The Stave West mudflats have been a popular – but unofficial – 4×4 mud-bogging destination for decades. Over the years, they gained a fairly sour reputation and have long been threatened with complete closure to off-road vehicles. Finally, after more than a dozen years of advocacy by the 4WDABC and a joint venture with Dirt Church in maintaining the area as a true multi-user, multi-purpose recreation area, the foreshore along the flats was turned into an official rec site and campground, thereby solidifying continued access to “the flats” for mud enthusiasts.

For the first few years, the campground was operated through the summer by a Rec Sites and Trails BC contractor as a regular campground (while the lake levels were up and the flats underwater), and left open to free use by the public through the winter (when levels were down and the flats exposed). Coming out of COVID restrictions, things changed a bit more, and Rocky Point is now a year-round paid campground with an on-site host and a mix of reserved and first-come-first-served sites.

See Stave West Camping for booking information.

Dirt Church personnel have been front and center in all this work, helping to keep the area clean and under control, making it a friendly environment for everyone, and maintaining good relationships with other concerned stakeholders, including Rec Sites and Trails BC, BC Hydro, the City of Mission, and the Katzie First Nation. The continued enjoyment of this area, though, is dependent upon all users observing a few rules under the Forest Recreation Regulation:

  • The site host is in charge 24/7/365. Everyone passing through should stop to talk to the host, even if they’re just continuing to the flats.
  • Camping fees apply for the designated campsites 365 days/year.
  • Quiet times are in effect from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM.
  • The gate by First Beach is closed and locked from 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM, 365 days/year. The host is on-site overnight if it needs to be opened in an emergency.
  • There is no vehicle access to First Beach (before the gate), period. This was done partly to create a “buffer zone” between Rocky Point and the Kearsley Creek campground, which is oriented toward equestrian and other non-motorized activities, and partly for archaeological activities in the area,
  • There is no vehicle access to Second Beach through the campground during the summer camping season (May long weekend through Thanksgiving). Vehicle access to the flats is only via Third Beach at this time. There may also be closures to anything bigger than a quad.
  • No dumping of garbage or burning of pallets or construction debris.
  • No shooting (this also applies anywhere within Mission city limits, including Florence Lake FSR up to approximately 23km).
  • Everything on the flats is considered part of the rec site; this means the same rules apply on the flats as in the campground, including burning restrictions and quiet times.
  • If the host orders you to leave, you are not allowed anywhere within 1km of the rec site boundary. That includes all of the flats, the off-road park, and the Sayres Lake rec site. Please behave accordingly.