Reservation Policies
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How to Book
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Availability updated 7am PT daily
Reservation Call Centre:
1 800 689-9025 (Canada/US toll free)
1 519 858-6161 (International)
7am–7pm PT daily except Dec 25 and Jan 1
$5 surcharge per transaction
As of Friday, January 28, 2022:
BC Parks is launching a new reservation service on March 21st, 2022 for the 2022 camping season. For further information, and details on when visitors can start to book, visit the links below. Information will be updated throughout the season.
Information will be updated throughout the season.
- Important Launch Dates
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March 1 Last day for reservations on discovercamping.ca (including web reservations and call centre support) for arrival dates up to March 31, 2022 (Porteau Cove and Garibaldi Backcountry reservations, only).
March 2-20 Blackout period to transition between systems – no web booking or call centre support available.
Limited informational support available via BC Parks website and ParkInfo@gov.bc.ca
March 14 Launch of new reservation service via bcparks.ca – view only.
Create account, save booking details and preferences, explore site.
March 21 Launch of frontcountry reservations via bcparks.ca – 2-month rolling window, arrival dates up to May 21, 2022. March 24 Launch of groupsite reservations – full season opening with availability to December 31, 2022. March 29 Launch of Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit reservations, full season opening to September 2022. - Booking Windows
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Frontcountry reservations will launch on March 21, 2022 on a 2-month rolling window, consistent with the last two seasons.
On March 21 launch day, frontcountry reservations will only be available for bookings with an arrival date up to May 21 – this includes bookings for the May long weekend. All subsequent dates will be available 2 months in advance of an arrival date, for example:
- To arrive on June 15, you can book starting April 15.
- To book for July 1 Canada Day, you can book starting May 1.
Groupsite reservations will launch on March 24, 2022. All groupsite bookings will be released for the remainder of the year, up to December 31, 2022. There is no rolling window for groupsite reservations.
Reservations for Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit will launch on March 29, 2022. All Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit Reservations will release for the season on this one day. There is no rolling window for Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit Reservations.
Special Note – Due to trail damage from severe flooding in 2021, an opening date for the Berg Lake Trail is not known at this time.
- Managing High Visitor Demand
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BC Parks expects continued high demand for summer camping opportunities. We are taking proactive measures to assist with managing the demand, including:
- Distributing release over a longer period – two-month rolling window for frontcountry camping and separate launch dates for groupsites and Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit.
- Over-provisioning Call Centre support to assist with bookings.
- Scaling up web servers to manage high traffic volumes.
- Leveraging use of queueing software (Queue-It) to alleviate peak demand rushes.
- System Accounts
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As this is a new booking system, accounts from Discover Camping will not transfer to the new system. All visitors will be able to visit the new site one week ahead of reservations opening, on March 14, to create their new account, set up account details and booking preferences, and learn to navigate the new system.
- Transfer of bookings from previous system
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Due to the scheduled blackout period between systems from March 2-20, and existing campsites available for reservations only to March 31, only 10 days of reservations will be transferred from existing reservations between March 21-31.
These reservations will be honoured – although they will not be directly linked to new user accounts. For support on these bookings, visitors can contact parkinfo@gov.bc.ca.
- Ongoing COVID-19 related changes
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BC Parks changed many of our parks policies in response to COVID-19 during the 2020 and 2021 camping seasons. No changes are currently expected for 2022 and capacity limits/other impacted policies are standard practice.
- Single frontcountry sites – 8 persons max (4 adults)
- Double frountcountry sites – 16 persons max (8 adults)
- Groupsites – standard capacity (specific to each site)
Additional details on all standard reservations related policies can be found at the selected tiles below.
PHO guidelines or travel restrictions may be enacted at any point due to the ongoing nature of the pandemic. BC Parks will strive to provide guidance as quickly as possible if this arises.
- Access for non-BC residents
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We recognize the special place British Columbians have for camping in provincial parks. We also recognize the importance of supporting the economic recovery in our province, and the role tourism plays in supporting many British Columbians’ way of life.
For the 2022 season, subject to any later travel restrictions that may arise, all visitors are welcome to reserve camping in BC Parks this season.
- Refund Policies
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While BC Parks was especially lenient with refund policies during the 2020 and 2021 camping seasons due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding COVID-19, BC Parks will be returning to standard refund policies for the 2022 season.
Details on BC Parks refund policies can be found at the link here.
Should any travel restrictions or PHO guidelines change in the future, BC Parks will provide additional guidance of any changing policies at that time.
- First-Come, First-Served Camping (FCFS)
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While reservations for camping in BC Parks are in high demand, we also recognize the ongoing need for flexible opportunities that cannot be booked in advance. Approximately 45% of all campsites in BC Parks remain available on a FCFS basis – including some sites at our more popular campgrounds.
A list of campsite operating dates can be found on the Park Operating Dates page. Parks with camping that can be booked in advance have reservable periods noted. All other parks are fully FCFS and do not require advanced booking. Additional details on each park and any amenities can be found on individual park pages at bcparks.ca/explore.
BC Parks Response to COVID-19 ▼ -
As of :
As of July 1st, groupsites will be returning to normal occupancy levels and those with existing reservations are able to add more campers to a reservation upon arrival in-park.
With the shift into Step 3 of BC’s Restart plan, many group picnic shelters will begin to reopen. Reservable picnic shelters can be booked through the BC Parks reservations system starting July 9.
Reservations can be booked up to two months in advance. Find out when you can book at each park at bcparks.ca/operating dates/. Policy information can be found at bcparks.ca/covid-19/camping-2021.
The opening of groupsite reservations for 2022 has been postponed until further notice due to the evolving nature of COVID-19. BC Parks will provide advance notice before reservations become available.
