If you’re just starting to plan your camping trip for the Canada Day long weekend, you’re a little late.
As of Tuesday, there were almost no reservable public sites remaining on Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands — part of what parks officials say is a steady rise in camping demand.
“It appears to be another record year for Discover Camping,” B.C. Parks spokesman David Karn said of the province’s reservation system.
Of the 103 provincial parks listed on Discover Camping’s website, only 10 indicated availability for June 30 to July 3. None is on Vancouver Island.
Two national parks in the region aren’t much better. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve filled up soon after reservations opened in January, a Parks Canada spokesman said. Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is at about 90 per cent capacity.
“For B.C., we see the same trend we’ve been seeing across the country. There’s been a big increase in the interest of camping,” said Robert Loken, manager for Parks Canada’s national operations in Gatineau, Que.
Campers can still take their chances at sites that are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
While Loken said there are “very few available” in the national parks, about half of provincial campsites are available to campers who get there first.
In addition, no reservations are required for the province’s more rugged backcountry sites on Crown land, except in the Chilliwack district. Information about the sites is available on the Recreation Sites and Trails B.C. website.
Some regional campsites may be available, such as the Capital Regional District’s Jordan River site, which does not accept reservations.
“If you are willing to take your chances with first-come, first-served sites, make sure to give yourself more time and be flexible where you go camping,” Karn said.
“In general, if you drive just a bit farther north and away from large urban environments, you have a better chance in parks like Elk Lakes Provincial Park, Buttle Lake or Ralph River campgrounds instead of our most popular parks, like Rathtrevor Beach or Miracle Beach Provincial Parks.”
Long weekends are B.C. Parks’ busiest time, he said, and most campgrounds will reach capacity.
As of June 26, more than 123,000 reservations had been made for provincial parks, representing a 10 per cent increase over the same time last year.
More than 158,000 were made in the 2015 season, representing a 19 per cent increase from 2014 — and an 80 per cent increase from 2010, when 87,684 reservations were made.
Parks Canada opened reservations in January this year instead of the usual April, which allowed campers more time to plan.
Both Karn and Loken recommended that those keen to camp this weekend keep checking the Discover Camping and Parks Canada websites, as some people cancel or change their reservations and new opportunities may become available.
“There’s really only one piece of advice I can give and it’s don’t give up,” Loken said.
“Our campground reservation system is live. We do get people changing their plans or cancelling their reservations.”
