Alberta Parks to launch new camping reservation system

CALGARY- While more winter months are still ahead, Alberta camping enthusiasts will soon be snapping up increasingly hard to get camping spots for summer and Alberta Parks is making changes to try and streamline the process.

The Reserve.AlbertaParks.ca website will launch its new campsite reservation system next month. This year, Alberta Parks is launching a new system that will see reservations by region take place at staggered times. The staggered system will only apply to regular camping reservations made on February 17.

“The popularity of Reserve.AlbertaParks.ca drives us to continually look at ways to enhance the booking experience for our visitors and account holders,” said Kyle Fawcett, Minister of Environmental and Sustainable Resources Development (ESRD). “The online system is the first step toward a summer of connecting people with nature in our beautiful provincial parks.”

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More and more Alberta campers are choosing to secure their nature getaways online. ESRD says the online reservation system serves over 360,000 people and that 132,000 reservations were made online last season.

ESRD says the 2015 camping season will mark the return of campsites at the popular Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park which was significantly damaged in the 2013 flood.

Alberta Parks says regular campsite bookings should be made 90 days in advance to provide a fair opportunity for everyone to reserve their favourite campsites throughout the summer. The province is also expanding its “comfort camping” initiative in an attempt to attract more people to campsites. Comfort camping sees sites offer accomodatins like yurts, timber-frame buildings, or dry canvas wall tents as an alternative to tenting or staying in a recreational vehicle. In 2015, Albertans will be able to access 29 comfort camping units including five new units at Sir Winston Churchill Park.

To reserve a campsite online, simplyset up an account at Reserve.AlbertaParks.ca.

Reservations can still be made by phone by calling Alberta Parks at 1-877-537-2757.

Group camping bookings will be available at 9 a.m. on February 9 followed by regular camping reservations  at 9 a.m. on February 17. Comfort camping bookings will begin at 9 a.m. on February 23.