Reservation FAQs

What is Max Vehicle Length vs Site Length?

• The max vehicle length is the combined accommodation length with tow vehicle length that can access a campsite. The site length is the total length of the site.
• The max vehicle length may be less than the site length due to a variety of reasons such as: tight turning radius, narrow roads, large tree(s) or rock obstructions.
• In these instances, the max vehicle length is reduced to ensure accommodation units and vehicles can access the site.

Example 1: Max Vehicle Length Still Allows Access

• Campsite has a max vehicle length of 50 ft due to a tight turning radius, but the total length of the site is 70 ft.
• With the combined 48ft of the 18ft truck and 30ft trailer, the camper should be able to access the site.

Example 2: Max Vehicle Length Restricts Access

• Campsite has a max vehicle length of 42 ft due to a narrow road, but the total length of the site is 75 ft.
• With the combined 48ft of the 18ft truck and 30ft trailer the camper may experience issues accessing the site.

The booking window states when campsites will be available to reserve. It is expressed as the number of days prior to your arrival date that you may book at a location.   

Different camping types have different rolling booking windows:

• Individual Campsites: 90 day booking window
• Backcountry Camping: 90 day booking window
• Group Camping Areas: 180 day booking window
• Comfort Camping units: 180 day booking window

A rolling booking window allows you to book a reservation within a specified range. The date that can be reserved will update each day at 9 a.m.

• For example, with a 90 day rolling booking window (offered for individual campsites and backcountry camping):
  • February 1 you could reserve out to May 2. 
  • February 2 you could reserve out to May 3.

• For example, with a 180 day rolling booking window (offered for group camping areas and comfort camping reservations):
  • February 1 you could reserve out to July 31.
  • February 2 you could reserve out to August 1.

• In order to provide equal opportunity for all users to reserve a campsite (either online or phone-in bookings), the booking window resets at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time. This morning reset time ensures that the Call Centre (1-877-537-2757) is open to assist callers. 

There is no guarantee that your desired reservation dates will be available once the booking window opens due to a few possible reasons:

• The booking window only applies to the day of arrival. The reservation’s arrival date must be within the designated booking window before a reservation can be made. Once you can select your arrival date, you can book up to the next 10 days. For example, on January 31 a visitor could reserve May 1-10 (start date falls within the booking window) but not May 8-10 (start date falls outside the booking window). 
• The campground is not yet open for reservations. The campground may not be open for your specified dates. Opening dates are listed here.
• The campground or specific campsites are closed for set time periods. Closures may be in place for a variety of reasons including but not limited to: Infrastructure upgrades (I.E. installation of power), campsite issues (I.E. flooding, tree down), park events, environmental education.

• Overbooking: In our previous camping reservation system, the camper agreement noted that booking a reservation which included more nights than needed was not permitted, and persons engaging in overbooking could have their reservation cancelled. Shop.AlbertaParks.ca will help keep camping as fair and accessible as possible by limiting the practice of overbooking and making sure campers are only reserving dates that they intend to use.
  • For reservations booked on the first day of the booking window (90 days in advance for individual campsites and backcountry camping and 180 days in advance for comfort and group camping) campers will not be able to change their arrival or departure date for 31 days.
  • Campers can still cancel their reservation during this time period as well as change details (i.e. camping accommodation units, number of people).
  • This does not apply to reservations booked well within the booking windows.
• Sliding: Reservations cannot be moved or changed until the entire dates of stay, including the departure date, are within the 90-day booking window in order to prevent sliding.

• At a staffed campground, registration booth staff will assist you.
• At a self-registration campground, there may be no staff to assist you. It is important to print and bring your permit for these campgrounds. Staff will verify your reservation when they patrol the campground.
• If you cannot print the permit, note the campsite number/group camping area of your reservation so you know which campsite/area to occupy.

