Bookings for Alberta's campsites set to open

With only a couple of days until online reservations open for the province's campgrounds this season, Alberta Environment and Parks is gearing up for a 2021 season set to rival last year.

The booking system, opening Thursday, will allow Albertans to reserve individual campsites for arrival dates up to 90 days in advance. Reservations for comfort camping can be made beginning Friday, for arrival dates up to 180 days in advance.

According to Alberta Environment and Parks, 2020 was the busiest camping season on record with nearly 290,000 reservations, compared with 193,000 in 2019.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, similar visitation numbers are expected this season.

Aside from group camping, which has been cancelled for this year, Alberta Parks said the plan is to operate at 100 per cent occupancy for the season.

“Most shower facilities remain closed, and shared sites with shared amenities like picnic tables and fire pits will have one half of the site closed. … Wash or sanitize hands before and after visiting shared amenities with high-touch surfaces such as bear bins, self check-in stations, boat launches, docks, water fill stations and dumping stations.”

Due to the high volume of expected visitors to the website Thursday morning, Parks recommends people plan ahead and have multiple choices lined up in case their first pick is booked.

Those looking to book campsites in B.C. will have to wait a bit longer, with online reservations for outside residents not opening until July.

“We are asking people to pick a campground as close to home as possible to avoid long road trips and non-essential travel,” said George Heyman, B.C.'S minister of environment and climate change strategy.