Get ready – Discover Camping is opening up reservations for the upcoming camping season in a little more than a week.
However, in support of public health guidelines, changes are being made to ensure the safety of campers at campgrounds across the province.
B.C. residents will have first dibs for reservations on March 8, giving locals the opportunity to book a campsite two months in advance of their arrival – no sooner.
George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, is promising that B.C. residents will have priority access to campsite reservations throughout the summer, and is hoping that people choose campgrounds close to home to avoid long road trips and non-essential travel. He is expecting a busy camping season.
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“Our provincial parks have never been as important as they are right now. They provide a special place to safely connect with nature and improve our health and well-being during these difficult times,” said Heyman.
Out-of-province residents will only get the chance to reserve sites starting July 8 for the remainder of the camping season.
This year there will be restrictions on how many people can camp in a single campsite, as well as in group sites. And reservations for day-use facilities, including picnic shelters and halls, will remain closed this season.
The Ministry is warning all campers that health guidelines may change throughout the season and they they are responsible for being aware of those changes and making sure they meet whatever the current guidelines for gatherings are – even if those allowed numbers are less than the maximum site allowance.
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Eddie Wood, Society of Park Operators president, is looking forward to welcoming campers again this year.
“Many of our campgrounds will be very busy, so it’s important to plan ahead, follow public health guidelines, and enjoy B.C.’s outdoors. It’s going to be a fantastic season,” he said.
More than 23 million visitors flock to B.C. provincial parks every year.
To meet these needs, more than 1,200 campsites have been added to provincial parks and recreation sites during the last three years and more are being added this season – including a fully-serviced 90-site campground in Manning Park set to open this spring.
Backcountry camping reservations for the Berg Lake Trail in Mount Robson Provincial Park and the canoe circuit in Bowron Lake Provincial Park will be opening on March 1. Those reservations can be made for the entire season of both backcountry trips – from May 15 to Sept. 23 for the Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit and from Jun. 12 to Sept. 30 for the Berg lake Trail.
To reserve a campsite go to discovercamping.ca/bccweb/.
For more information go to bcparks.ca.
Is there more to the story? Email: cflanagan@mapleridgenews.com