• Arrive before 11:00 p.m. if possible. Quiet hours are 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
• Proceed directly to your assigned campsite. Register when the booth re-opens in the morning.
• If you don't have your permit or site number, staff will often post late arrival instructions at the registration booth.
• It is especially important to print and bring your permit for self-registration campgrounds as there are no staff on site.
• You do not have to call the Call Centre unless your arrival time will be after 2:00 p.m. of the day following your scheduled arrival date.

• Reserved campsites are held until 2:00 p.m. of the day following your scheduled arrival date.
• If you reserved at a campground on Shop.AlbertaParks.ca and your arrival will be after 2:00 p.m. of the day following your scheduled arrival date, phone the Call Centre at 1-877-537-2757 and provide your estimated arrival time. You can also use the "Notify of Late Arrival" function on Shop.AlbertaParks.ca. We make every effort to accommodate campers who provide notification of late arrival.
• If you don't notify us of your late arrival, you are considered a "no show" and your reservation is cancelled. Up to four nights camping fees will be forfeited depending on the length of your stay. Any remaining camping fees will be refunded. The reservation fee is not refunded.

• Each location offers different types of units. It is important to check comfort camping for detailed information on each specific park.
• The page for each comfort camping location details what is included, what to bring and the rules.

• Comfort camping reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance of the scheduled arrival date.

Arriving on your scheduled arrival date but after the registration booth is closed

• Arrangements for a late arrival for comfort camping unit reservations should be made directly with the campground. 
• In most cases, you will be required to check-in first thing in the morning.
•  Arrive before 11:00 pm if possible. Quiet hours are 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

Arriving after 2:00 pm of the day following your scheduled arrival date

• Call the Call Centre at 1-877-537-2757 to advise of your estimated arrival time or use the "Notify of Late Arrival" function on Shop.AlbertaParks.ca. We make every effort to accommodate campers who provide notification of late arrival.
• If you don't notify us of your late arrival, you are considered a "no show" and your reservation is cancelled. Up to four nights comfort camping fees will be forfeited, depending on the length of the stay. Any remaining comfort camping fees will be refunded to the credit card used for the original transaction. The reservation fee is non-refundable.

• Yes. Bookings for others must be within the limit of 4 reservations per transaction. 
• All reservations made during one session are considered one financial transaction. For that reason, only one credit card is accepted.
• Account holders are responsible for the actions of all camping party members.  
• If the account holder will not be camping, they must ensure that the camper details are accurate and/or allow the alternate to be listed as their pre-authorized designate to ensure registration can be completed upon arrival at the campground.

• Additional tents or trailers are NOT allowed on or near comfort camping unit sites.
• The exception to this rule is Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park which allows one additional camping unit per cabin. This unit must be registered and will be charged the regular camping fee.   

• Pets are NOT allowed in or around comfort camping unit sites.
• At Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park, pets are NOT allowed in the cabins, with the exception of cabins #8 and #9 which are designated pet friendly cabins. Guests will be charged an additional $20 per day for pets.
• At Cypress Hills Provincial Park, pets are allowed without an additional fee or deposit for Aspen Ridge Huts 1-6.

• Individual campground operators set fees within this range of $8 to $31 per night based on local market conditions.
• Additional fees of up to $8 per night are charged for each of the following services
  • Pressurized water hook-ups
  • Electrical hook-ups
  • Sewer hook-ups
  • Non-coin operated showers
  • Horse corrals
• Fee Guidelines

• Group camping area reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance of the scheduled arrival date.

• The 5-night limit is meant to provide fair and equitable access to camping opportunities.

• Some group campgrounds require prepayment for 5 units while others charge for a minimum of 10 units.

• Reservations for campsites can be made up to 90 days before the desired arrival date to provide fair and equitable access to reservation services at high-use campgrounds.
• Visit the online reservations listing for details. Click on a specific campground for further information including the opening and closing dates.

• To provide fair and equitable access to camping opportunities, campers can book a maximum of 10 consecutive nights per reservation.
• Campers can stay for a total of 16 consecutive nights; however, multiple reservations must be made. 
• This reduces booking changes, overbooking and no-shows, which will give more Albertans the opportunity to experience camping in our provincial parks.
• The maximum stay in a group camping area is five (5) consecutive nights.

