If the opening day of reservations for camping in BC Parks is any indication, British Columbian’s can expect a potentially busier summer over last year.

Environment Minister Terry Lake says Discover Camping saw a 41% increase over 2011, when BC Parks opened for reservations on March 15. In the first hour, more than 2,100 reservations were made.  This represents approximately 35 a minute.

Overall, Discover Camping received 3,970 reservations on opening day compared to 2,815 in 2011, the majority of which were made online.

Campers’ top two picks were: Bear Creek near Kelowna in the Okanagan and Porteau Cove on the Sea to Sky Highway south of Squamish.

Discover Camping takes reservations up to 90 days in advance.

Riding on the centennial high of 2011, BC Parks is enjoying a surge in interest with many British Columbians re-discovering provincial parks in their own backyard. The proof is in the numbers. More than 90 per cent of the reservations were from British Columbia, states a March 17 press release issued by the Ministry of Environment.

New this year is the ability to make up to three reservations in one transaction – reservation fees apply for each booking. Reservations can be made in any one of 97 frontcountry campgrounds.

Discover Camping allows you to view the availability and amenities at more than 125 reservable campgrounds, including group sites, in 94 provincial parks across B.C. Whether you’re hiking, camping under the stars with nothing between you and the great outdoors but a tent, or hauling an RV, the reservation service offers information about sites, maps and amenities so you can customize your camping vacation.

There are 23 provincial parks in the East Kootenay.

They are: Bugaboo Park west of Brisco; Mount Assiniboine, east of Radium Hot Springs; Dy Gulch between Radium and Invermere; James Chabot at Invermere; Windermere Lake on the west side of Lake Windermere; Columbia Lake near Fairmont Hot Springs; Whiteswan Lake, south east of Canal Flats; Purcell Wilderness Conservancy; St. Mary’s Alpine, northwest of Kimberley; Premier Lake, east of Skookumchuck; Top of the World, southeast of Canal Flats; Gilnockie southwest of Cranbrook; Norbury Lake, east of Fort Steele; Wardner, east of Cranbrook; Kikomun, south of Jaffray; Elko; Morrissey, east of Fernie; Mount Fernie; Elk Valley, west of Sparwood; Height of the Rockies north of Elkford and east of Invermere; Elk Lakes north of Elkford;  Crowsnest, on Alberta border along Highway 3; Akimina-Kishinena south of Sparwood.

Many of the parks are remote or wilderness, with most not offering camping, aside from rustic backcountry options.

However, the following provincial parks offer vehicle/RV/tent camping: Dry Gulch; Whiteswan; Premier; Kikomun; Norbury Lake; Mount Fernie. Bugaboos, Elk Lakes, St. Mary’s, Gilnockie and Akimina-Kishinena offer more rustic camping opportunities. Yahk Provincial Park (technically in the Central Kootenay) also offers all varieties of camping.

You can book your favourite spot through the interactive online reservation system at www.discovercamping.ca. The system also offers mobile webservices so smartphone users can make and change plans from the open road. For a surcharge of $5, reservations can also be made through the call centre at 1-800- 689-9025 or from overseas at 0+1 519-826-6850.

The reservation system sometimes experiences times of unusually high volume, which can have the effect of slowing the system down. This can occur as certain dates open for the next available reservations (i.e. opening day or exactly three months before a long-weekend). During these peak periods, BC Parks suggests you try accessing Discover Camping through the mobile web interface: https://secure.camis.com/BCMobile/ .

Even though the smartphone interface was developed for ease of access while on the road, you do not need a smartphone to access the mobile system – you can use any computer.

Above photo: Alces Lake in Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park.

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