B.C. Parks' campground reservation system opens Jan. 3

Campers, mark your calendars so you can mark your calendars.

Camping reservations formany of British Columbia's provincial parks will open for the 2023 season on Jan. 3 at 7 a.m.Alist of park operating dates has been postedon the B.C. Parks website.

B.C. Parks says campers can reserve sites up tofour months ahead of their planned arrival date. Previously, campers could book sitesup to two months in advance.

"Through our ongoing visitor engagement, we've heard the majority of campers prefer a four-month rolling window, allowing people to book a site well in advance of their visit," said Environment Minister George Heyman.

The province says more campsites are being added to its reservation system, including Gwillim Lake Park near Chetwynd, Yahk Park near the Kingsgate border crossing, and Allison Lake Park near Princeton. A balance of reserved and first-come-first-served spots will be maintained, it added.

Reservations for the Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit in Bowron Lake Provincial Park will openon Dec. 1 at 7 a.m.

Most of the Berg Lake Trail, which takes hikers through nearly two dozen kilometres of Mount Robson Provincial Park in northern B.C., will remain closed in 2023, except for 14 sites at Kinney Lake Campground. Reservations for those sites will open onFeb. 1.The world-renowned hiking trail was closed after being seriously damaged by flooding last summer.

Camping reservations for 2023 can be made on the B.C. Parks website.

B.C. Parks says more than 317,000 reservations were made last seasonon itsupdated online booking system,an increase of 26.5 per centfrom 2019.