Alberta Parks extends camping season

Government of Alberta - Following another record-breaking camping season, more than 250 provincial campgrounds will remain open over the next month. To meet increased demand for late-season camping, the province is adding three new late-season options. Crimson Lake Campground and Moonshine Lake Campground will now be open until Oct. 31. Brand new year-round comfort cabins have also been added at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park, a prime destination for ice fishing on Lac La Biche. These options build on a 2016 pilot which saw extended seasons in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park southeast of Medicine Hat, Saskatoon Island Provincial Park west of Grande Prairie and Cold Lake Provincial Park.

“We’ve had another great summer, but Albertans are still eager to get out and explore our wild spaces. That’s why we’re making life better by extending the camping season and upgrading provincial parks that previous governments neglected.” - Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks

For the eighth consecutive year, online campground reservations surpassed previous totals. The province had 158,890 bookings as of Aug. 30, an increase of more than five per cent from the previous year.

Alberta’s 274 provincial campgrounds close at different dates, with the bulk in early to mid-October. Of the 259 campgrounds open into October, 82 will remain open until at least Oct. 31, with 37 provincial campgrounds available year-round.

Several campgrounds will be closing in coming weeks to make way for upgrades, part of a five-year, $239-million plan to revitalize and expand the system.