Last-minute camping seems to be a thing of the past, with popular destinations like Golden Ears Provincial Park in Maple Ridge filling reservations well i -advance.
Last year, reservations for camping during Canada Day long weekend in Golden Ears park were made four months in advance.
Fortunately for people looking to get outdoors, the province has announced the addition of more than 400 new campsites for the 2018 season.
Golden Ears park is on the list, with the addition of six new backcountry sites.
Doug Donaldson, minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, said the expansion brings the number of B.C. camping spaces up to 11,000.
In addition, there are 1,100 recreation sites throughout B.C.
Joss Penny, chair of Camping and RVing B.C. Coalition, said more than two million campers from B.C., Alberta and Washington are expected to camp in the province within the next two years.
Currently, B.C. provincial parks receive more than 21 million visits per year.
According to the province, of the 10,700 campsites that B.C. Parks manages, about 55 per cent are reservable and 45 per cent are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Many campgrounds have also had upgrades, with notable additions being roads, water taps, power, dish-washing stations, accessible toilets, trails, as well as a shower building at the Hampton campground in E.C. Manning provincial park, a playground at Shuswap Lake, and individual food caches at the walk-in sites at Montague Harbour.
Saturday, July 21 is the annual Canada’s Parks Day to highlight the importance of parks to maintain healthy ecosystems, protect habitats, and contribute to human health.
Various parks throughout B.C. are hosting family-friendly events, and the B.C. Parks Foundation is launching an initiative called Healthy By Nature, as part of which 100 health-care providers will lead walks in 100 parks throughout B.C.
B.C. Parks have added sites to the following campgrounds:
• Manning-Hampton, near Hope;
• Sxwexwnitkw, near Okanagan Falls;
• Shuswap Lake, near Salmon Arm;
• Bear Creek, near West Kelowna;
• Kettle River group site, near Rock Creek;
• Golden Ears backcountry, near Maple Ridge;
• Flora Loop Campground, at Chilliwack Lake;
• Montague Harbour, on Galiano Island;
• Rathtrevor, near Parksville.
Twelve recreation sites throughout B.C. have added another 256 campsites.