Here’s how to reserve your favourite BC campsite

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B.C. Parks says it does not keep data on how many times it has caught campers trying to resell campsites at popular parks, but it recently cancelled two reservations in the Sea-to-Sky region after someone posted them for sale online.

The situation is a case of “buyer beware,” as it is unclear how the seller hoped to skirt rules that require the person who booked the campsite to show identification when claiming it.

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Earlier this week, a post appeared on Reddit, an online discussion forum, after someone listed a site at Alice Lake Provincial Park campground near Squamish for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $40. Several outraged commenters said they had tried to get sites at the campground earlier, but had been unsuccessful. Others said they had reported the seller to B.C. Parks.

The Ministry of Environment confirmed they cancelled the reservation after staff investigated. Another reservation by the same person at Porteau Cove Park was also cancelled after they tried to resell it, too.

“B.C. Parks does not collect data on reselling of sites, but does frequently monitor online platforms for individuals attempting to resell,” said a statement from the Ministry of Environment.

Scoring a campsite at a popular park requires luck and some strategy, despite updated policies intended to crack down on previously rampant reselling. Prior to the changes, people sometimes booked sites several days ahead of when they wanted to arrive, then cancelled the weekdays to secure coveted weekend dates.

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While the updated policies have largely been successful — with reselling so rare that B.C. Parks doesn’t keep data on it anymore — recent cases have raised questions about what is permitted, and how rules are enforced.

Here’s what to know:

What’s the best strategy for booking a campsite in a B.C. park?

Reservable front country campsites — meaning those within one kilometre of a park road or highway, as opposed to backcountry or recreation sites — can be booked at 7 a.m. four months before your arrival date.

For popular campgrounds on popular dates, it helps to do your research. The B.C. Parks reservation system can show you what sites will be available in advance. Before booking opens, create an account, navigate to the correct page, and get ready to hit “reserve” the moment the clock hits 7 a.m.

If you plan to camp with a partner or friend, it’s not a bad idea for both to try to secure a site on different devices at the same time to increase your chances. Just be sure to communicate so only one person carries on to the booking page if you’re both successful.

Anyone over 16 can make a reservation at camping.bcparks.ca.

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Can I resell a campsite, or give it to a friend?

In short, no. Reselling has been banned since 2017 after a public outcry over the number of people reselling campsites online.

When booking your reservation, you must specify a “named occupant” who will be the official reservation holder. This person cannot hold multiple camping reservations for the same dates and must be present at arrival and throughout the stay.

The named occupant cannot be changed after booking.

“B.C. Parks requires ID checks in-park to validate the reservation,” said the Ministry of Environment. “If the occupant’s ID does not match the reservation records, the reservation will be invalidated and the individual may be asked to leave the park.”

Campers attempting to “resell or game the system” will have their reservation cancelled, without refund.

B.C. Parks staff monitor online platforms for individuals attempting to resell campsites.

What is B.C. Parks’ cancellation policy — and is there a loophole?

If your reservation is made on the first day of the four-month booking window, you cannot change your arrival or departure dates to shorten your stay. This is to prevent people from booking the weekdays before a popular weekend and then cancelling the less desirable dates to secure the weekend.

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When you have a reservation, you’re required to arrive at the park no later than 11 a.m. the day after your intended arrival date. If you don’t, you’re considered a no-show, and your reservation will be cancelled with no refund.

A B.C. Parks survey conducted in 2022 found that some people still bend the rules to get campsites on the weekends.

“Some campers book more nights than they plan on using and then call the park operator to let them know that they’ll arrive a day (or more) late,” said the report.

To change your reservation to a different campground or park, you must cancel your original reservation and re-book.

Why do fully-booked campgrounds sometimes have lots of empty sites?

This question came up in the report from 2022, which concluded park operators have a hard time enforcing the “no-show policy.”

In some cases, it’s because people have from 1 p.m. to 11 a.m. the next day to arrive and are running late. In others, campers may have a motor home and be out exploring, so their site simply looks empty.

But the report noted that some people game the system, too.

Some campers said that because it’s so hard to get a weekend booking, they book extra nights before the weekend, even if they have no intention of camping those nights.

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An anonymous park operator quoted in the survey said that if he or she gave away a popular site and the “no-show shows up,” it creates a major incident — “as in probably several hours of talking to the person plus an incident report.”

What can I do if I can’t get a site in my favourite B.C. park?

Last year, B.C. added a “notify me” feature to the reservation website that lets you know when a previously-booked site becomes available.

You can sign up to receive as many as five alerts for any reservable campgrounds and dates. If a site becomes available, you will receive an email.

In 2022, there were more than 60,000 campsite cancellations, with the largest number occurring within two weeks of the arrival date.

You might also consider camping in less popular parks or regions, or look at options in B.C.’s vast network of recreation sites.

How many campsites are there in B.C., and how many are reservable?

B.C. Parks manages about 11,000 front country campsites, with about 5,000 of them reservable during the summer months. The sites in B.C.’s most popular campgrounds, including Alice Lake, Porteau Cove, Cultus Lake and Golden Ears, are reservable, but B.C. Parks tries to maintain a 45 to 55 per cent ratio between reservable and first-come first-served sites across the province.

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How many campsites have been booked so far this summer?

As of June 1, 262,828 campsite reservations have been made in B.C. — 86 per cent of them by British Columbians.

Traffic on the reservation system was up five per cent this spring compared to last spring, with 4,000 bookings made during the May long weekend.

Has B.C. opened any new campgrounds this year?

This year, 41 front country campsites were added to the reservation system, as well as one group site and 10 backcountry tent pads.

In recent years, B.C. Parks has been adding sites to keep up with growing demand, including the new Skyview RV campground in Manning Park, which has 90 full-service sites in summer.

Over the next three years B.C. Parks expects to add 300 more new campsites across B.C.

gluymes@postmedia.com

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