Another record year for Alberta campgrounds

With nearly 171,000 reservations, the provincial reservation system exceeded all nine previous annual totals.

Introduced in 2009, Reserve.AlbertaParks.ca (RAP) helps bolster tourism and helps Albertans connect with nature and experience the provincial parks system.

From the quiet tranquility of lake-front comfort cabins to large family-style group camping to full-amenity park settings, RAP helps visitors explore a wide range of opportunities, many of which have been bolstered by the government’s ongoing investment to improve and upgrade campgrounds.

The province is investing $38 million this year in Alberta’s provincial park upgrades, expansions and modernizations throughout the system. 

In 2018, the RAP system processed 164,101 regular campsites, 3,251 group sites and 3,638 comfort camping units. The 2018 total exceeded last year’s online reservation tally of 163,780.  

Although the system is only in place between February and November, Albertans can still winter camp at a number of provincial parks listed at Albertaparks.ca.

Quick facts

• Alberta’s RAP system has nearly 600,000 account users.
• There are about 250 provincial campgrounds with more than 14,000 campsites in the Alberta provincial parks system.
• The RAP system allows online booking for 88 provincial campgrounds (the remaining provincial campgrounds are first come, first served), 162 group campsites and 64 comfort camping units.
• The online system is mobile-friendly so people can book campsites on their mobile devices.
• To make an online reservation, set up an account or update your existing account in advance of the reservation days, visit Reserve.AlbertaParks.ca.
• Reserve.AlbertaParks.ca campsite opening dates for 2019 are:
  • Feb. 4 - group camping
  • Feb. 11 - comfort camping
  • Feb. 19 - regular camping
  • Feb. 25 - backcountry camping
• Revenues generated from camping fees are invested back into Alberta Parks.