Parks Open

Guides

How camping in BC actually works

Short answers to the questions people ask after a park is full: the booking rules, the other places to camp, and what the words on the reservation site mean. Every fact is checked against the official page it comes from, with the date we read it.

When the park is full

Start here
Where else to camp near Vancouver when BC Parks is fullSix things to try, in order: a watch, the nearest park with space, first come campgrounds, rec sites, regional and BC Hydro campgrounds, a backcountry permit.Checked 10 Sep 2026Rec sites: free or cheap, first come, cash1,505 Recreation Sites and Trails BC campsites never show up in the BC Parks booking site. What they are, the rules, and the ones near Vancouver and Victoria.Checked 10 Sep 2026

Booking BC Parks

How BC Parks booking works: the 7 am window and the restThree months ahead at 7 am, online booking closed two days out, $6 to book and $6 to cancel. The rules that explain why sites vanish and come back.Checked 10 Sep 2026

Words and basics

What the words mean: reservable, first come, walk-in, backcountryThe words on the reservation site and the park pages, in BC Parks' own definitions where they exist, with a link to each source.Checked 10 Sep 2026