Provincial campsites are expected to be in high demand again this year. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Camping

Reservations open soon for provincial campsites

Mar 31, 2019 | 12:01 PM

Some important dates are approaching for anyone wanting to secure a campsite for the upcoming season.

Campsite reservations for the 2019 season kick off on Tuesday, April 2 with seasonal bookings. Minh Truong, Director of Parks Experience with the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sports, said visitation numbers have remained fairly consistent the past few years.

“Last year our visitation was nearly 4 million, and it was a slight increase from the previous year,” he said.

The 2019-2020 provincial budget provided an additional $9.5 million for capital improvements at provincial parks, as well as $1.6 million for maintenance costs. Among the upgrades this year are trail improvements at Candle Lake Provincial Park, and new maintenance equipment at Lac La Ronge and Great Blue Heron Provincial Parks. There have also been number of additional improvements to campsites across the region, relating to picnic tables, barbecues, and washrooms.

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Truong said the majority of visits to provincial parks are from Saskatchewan, but added there are lots of people coming from out of province, and south of the border.

“Camping in Saskatchewan is a very affordable option for families, whether they live in Saskatchewan or not. Our provincial parks continue to be popular travel destination,” he said.

For the first time ever, seasonal campsites can be booked on the new online reservation system, starting at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. The reservations for group camping sites opens at 7 a.m. on April 4, and for nightly sites, the reservation process opens April 8. Here is the schedule for nightly reservations:

• Monday, April 8: Blackstrap | Pike Lake

• Tuesday, April 9: Break—No Reservations

• Wednesday, April 10: Meadow Lake

• Thursday, April 11: Saskatchewan Landing | The Battlefords

• Friday, April 12: Buffalo Pound | Douglas | Danielson

• Monday, April 15: Echo Valley | Rowan’s Ravine | Makwa Lake | Bronson Forest | Lac La Ronge

• Tuesday, April 16: Cypress Hills

• Wednesday, April 17: Duck Mountain | Good Spirit Lake | Greenwater Lake

• Thursday, April 18: Moose Mountain | Crooked Lake | Great Blue Heron | Narrow Hills | Candle Lake

On the day of reservations, campers are encouraged to enter the campsite reservation service queue between 6:40 a.m. and 7 a.m. Those who enter the queue during this window will be randomly assigned a position in line. Anyone entering the reservation site after 7 a.m. will be placed at the back of the line.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell