Families, friends and outdoor enthusiasts can get ready for another exciting season of camping with the BC Parks reservation system, Discover Camping, opening soon.

Beginning at 7 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, Discover Camping will begin accepting reservations for most campgrounds. Individual camping sites in many provincial parks can be booked up to three months in advance through the Discover Camping website or via the call centre.

New for the 2016 camping season, families can now reserve campsites in Dry Gulch, Inland Lake and sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ (Okanagan Falls) provincial parks. There are also reservable campsites at Ruckle Provincial Park, as well as two brand-new group camping sites at Syringa and Kootenay Lake provincial parks.

For more adventurous campers, two small, rustic trapper’s cabins in Wells Gray Provincial Park are now reservable for the first time this year.

Groups can also now book their favourite picnic spots at Summit Lake, Ten Mile Lake, Lac La Hache and Green Lake provincial parks. Although individual campsite reservations don’t open until March 15, 2016, all inventory for 2016 will be visible on the Discover Camping website at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, so don’t wait until opening day to plan your vacation. (March 9, 2016, will also be the date that the new groupsites can be booked, since all groupsites are reservable up to 12 months in advance of the arrival date.)

Discover Camping, the interactive reservation website, displays the availability, layout and amenities at 122 campgrounds – showcasing more than 5, 800 campsites – throughout British Columbia.

Campers can also book their vacation destinations through their smartphones.

Approximately half of all BC Parks camping opportunities remain on a first-come, first-served basis.

Quote:

Mary Polak, Minister of Environment –

“Our world-renowned parks are in increasing demand from not only British Columbians, but the global community as well. The camping reservation system is a convenient and efficient way to secure a fun, outdoor adventure for the whole family, in some of the most spectacular settings anywhere.”

Quick Facts:

• In 2015, more than 158,000 reservations were made through Discover Camping – an increase of almost 19% from 2014.
• 73% of all reservations in 2015 originated from British Columbia.
• Reservations can be made through the call centre at 1 800 689-9025 for a surcharge of $5.
• Parking is free in all provincial parks, making them more accessible to families.

Learn More:

Book your favourite camping spot up to three months in advance, on or after March 15, 2016, by visiting: www.discovercamping.ca

For tips on making reservations, please visit: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/reserve/top_reservations_tips.html

For more information about British Columbia’s provincial parks, please visit: www.bcparks.ca

For camping tips, including backcountry trips and taking pets, please visit: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/campingEthics.html