WATCH ABOVE: Camping season is upon us, and if you haven’t reserved a site you may want to head out now as reservations are way up. Tracy Nagai reports.
CALGARY – The Victoria Day weekend marks the beginning of camping season in Alberta – and if you plan on heading to a campsite, you’ll want to make your reservation as soon as possible.
So far there have been 5,000 more online reservations made this year than last year, and some people are concerned those who’ve reserved spots may not show up.
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“There seems to be a lot of booking and no shows,” said weekday camper Mike Kramer. “They still get charged for the no-show, but it’s annoying because then you have sites that are open and you’re looking at it going, ‘Why can’t I be there?’”
There are still some first-come, first-serve sites, but officials encourage you to head out soon if you want to secure a spot. You can check the online campground reservation vacancy here or call 1-877-537-2757.
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Officials are also emphasizing that conditions are dry, so people need to make sure they put out campfires.
There’s also a liquor ban in nine campgrounds this “May 24” weekend, and RCMP officers will be on patrol to make sure no one breaks the rules. Here are the areas with a temporary liquor ban in effect from Thursday, May 14 at 12 p.m. to Monday, May 18 at 6 p.m.:
- Aspen Beach
- Cypress Hills
- Dillberry Lake
- Garner Lake
- Jarvis Bay
- Miquelon Lake
- Pigeon Lake
- Wabamun Lake
- Whitney Lakes
Visit AlbertaParks.ca for more information on camping in the provincial parks.
With files from Tracy Nagai
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