Demand causes delays for those trying to reserve a campsite in B.C.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Online camping reservations in B.C. opened early Monday, but many users report the website keeps crashing.

Provincial campgrounds will open to overnight camping on June 1. The Province announced earlier this month reservations would start Monday, May 25.

Got up at 6:59 to book #bcparks #discovercamping but the site keeps crashing

— simpsarella (@simpsarella) May 25, 2020

According to several posts on social media, eager campers have tried using www.discovercamping.ca only to find it is crashing under the current demand.

Of the 10,700 campsites, B.C. Parks manages, approximately 55% are reservable, and 45% remain available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Province has announced B.C. residents can only make reservations at B.C. campgrounds. People can now reserve a site two months in advance of their arrival date instead of four – a temporary measure to spread out the demand during the busy summer months.

Going on 30 minutes + of this gong show trying to book a camp site with #discovercamping
Couldn't have predicted heavy traffic today eh? pic.twitter.com/4HDKN3437s

— Jessica Baynton (@baynton_jess) May 25, 2020

Opening campgrounds safely to support public health guidelines means it will not be business as usual in some campgrounds. To allow physical distancing, fewer sites will be available in some campgrounds. There may be some changes to services and communal facilities, and some campgrounds will open at a later date.

Hot springs, backcountry communal cabins and campgrounds that require visitors to use shared cooking facilities will remain temporarily closed, along with group campsites.

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