At Harrop go down Harrop Proctor Road about two blocks to McConnell Road and head west. McConnell will become Lasca Creek Road.
Alternatively, make like the masses and get to the park from the Nelson side, on the west. To accomplish this, in the north west corner of Nelson, get onto Gordon Road heading east, go north on Bealby Road, which will become Bealby Point Road, and continue as far as you can go. A third alternative is to boat up (or down) the West Arm to the park.
Largely undeveloped, this is a wilderness park with essentially no facilities. It you like to get away from all the RVers and civilization in general, this is the place for you. The park itself is 25,319 hectares in size and runs along the south side of the West Arm for nearly three miles, and up the hills for nearly ten miles to the peak of Ymir Mountain. Roads in to the park are not maintained in the winter, making this essentially a summer park.
Though there are camping fees for provincial parks, the camping areas here are wilderness campsites and are walk in sites from boat/canoe landings and I believe there is no fee for wilderness sites. As such, don't expect showers, toilets, picnic pavilions and the like because you won't find them.
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West Arm Provincial Park
This park extends along the shore of Kootenay Lake from Nelson to Harrop and up to the peaks behind. The creek fans and pocket beaches are popular with boaters and there is a historic trail (not maintained) up Lasca Creek. The park is largely undeveloped; there are no facilities or designated campsites.
Nature and Culture
• History - This park was identified for protection in the West Kootenay-Boundary Land-Use Plan.
• Cultural Heritage - The park protects important First Nations cultural values, such as the archaeological sites situated along the lake shore. Important heritage values are associated with railway development and sternwheeler ships.
• Conservation - The park contains a diverse range of habitats from lakeshore to subalpine. It protects high-elevation forests and alpine areas. West Arm Park features old-growth forests, internationally significant habitat for grizzly bear and for a mountain caribou recovery program. The park protects important watersheds, which supply the city of Nelson with water.
• Wildlife - The area was protected for its biodiversity value as the natural habitat for several endangered species while also protecting Nelson’s water source.
Facilities Available at this Park
• Campfires
We encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using campstoves instead. Campfire bans may be implemented. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don't gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.
• Picnic Areas
There are beach picnicking areas in the park. Beach areas are boat access only and user maintained.
• Walk-In/Wilderness Camping
There are boat-accessable sites for short-term camping on a first-come, first-served basis. This is an undeveloped park and any campsites are to be user-maintained; please leave “no trace”.
From West Arm Park
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