When to Book Parks Canada Campgrounds for Summer 2026

Are you going camping in Canada’s National Parks this summer?

Mark these dates on your calendar and reserve the Parks Canada campgrounds you want to stay in as soon as possible, as the best spots and/or long weekend availability will be long gone before the summer arrives.

Credit: Canadian Tourism Commission

New users or those who haven’t reserved since March of 2023 must create a new Parks Canada Reservation Service account.

On a location’s launch day, the entire season opens for reservations. Thirty minutes before opening, users are directed to a waiting page and at 8 am local time (8:30 am in Newfoundland and Labrador), they’re randomly assigned a place in the queue. Per Parks Canada, this order is independent of the time spent on the website. Latecomers join the queue at the end. Once it’s their turn, users have 30 minutes to make a reservation.

If the desired site is unavailable, they can check site calendars, view availability at different campgrounds, or consider a night-by-night reservation. Users can also explore other campgrounds within the same park or different parks.

2026 Season Reservation

Guided Hikes:

Reservations for Burgess Shale guided hikes at Yoho and Kootenay National Park will open on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 8 am MT.
- - Stanley Glacier Guided Hike: This hike takes you through Kootenay National Park’s breathtaking scenery, leading to the renowned Stanley Glacier, where fossil explorations await.
  - Mt. Stephen Fossil Beds Guided Hike: This hike, running from June 12 to September 20, provides an exceptional journey to the Mt. Stephen Fossil Beds. It’s an opportunity to discover numerous well-preserved fossils in Yoho National Park.
  - Walcott Quarry Guided Hike: Available from July 10 to September 20, this hike offers a more in-depth exploration of the famous Walcott Quarry, another key site within the Burgess Shale. It’s known for its extraordinary preservation of diverse Cambrian life forms.
Consolation Lakes guided hike at Banff National Park, running select dates from July 13 to September 13, opens for reservations on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 8 am MT. This family-friendly 6 km round-trip hike to the first Consolation Lake includes a Parks Canada shuttle to Moraine Lake and features views of alpine meadows, towering peaks, and the Quadra Glacier.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park offers guided hikes, including the Skyline Sunset Hike and the Lantern Walk through Time, as part of its interpretive programs. Reservations open Monday, February 9, 2026, at 8 am AT.

Shuttle Bus/Boat:

Reservations for the Lake Louise shuttle bus, which runs from May 15 to October 12, begin on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 8 am MT.
Reservations for the Moraine Lake shuttle bus, which runs from June 1 to October 12, begin on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 8 am MT.
Those who want to visit Georgian Bay Islands National Park on the Daytripper (boat) can reserve seats beginning Monday, February 2, at 8:00 am ET for dates between May 15 to October 12, 2026.
The Lake O’Hara area of Yoho National Park is one of the most spectacular areas in the Canadian Rockies. To get there, you either must hike 12 km or take the Lake O’Hara shuttle bus run by Parks Canada. Lake O’Hara shuttle bus reservation dates for travel between June to October will be selected through a random draw. Applications for the random draw will be accepted between March 2 and March 23, 2026, on Parks Canada’s Reservation Service website.

Chilkoot Trail Day Runner: Day Permit for hiking the 53-kilometre Chilkoot Trail in BC, which follows a historic route first used by Chilkoot Tlingit traders and later traversed by thousands of Klondike Gold Rush prospectors, preserving a centuries-old pathway through rugged mountain terrain. Reservation opens Monday, January 19, 2026, at 8 am PT.

Parking:

Parking reservations at the famous Grotto in the Bruce Peninsula National Park begin on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8 am ET for reservable dates between May 1 to October 31, 2026.
Parking reservations at Halfway Log Dump in the Bruce Peninsula National Park begin on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8 am ET for reservable dates between June 19 to September 7, 2026.

Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site Dream Catcher Workshop
Satchel making Workshop Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 8 am MT

British Columbia

— Reservation opens on Friday, January 16, 2026 at 8 am PT for campgrounds in:

- Fort Langley National Historic Site
- Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site
- Glacier National Park
- Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
- Mount Revelstoke National Park
- Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

— Reservation opens on Monday, January 19, 2026 at 8 am PT for campgrounds in:

- West Coast Trail (Pacific Rim National Park Reserve)

— Reservation opens on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 8 am MT for campgrounds in:

- Kootenay National Park – Redstreak, Marble Canyon, McLeod Meadows campgrounds
- Yoho National Park – Kicking Horse, Monarch campgrounds

— Reservation opens on Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 8 am MT for campgrounds in:

- Yoho National Park – Lake O’Hara Overnight Camping

— Reservation opens on Monday, January 26, 2026 at 8 am MT for campgrounds in:

- Yoho National Park – Takakkaw Falls campground & Backcountry Camping
- Kootenay National Park – Backcountry camping

Yukon

— Reservation opens on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 8 am MT for campgrounds in:

- Kluane National Park and Reserve – Kathleen Lake

Alberta

— Reservation opens on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 8 am MT for campgrounds in:

- Elk Island National Park
- Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site
- Waterton Lakes National Park
- Wood Buffalo National Park (NT/AB)

— Reservation opens on Friday, January 23, 2026 at 8 am MT for campgrounds in:

- Banff National Park front country camping

— Reservation opens on Monday, January 26, 2026, at 8 am MT for campgrounds in:

- Banff National Park backcountry camping

— Reservation opens on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 8 am MT for campgrounds in:

- Jasper National Park – Frontcountry camping (Whistlers, Miette, Wapiti, Overflow)

— Reservation opens on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 8 am MT for campgrounds in:

- Jasper National Park – Backcountry Camping

Saskatchewan

— Reservation opens on Friday, January 30, 2026 at 8 am CT for campgrounds in:

- - Grasslands National Park
  - Prince Albert National Park

Manitoba

— Reservation opens on Friday, January 30, 2026 at 8 am CT for campgrounds in:

- - Riding Mountain National Park

Ontario

— Reservation opens on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8 am ET for campgrounds in:

- - Bruce Peninsula National Park
  - Fathom Five National Marine Park
  - Georgian Bay Islands National Park
  - Point Pelee National Park
  - Pukaskwa National Park
  - Rideau Canal National Historic Site
  - Thousand Islands National Park
  - Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site

Quebec

— Reservation opens on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 8 am ET for campgrounds in:

- - Forillon National Park
  - La Mauricie National Park
  - Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
  - Saint-Ours Canal National Historic Site

New Brunswick

— Reservation opens on Friday, February 6, 2026 at 8 am AT for campgrounds in:

- - Fundy National Park
  - Kouchibouguac National Park

Prince Edward Island

— Reservation opens on Monday, February 9, 2026 at 8 am AT for campgrounds in:

- - Prince Edward Island National Park

Nova Scotia

— Reservation opens on Monday, February 9, 2026 at 8 am AT for campgrounds in:

- - Cape Breton Highlands National Park

— Reservation opens on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 8 am AT for campgrounds in:

- - Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site

Grand-Pré National Historic Site oTENTik Camping – TBA

Newfoundland and Labrador

— Reservation opens on Monday, February 9, 2026 at 8:30 am NT for campgrounds in:

- - Terra Nova National Park — Newman Sound (long-term campsites, Loops G, J & M)

— Reservation opens on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 8:30 am NT for campgrounds in:

- - Gros Morne National Park
  - Terra Nova National Park – Malady Head, Newman Sound (excluding long-term campsites), Backcountry

How to Reserve:

Online 24/7 at: www.reservation.parkscanada.gc.ca

Phone: 1-877-RESERVE (1-877-737-3783). The telephone service is available from 8 am to 6 pm local park time (8:30 am to 6:30 pm in Newfoundland)

For general information, please call the Parks Canada national information line at 1-888-773-8888.

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When to Book Parks Canada Campgrounds for Summer 2026