Winter and Spring Camping
Snow has made several early appearances this year in Jasper National Park. While the majority of the campgrounds closed around Thanksgiving, Wapiti campground remains open through the winter with electrical hook-ups and hot showers. It continues to be a great campsite for family outings at any time of year. It’s not far from town for supply runs and close enough for that first crack at the slopes and cross country trails. No reservations are required in the winter months.
As we approach Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, Parks Canada is working to prepare for the upcoming camping season to make sure it is a memorable experience for all campers who plan to visit Jasper National Park.
To help Canadians experience and learn more about our environment and our heritage during this celebratory year, Parks Canada has already decided to open Jasper National Park’s popular front country campgrounds earlier and keep them open longer. Yes, that includes Whistlers campground, which will be open in 2017.
Whistlers and Wapiti campgrounds will open early in May and stay open until early October. Wabasso and Pocahontas campgrounds will open for the May long weekend and stay open until mid-September.
Campsite reservations for 2017 will begin Jan. 10 at 8 a.m. for all four campgrounds online at www.reservation.parkscanada.gc.ca. Backcountry campsites will follow on Jan. 25 at 8 a.m.
Therefore, it’s time to start thinking about planning your 2017 camping adventure. Whether you’re looking for a quiet spot in the forest, or a sunny family atmosphere close to town, Jasper National Park has a campsite that will fit your needs. Canada’s 150th birthday is a great time to experience this great nation and national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas represent the very best that Canada has to offer.
Looking forward to 2018, Parks Canada has ambitious plans for the future of Whistlers, which will return it to a status worthy of the largest single access campground in the North American national park system. Whistlers is slightly smaller than the town of Jasper itself.
The campground will undergo a large-scale upgrade in 2018 to enable it to continue to host campers for the next 50 years but will be open and bustling for Canada’s 150th birthday.
For more information
Camping in Jasper National Park: www.parkscanada.gc.ca/jaspercamping
Booking a campsite with Parks Canada: www.reservation.parkscanada.gc.ca or 1-877-RESERVE (737-3783).
Parks Canada
Special to the Fitzhugh