• Most campgrounds are open from mid-May to the end of September. Click on a specific campground in the online reservations listing for details on its operating season.

• Yes; however, bookings for others must be within the limit of 4 reservations per transaction. 
• All reservations made during one session are considered one financial transaction. For that reason, only one credit card is accepted.
• Account holders are responsible for the actions of all camping party members.
• If the account holder will not be camping, they must ensure that the camper details are accurate and/or allow the alternate to be listed as their pre-authorized designate to ensure registration can be completed upon arrival at the campground.
• Groups requiring more than 4 campsites should consider booking a group camping area.

• Yes - providing one is available. However, you must confirm availability with campground staff before occupying the new site. If the campground does not have staff on-site, phone the Call Centre at 1-877-537-2757.
• There is no additional charge for changing a campsite after registration; however, there may be additional camping fees if the new site is equipped with more amenities.

• If you cancel more than 72 hours before 2 p.m. on the scheduled arrival date, you will receive a full refund of all camping fees (for example, if you are scheduled to arrive on Friday, July 8 and you cancel before 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 5, you will receive a full refund of camping fees).
• If 72 hours notice is not provided, up to three nights camping fees will be forfeited depending on how much notice is given. Any remaining camping fees will be refunded to the  card used for the original transaction.
  • 1 night penalty if less than 72 hours but greater than 48 hours notice before 2 p.m. of originally scheduled arrival date
  • 2 nights penalty if less than 48 hours but greater than 24 hours notice before 2 p.m. of originally scheduled arrival date
  • 3 nights penalty if less than 24 hours notice before 2 p.m. of originally scheduled arrival date
• Reservations/Changes/Cancellations can be made
  • Online at Shop.AlbertaParks.ca
  • By phoning the Call Centre at 1-877-537-2757

• To receive a full refund of your camping fees, cancellations must be made more than 72 hours before 2:00 p.m. of the originally scheduled arrival date.

• The reservation and change fees are non-refundable administrative fees, which helps offset the cost of providing reservation services, including the development and maintenance of the websites Shop.AlbertaParks.ca and AlbertaParks.ca, as well as the Call Centre, various merchant fees and staff resources.

• If you are eligible for a refund, it is initiated as soon as the information is entered into the system.
• Refunds are processed as quickly as possible, usually within two weeks.
• The refund is applied to the card used to make the original reservation.
• For possible refunds, keep depleted prepaid cards even after expiry.

• There are a various reasons why you may be unable to get through online.
  • There may be an unexpected interruption of service through your internet service provider.
  • Shop.Albertaparks.ca may be temporarily down for maintenance.
  • There is an unexpected server outage.  Outages are usually temporary, keep trying.

• If you still can't get through online, call the Call Centre 1-877-537-2757 to book by phone.

• Launch Shop.AlbertaParks.ca.
• Click Sign In/Sign Up.
• Click Forgot Password link.
• Enter the email address associated with your account.
• Click Send Link.
• Open email and follow prompts.

If assistance is required with resetting your password, please contact the Call Centre at 1-877-537-2757.

Accounts from previous reservation system did carry over to Shop.AlbertaParks.ca. If you attempt to reset your password and did not receive an email, you likely need to set up a new Account first.

• Yes payments are made through a secure processing service that is PCI compliant.

• If you receive an error message or are unsure whether your transaction was processed, phone the Call Centre at 1-877-537-2757.
• If the Call Centre is not able to process the transaction, you should contact your credit card provider.

• Phone the Call Centre at 1-877-537-2757 to ask for your Shop.AlbertaParks.ca account to be deactivated.

• The system retains your personal information so that it is easier for you to make future online campsite reservations.
• The Government of Alberta collects personal information under the authority of section 4 (c) of the Protection of Privacy Act. The information is protected by the privacy provisions in the Act.