No more mad dash to secure a campsite for summer vacations. You can hear the collective sigh of relief from Albertans, who pressed for changes to the annual launch day each February where hundreds of wanna-be campers would jump online all at once, often overloading the system. As of this week, reservations for provincial campgrounds are available year-round.
According to Alberta Parks, campers are allowed to book 90 days in advance for individual sites and 180 days for group and comfort camping sites.
The province is reducing the maximum number of nights per booking to 10 from 16 to reduce overbooking and no-shows. Group camping areas maintain the five night maximum stay.
Over the last few years, but especially since the pandemic when demand for campsites skyrocketed, the online reservation system has seen an increase of nearly 170 per cent.
A provincial spokesperson said changes will reduce the volume of online users and provide more equitable access to campgrounds. Changing the number of consecutive nights also aims to reduce hoarding, overbooking and cancellations. The new system, says Alberta Parks, will create a better camper experience online with less system and account issues.
Find a full list of campgrounds at www.albertaparks.ca/rap/ .Bookings for some campgrounds are at reserve.albertaparks.ca