We want to see you back at your favourite park, but mostly we want you to have a safe and healthy summer, so plan ahead to make the most of it.
Camping Season Update
- Service Update: June 20, 2022
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Starting June 28th, 2022, at 7am PT, groupsites and picnic shelters will return to a one-year rolling window. Each day will release another day of inventory, one year in advance.
In March 2022, groupsites opened for bookings to December 31, 2022. Starting June 28, 2022 at 7am bookings can be made for arrival dates as far ahead as June 28, 2023. Each day thereafter, new arrival dates can be booked one year ahead of time – on June 29, 2022 for June 29, 2023; on June 30, 2022 for June 30, 2023 etc. This is a return to standard booking windows for groupsites.
- Service Update: March 31, 2022
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BC Parks is responding to visitor feedback with an enhanced approach to service design and delivery, including a new camping reservation service
After listening to and engaging with users over the past two seasons, BC Parks has launched a new reservation service. This new site includes more flexible search options to help you find and book a campsite. It also features handy maps, calendars, and lists of available campsites, for quicker navigation.
Have you made a camping reservation for the 2022 season? If so, we’re eager to hear what you think of the new site. Take our quick survey to share your thoughts
New reservation service now available at camping.bcparks.ca.
[expand all | collapse all]- Launch Dates
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March 21 7am PT – Frontcountry and backcountry reservations available, two-month rolling window, arrival dates up to May 21, 2022. Backcountry permits available, 2-week rolling window. March 24 7:00 AM PT – Groupsite reservations available, full season opening with availability to December 31, 2022. April 6 7:00 AM PT – Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit reservations available, full season opening to September 2022. - Booking Windows
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On March 21, 2022, frontcountry and backcountry reservations are available only for bookings with arrival dates up to May 21. This includes bookings for the May long weekend.
After March 21, 2022, frontcountry and backcountry reservations will be available on a two-month rolling window, consistent with the last two seasons. For example:
- To arrive on June 15, you can book starting April 15.
- To arrive on July 1 Canada Day, you can book starting May 1.
Groupsite reservations will launch on March 24, 2022. All groupsite bookings will be released for the remainder of the year, up to December 31, 2022. There is no rolling window for groupsite reservations.
Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit – Reservations for will launch April 6, 2022.
Berg Lake Trail – Due to trail damage from severe flooding in 2021, an opening date is not known at this time.
- Managing High Visitor Demand
-
BC Parks expects continued high demand for summer camping opportunities. We are taking proactive measures to manage the demand, including:
- Distributing release over a longer period – two-month rolling window for frontcountry camping and separate launch dates for groupsites and Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit
- Over-provisioning call centre support to assist with bookings
- Scaling up web servers to manage high traffic volumes
- Leveraging use of queueing software to alleviate peak-demand rushes
- Your Account
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Accounts from Discover Camping have not been transferred to the new reservation service. You must visit the new site to create your account and set up booking preferences.
- Transfer of bookings from previous system
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Existing reservations from March 21 to March 31 have been transferred to the new system.
These reservations will be honoured. However, they will not be directly linked to new user accounts. For support on these bookings, contact parkinfo@gov.bc.ca.
- COVID-19 related changes
-
BC Parks changed many policies in response to COVID-19 during the 2020 and 2021 camping seasons. No changes are currently expected for 2022 and capacity limits and other impacted policies are standard practice.
- Single frontcountry sites – 8 persons max (4 adults)
- Double frontcountry sites – 16 persons max (8 adults)
- Groupsites – standard capacity (specific to each site)
Additional details on all standard reservations-related policies can be found by selecting the tiles below.
Provincial Health Officer guidelines or travel restrictions may be enacted at any point due to the ongoing nature of the pandemic. BC Parks will strive to provide guidance as quickly as possible if this arises.
- Access for non-BC residents
-
We recognize the special place British Columbians have for camping in provincial parks. We also recognize the importance of supporting the economic recovery in our province, and the role tourism plays in supporting many British Columbians’ way of life.
For the 2022 season, subject to any later travel restrictions that may arise, all visitors are welcome to reserve camping in BC Parks this season.
- Refund Policies
-
While BC Parks was especially lenient with refund policies during the 2020 and 2021 camping seasons, due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding COVID-19, BC Parks will be returning to standard refund policies for the 2022 season.
Details on BC Parks refund policies can be found on our refund page.
Should any travel restrictions or Provincial Health Officer guidelines change in the future, BC Parks will provide additional guidance on any changing policies at that time.
- First-Come, First-Served Camping (FCFS)
-
While reservations for camping in BC Parks are in high demand, we also recognize the ongoing need for flexible opportunities that cannot be booked in advance. Approximately 45% of all campsites in BC Parks remain available on a FCFS basis. This includes some sites at our more popular campgrounds.
A list of campsite operating dates can be found on the park operating dates page. Parks with camping that can be booked in advance have reservable periods noted. All other parks are fully FCFS and do not require advanced booking. Additional details on each park and any amenities can be found on individual park pages at bcparks.ca/explore.
Important Updates
- March 4, 2020
Golden Ears now 100% reservable during peak season
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To improve visitor experience, camping in Golden Ears Provincial Park will be 100% reservable during peak season, from May to September.
The popularity of camping in BC Parks has grown significantly over the years. This has created a demand for more reservation opportunities, so everyone has fair and equal access to campsites regardless of where they live.
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Two popular parks added to the BC Parks reservation service
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Camping enthusiasts can soon reserve sites at two popular provincial parks — Joffre Lakes and Tweedsmuir South.
Beginning April 2, 2019, at 7 a.m. Pacific time, the 26 backcountry tent pads at Joffre Lakes will be reservable through the BC Parks reservations service, along with 24 vehicle-accessible campsites at Tweedsmuir South.
