Camping Reservations are Starting to Open
Yes it's January. Yes you should start thinking about the summer camping season.
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It’s funny how much time we spend thinking about the season we’re not in. In summer and fall, we’re already scheming and booking ski trips. In winter, we’re forced to start thinking about camping season, thanks to Parks Canada’s booking system. Cue the stress, tears and crossing of fingers.
We’re only sort of kidding. While Parks Canada upgraded its reservation system in 2023 and the experience has certainly improved, booking summer backpacking and camping trips is still not for the faint of heart.
As we write this, the Parks Canada website is struggling, amid reservations on the West Coast Trail just opening up…
Launch dates for Parks Canada front country and backcountry sites vary by location, so do visit the Parks website for exact dates. Here in Alberta, some of the popular front country campgrounds like Tunnel Mountain and Two Jack open on Friday January 23, while Waterton backcountry opens Wednesday January 21, Banff backcountry opens Monday January 26th and Jasper frontcountry opens Tuesday January 27.
Yes, that’s multiple mornings of ensuring someone is at the computer, uninterrupted, ready to get clicking (and, in some cases, yelling at your computer.) Don’t worry, you’ll (hopefully) forget all about this stress come the summer when you are enjoying a picturesque campsite.
Backcountry camping at Crandell Lake in Waterton National Park
If you think getting your kids into swim lessons is hard, well, this is much harder. Our advice: Have a look at reservation launch dates (including timezones!), familiarize yourself with the (sometimes-confusing) Parks Canada system early, use multiple browsers, and have backup dates and locations ready if you don’t get your top pick.
Having spent a fair bit of time in much of the frontcountry and backcountry sites in Banff, Jasper and Waterton, we certainly understand why they’re so popular. People travel from around the world for these stunning vistas that just happen to be in our backyard.
If you aren’t successful in securing your chosen campsite at a national park, do check out a site we have used before, called, the oh-so-fun-to-say, Schnerp.
According to Schnerp, in 2025, more than 80% of all campsites they watched had at least one cancellation. “The longer you scan for, the better your odds,” they said in a recent newsletter.
A coveted oTENTik site at Two Jack Lakeside Campground in Banff National Park
Also, keep in mind you aren’t limited to national parks for beautiful camping spots.
Alberta Parks
You’ve still got time to scheme on which Alberta Parks sites you want to visit this summer because they operate on a 90-day window (180-days for group camping sites & comfort camping). Basically, every morning at 9 a.m. MT, the booking window advances by one day.
A dreamy group campsite at Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park
B.C. Parks
Reservations at B.C. Parks are released on a 3-month rolling window (recently changed from 4-months), meaning reservations for the May long weekend (May 17-20 and the traditional kickoff to camping season) open for booking in mid-February. If you’re looking to visit a backcountry or frontcountry site in B.C., figure out what dates you want and mark your calendar to get booking a full three-months before that date.
Lastly, there are ways to still enjoy wonderful campsites without reservations. We’ve previously written about Public Land Use Zones and Crown Land Camping. See both of these entries below.
And, if you have any questions about camping, backpacking, backpacking with babies, reservations, etc., let us know in the comments and we’ll try to help. We’ve been navigating the camping reservation logistics for more than a decade, and believe it’s very worth it!
I camp a lot using the provincial and national reservation systems, I know them quite well, but I rarely do the 7am madness. In Ontario it’s a 5mth roll btw. I have a flexible enough method that I don’t usually need it but there is one trip in June that I’ll need to, because I’m coordinating a trip with another couple and their needs.