Summer may be a few months away, but camping spots in provincial campgrounds in the Sea to Sky Corridor are already going quickly.
The online reservation system opened on March 15 for B.C. provincial campgrounds, including for Alice Lake and Porteau Cove provincial parks. “If you are fast and you know what you want, you can get your site,” said Jim Gilliland, marketing manager for BC Parks.
The May long weekend at both parks is already booked, however, according to Gilliland.
Weekends, of course, are most popular and therefore hardest to secure,.
“That doesn’t mean people shouldn’t keep checking to see if there has been cancellations, because that does happen,” he suggested.
Both Alice Lake and Porteau Cove campgrounds can be booked only by reservation, meaning the only way to pre-book a spot is to go online and reserve.
That said, if a spot hasn’t been reserved, a last minute in-person camper can occupy the spot for a night or two, depending on when the next booking has been made, Gilliland said.
Thanks to the reservation system, Gilliland said, there is less stress on the environment.
“Where campgrounds have moved to reservable sites versus first-come-first-serve, in some ways, it’s alleviated some of the issues we have dealt with in the past with lineups at gatehouses and out on the roads outside the gates of the campground [with] engines running… so the reservation system has kind of negated that situation,” he said.
The original impetus for the move to a reservation system was to deal with arguments at campgrounds over who reserved a spot first, according to Gilliland.
Camping fees have gone up across provincial sites in B.C. by $2 per night or more depending on the park, to a maximum increase of $5 per night.
Gilliland said the increase is due to inflation and some sites’ fees increase to help cover new facilities or upgrades.
“That’s all part of keeping up with the demand of our customers to make sure we have got our facilities in good shape,” he said.
The reservation charge – the amount added to the site fee when you book online – hasn’t gone up since 1996. Reservation charges start at $6 a night.
The Stawamus Chief campground is provincial but not on the reservation system because it is mostly walk-in sites, Gilliland said.
“It is well loved by the folks who are climbers, for sure, but more and more other people are checking it out,” he said.
If all else fails and all three corridor provincial sites are full, Gilliland recommends checking out the campgrounds north of Whistler, such as Nairn Falls Provincial Park near Pemberton. “Keep checking Porteau Cove and Alice Lake [online], but if you are willing to drive just a little further, you may find a real gem just up the highway,” he said.
To reserve a spot, search online for BC Parks Discover Camping Reservation Service.
