The well-known campground on Heffley Lake, formally the Hitch ‘N Rail, has new owners who are eager to adapt the space for both campers and the general public.
Now called the Lakeside Heffley Hideaway, the resort was taken over by local residents Jason White, Melissa Mckenzie and Carma Willes in May.
“Whenever I saw this place on the water, I always just fell in love with it,” Willes said. “It just looked like the perfect location. And then we heard that it was coming up for sale … We decided to go for it.”
Willes said they will continue to offer all the same amenities as the previous owners, including boat rentals, paddle boarding, kayaking, motorboating and fishing. There will still be five cabins, but the number of campsites is decreasing to 13 because they are making the sites bigger.
“Basically, we’re just cleaning it up,” Willes said. “And the biggest thing is we’re inviting people down to walk around and see what it is. Whereas previously, you could only get on the ground if you were a registered camper.”
To increase use of the area, Willes said they hope to host a food truck and get their license to serve alcohol, so locals can also boat up to the dock to enjoy food and drinks on the water.
She added they also hope to build a day-use area and a venue space for weddings.
In the meantime, the campground is still seeing high numbers of bookings while the new owners try to work around visitors. Lakeside Heffley Hideaway’s website will be live soon, but for now bookings and inquiries can be made by calling 250-214-7400.
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