Saskatchewan Provincial Parks could see 40% of bookings as reservations open

Eager campers will get their first chance to secure a campsite for the summer season on Monday.

As in past years, the launch will again be staggered over 10 days so that a new park will be offered each day – Blackstrap and Pike Lake will be available for booking Monday. A queuing system will also be used and will open each morning at 6:40 a.m. Reservations will open at 7 a.m.

Saskatchewan Parks director of visitor experience Mary-Anne Wihak has a tip to make sure you don’t run into any roadblocks during the booking process.

“Make sure you’re on the site well in advance, over the course of the weekend or the days in advance of whatever particular day the sites that you’re looking at might be launching,” she advised.

She recommends creating a user profile ahead of time so you aren’t wasting valuable minutes on booking day while somebody else snatches up the campsite you want. Wihak also recommends scouting out locations and dates available, making sure you have a backup plan.

The launch schedule is as follows:

• Monday, April 11: Blackstrap, Pike Lake
• Tuesday, April 12: Buffalo Pound, Danielson, Douglas
• Wednesday, April 13: Echo Valley, Rowan’s Ravine
• Thursday, April 14: Duck Mountain, Good Spirit Lake, Greenwater Lake
• Friday, April 15: Crooked Lake, Moose Mountain
• Saturday, April 16: Cypress Hills
• Sunday, April 17: The Battlefords, Saskatchewan Landing
• Monday, April 18: Meadow Lake
• Tuesday, April 19: Bronson Forest, Chitek Lake, Lac La Ronge*, Makwa Lake
• Wednesday, April 20: Candle Lake, Great Blue Heron, Narrow Hills

The impact left behind by the northern wildfires of 2015 is resulting in the Nemeiben and Wadin Bay Campgrounds taking bookings later in the spring.

Traditionally, those campers looking for longer-term stays will be among the first to book.

“Those folks who like to stay for the longer vacations, you know up to two weeks, three weeks, those sorts of stays, they like to get their vacations planned and confirmed,” said Wihak.

Even if you don’t get the site you want, or if you’re simply unavailable during the launch period, Wihak said that’s OK.

“Over the past couple of years I would say that we’re running at about 40 per cent of our bookings are made during the launch period,” she said, adding that there is usually plenty of availability throughout the summer, especially as cancelations arise and people’s plans change.

The launch dates are a little later than usual this year because of the provincial election. More information can be found on the SaskParks website.