Tips for booking park campsites in Canada
A list of online resources to make the process easier
Lots of campsites get booked early, but you’ve still got time and options. Here are some resources to help you book at Canada’s parks.
- Parks Canada has tons of information about parks in all provinces and territories. Download PDF versions of the Visitor’s Guides, purchase passes, and get travel and safety tips. You can also take the “Explorer Quotient” quiz to find out which destinations offer sights or activities best suited to your travel style.
- Many parks offer different levels of “roughing it”, from sleeping under the stars to staying in a yurt or cabin. Check with your desired park to find out what your accommodation options are.
- When you’re ready to book, use the Campground Reservation Service to search for a park by specific features or by province, see vacancies and reserve your campsite. You should also review the rules of your desired park before booking your trip. Things like quiet hours, additional fees, and regulations for pets and vehicles are listed in the “Special Notices” section on the right-hand side of the page for each park, and vary widely among locations. A heads-up: Use of the service will add a $10.80 reservation fee to your booking total.
Parks websites for specific provinces also offer different helpful tools to use for booking your trip. You can often check for site availability, look at maps, or find out about guided tours and other offers. To make things even more convenient, most provinces provide the option to book your campsite or accommodations online.
Links
British Columbia: Read “Know Before You Go” tips, browse a list of in-park educational programs
Alberta: View a library of park maps and a list of safety advisories
Manitoba: Enter a photo and story contest, view a chart comparing the features of each park
Ontario: Purchase gift certificates, view a list of special park events
Quebec: Check out vacation packages, take advantage of last-minute deals
New Brunswick Use the “My Trip Ideas” feature to get recommendations and bookmark destinations or activities that interest you
Nova Scotia: View special events schedule, find out about geocaching in the parks
Newfoundland & Labrador: Download PDF guidebooks
Yukon Territory (online booking not available)
Nunavut (online booking not available)
If you have additional questions that aren’t answered online, each website includes contact phone numbers, so you can call the park to confirm.
