Key Camping Reservation Dates for 2026
- Jeremy

- Jan 15
- 3 min read
Your guide to booking campsites early across BC and the Canadian Rockies
The best time to secure your 2026 campsite is January Parks Canada campgrounds open on specific mornings, and many fill within minutes.
Below is a simple, date-by-date guide, followed by an
explanation of how BC Parks reservations work.

Parks Canada – 2026 Reservation Opening Dates
Parks Canada releases availability in January 2026, with reservation launch days staggered by park.
Friday, January 16, 2026 — 8:00 AM PT
Front-country and backcountry camping opens in several BC national parks:
Glacier National Park• Loop Brook• Hermit Meadows• Illecillewaet
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve• SMONEĆTEN• Prior Centennial• Sidney Spit• Shingle Bay
Mount Revelstoke National Park• Snowforest• Eva Lake Backcountry• Jade Lakes Backcountry
Tuesday, January 20, 2026 — 8:00 AM MT
Front-country camping opens in two national parks:
Kootenay National Park• Redstreak• Marble Canyon• McLeod Meadows
Yoho National Park• Kicking Horse• Monarch
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 — 8:00 AM MT
A major launch day for Alberta:
Waterton Lakes National Park• Townsite
Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site• Heritage Camping• Main Campground
Wood Buffalo National Park• Pine Lake
Thursday, January 22, 2026 — 8:00 AM MT
Yoho National Park• Lake O’Hara Overnight Camping
Note: The day-use bus is by lottery — apply March 2–23 — but the overnight campground follows this launch date.
Friday, January 23, 2026 — 8:00 AM MT
Banff National Park — Front-country Campgrounds• Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court• Tunnel Mountain Village 1 & 2• Lake Louise (hard-sided & soft-sided)• Protection Mountain• Johnston Canyon• Two Jack Main & Lakeside• Rampart Creek• Silverhorn Creek
One of the busiest mornings of the season.
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 — 8:00 AM MT
Jasper National Park — Front-country Camping• Whistlers• Miette• Wapiti• Overflow
BC Parks Reservations (Provincial Parks) — How They Work in 2026

Unlike Parks Canada, BC Parks does not release all sites on one day.
Rolling 3-Month Booking Window
You can reserve up to 3 months before your arrival date, at:🕖 7:00 AM Pacific Time, every morning
Example:Arrive July 15 → Book April 15 at 7 AM
This applies to most popular provincial parks, including:
Golden Ears
Alice Lake
Porteau Cove
Manning Park
Rathtrevor Beach
French Beach
and dozens more across BC
Why it matters
✔️ No single “camping opening day”
✔️ You must track your own targeted arrival date
✔️ Sites appear every morning and disappear fast in summer
Good to know
Some parks have first-come, first-served sites
Remote forest recreation sites don’t require reservations
Long weekends book up immediately — set reminders early

January is also a great time to lock in your vehicle dates especially for the June through September peak season.
Check availability anytime at: outlandvancouver.com/bookyourcamper
Add All 2026 Camping Launch Dates to Your Calendar
Don’t want to set reminders manually? We’ve put together a downloadable calendar file that automatically adds every Parks Canada opening day straight to your phone or laptop.
Just download the file below and import it into your calendar app:
This calendar includes reminders for:
Jan 16 — Glacier, Gulf Islands, Revelstoke & Pacific Rim
Jan 19 — West Coast Trail
Jan 20 — Yoho & Kootenay
Jan 21 — Waterton, Elk Island, Rocky Mountain House & Wood Buffalo
Jan 22 — Lake O’Hara overnight
Jan 23 — Banff front-country
Jan 26 — Backcountry bookings for Banff, Yoho & Kootenay
Jan 27 — Jasper front-country
Jan 28 — Jasper backcountry
Compatible with:
Apple Calendar (Mac & iPhone)
Google Calendar
Outlook
Android devices
Most calendar apps




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