As of Thursday, May 18, Saskatchewan provincial parks are open for the season and staff at Pike Lake have been busy preparing for the long weekend.
“This is the big day of the year for parks. We work hard for two or three weeks after frost comes out of the ground to prepare for the influx of campers and day users in the park,” Pike Lake park manager Craig Krogan, said.
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As of opening morning, the park is 95 per cent booked for the long weekend, with the remaining five per cent expected to be filled by walk-ups.
“There’s about 220 camp sites in the park. Last year on this weekend we had 800 people registered to camp and another 750 vehicles for day use,” Krogan added.
While the park manager doesn’t expect the check-in rush to happen until Friday, many seasonal campers have come early to set up RVs. It’s a bit of a reunion for many who’ve been coming to Pike Lake for years.
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“Most of us are perpetual seasonal campers and have known each other for years… they’ve watched the kids grow up. We’re a big family,” camper Sheila Bonnett explained.
“My favourite thing is sitting around the fire with friends and family. My kids now get to be a part of it… It’s a family thing that we do every year,” Kaylah Brown said.
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If you are camping this weekend there’s one thing to keep in mind and that’s an alcohol ban. It’s in place for all provincial parks over the May long weekend.
If that doesn’t bother you, there are still spots available. To reserve visit the Saskatchewan Provincial Parks’ website.