Reservations open for national parks campgrounds, kicking off anticipated busy summer

The race is on this week to book front country campsites in Alberta and British Columbia.

Starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday, the phone and online booking system opened for front country campground reservations this summer in Jasper National Park. Reservations can be made for campgrounds in Banff National Park starting Wednesday morning, and Waterton Lakes National Park and Kootenay National Park on Thursday morning.

Check the Parks Canada website to find out when all national parks across Canada will begin taking reservations, many also beginning later this week.

With Parks Canada handing out free national parks passes this year, in celebration of Canada's 150th birthday, 2017 is expected to be busier than ever.

"It's a good idea to plan ahead," said Greg Danchuk, visitor experience manager with Banff National Park, speaking to the Calgary Eyeopener Tuesday.

"If you're looking at long weekends, any weekend really, in either Banff or Jasper National Parks, I would suggest calling as soon as you possibly can, in the next day or so. These book up really quickly."

From 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. Tuesday, over 6,000 separate reservations for camp sites were made, with summer long weekends sold out, said Steve Young, communications officer, Jasper National Park.

That represents a 33 per cent increase in reservations over the same period of time last year, he added.

"Jasper is usually full, all our campsites, from July 1 to the end of August so that's not unusual that would happen any year regardless of whether it was Canada's 150th birthday or not," said Young.

It's too early to determine how much of an influence the country's anniversary of confederation is having on bookings, he said.

Growing interest in Jasper, year over year is due to it being "a pretty nice place," said Young.

Visitors can make reservations by phone at 1-877-RESERVE or online.

'As busy as ever'

Danchuk said Banff National Park is adding more of its popular wall tents to campgrounds this summer. The units — called an oTENTik — are a cross between a tent and a rustic cabin.

The 10 structures at Two Jack Lakeside Campground will be fully booked for the season in a couple of days, Danchuk said. More units are being added to Tunnel Mountain Village II Campground, but they won't be available until late June.

Online reservations for backcountry campgrounds in Jasper National Park will be available Jan. 25. Banff National Park uses a telephone system, in which reservations can be made three months in advance of when you're visiting.

No matter where you hope to stay, Danchuk has the same advice.

"Plan ahead," he said. "We expect a busy season, and camping is a great iconic Canadian experience, and it will be as busy as ever."

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With files from the Calgary Eyeopener

Correction : Reservations for Kootenay National Park open on Thursday, Jan. 12. An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the opening date as Sunday, Jan. 15, based on information that was initially provided by Parks Canada but has since been amended.(Jan 10, 2017 4:11 PM)