Sask. provincial parks: Come for the views, stay for the free Wi-Fi?

It may not be the first amenity on the minds of those planning to commune with nature. But campers heading to some of Saskatchewan's provincial parks this weekend do have some options when it comes to free Wi-Fi.

Facilities at five provincial parks are known to have W-Fi services, says Mary-Anne Wihak, the director of visitor experiences at Saskatchewan Provincial Parks.

"With many parks being in more remote locations, it can be a challenge to get the basic connectivity infrastructure in place to just support the park operations. So we are focusing on that first," she said.

Demand for internet not high at parks

Demand for Wi-Fi "has not been too significant to date," says Wihak, citing periodic surveys of park visitors.

But operators at the following park facilities and businessesdo offer networks to keep email-obsessed visitors connected:

• Cypress Park Resort (Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park).
• SaskParks Visitor Centre, Golf Kenosee and the Kenosee Inn Resort Hotel (Moose Mountain Provincial Park).
• Near the Night Owl Camping Cabins office, pluscabins 1 and 2 (Pike Lake Provincial Park).
• RB's Diner (Rowan's Ravine Provincial Park).
• TheJackfishLodge and the Beachside store (The Battlefords Provincial Park).

Wihak says there may be more businesses that haveadded the service this season.

"We do plan to expand the services when opportunities arise," she added.