom is very basic - one urinal, one toilet, and a sink. They don't even provide a hook for your jacket in the toilet stall.

The showers are near the campground entrance, so almost 1 km from my site. At $40 per night, during the shoulder season, it's just not great value. I've paid as little as $30 at other private campgrounds which provided closer proximity to both washrooms and showers.

Clearly, they give preferential treatment to RVs, as those sites are close to all amenities - which actually makes no sense because the RV sites have full hookups and most RVers have a toilet and shower already.

The site I was in (55D) was OK, but despite staying in mid September, when they weren't fully booked, they assigned me a site close to a large group (75D maybe?). That group had about 8 or 9 cars and they were quite loud until about 11 PM. Not horrible, but the unenforced quiet time is supposedly 10 PM.

I rarely leave reviews like this, but honestly the owners need to do better:

Build another washroom/shower facility somewhere in the middle of section D. I realize this isn't trivial nor cheap, but it's really needed

Provide at least one hook on each toilet stall door

For an example of an exceptional private campground, have a look at the website of Paradise Valley Campground in Squamish - small but nice sites, super clean and inviting washrooms, great showers, and all amenities are a short walk from any given site. They even have a small store, very handy, with a lovely patio next to it where you can hangout and enjoy a coffee...

Huge spots but can be very confusing to find them as roads look like spots and spots look like roads. Way finding needs work. Way too little staff on. Garbage overflowing at the start of the weekend, stinking garbage area within steps to playground (hope it’s not a area frequented by bears) Very tight roads with un trimmed branches at corners to help with clearance’s. Arrow pointing left to a spot that is actually on the right. Dead end roads where every RV park in existence has loops. I was stuck at a gate and was told it could not be open ! My 40’ class a had no room to turn around. Chloe was able to help me but because she was alone it took a long time for her to help me. Website congratulates itself on a 30 year family run park as of 2015 ? A decades old website page. Unfortunately the “family” is nowhere to be found. They make you fill out a paper registration card “for their records” but will not provide you with an actual receipt ! They charge and interrogate visitors $5.00 all because there is no staff to simply show a presence. So their solution is to close loop / turn around roads, grill and charge visitors. I saw one golf cart in the week I was there when there should have been several passes / day as the grounds are quite expansive. Website makes you believe that it’s lakeside, the image galley has several if not a majority of pictures taken with kids in the lake etc but it’s a ~20-30 min walk if you don’t walk the wrong trail ;) most drive as the park is not lakeside. The prison across the lake however is lakefront, that’s a strange one, on would think that it would need to relocate the minute it needed to upgrade codes etc, beautiful prime lake front property occupied...

Our stay at Brannen Lake RV Park has been enjoyable. It's a nice large park with mostly spacious sites and lots of beautiful trees. They have a private sandy beach with enclosed swimming area. They have a nice playground for the kids in the park and a second smaller one by the beach. During our stay they hosted a Toga Dance Party in their pavilion with a professional DJ. It started early enough for kids to enjoy for a bit and ran late enough into the eve for adults only. It must have been well promoted as the turnout was terrific and it created a great vibe throughout the park. They advertise having free wifi but we were unable to connect at our site which was right by their office. For the size of the park I am a little surprised at the limited quantity of shower and laundry facilities. They also seem as though they could benefit from some extra help keeping garbages emptied as many were overflowing. Overall it's been a positive experience and a park we'd reccomend...