Reservation system for campgrounds to open Monday

Campgrounds in Saskatchewan’s provincial parks are to start accepting reservations Monday — but only from Saskatchewan residents.

The provincial government’s reservation system opens Monday at 7 a.m., with the queue to start at 6:40 a.m. The schedule is staggered, with reservations being accepted for different campgrounds on different dates.

One thing is the same throughout the process, though: Only residents of Saskatchewan can reserve sites due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“That’s really key this year,” Robin Campese — the executive director of the visitors experience branch with the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport — told the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Friday. “We want to make sure that we’re limiting that interprovincial travel.”

Restrictions have been placed on campgrounds to prevent the potential spread of the virus.

When campgrounds open June 1, they’ll be open to 50 per cent capacity, meaning only every second site is available for booking. Group camping currently is prohibited.

Swimming pools, beaches, picnic areas and playgrounds will be closed, as will showers and laundry facilities. Access to washrooms will be limited, but firewood and water will be available in some form.

But again, residents of other provinces who are looking to camp in Saskatchewan won’t be permitted to do so.

“We’ll have conservation officers and rangers that will be sort of looking around for that sort of stuff,” Campese said. “Any sort of things that are in violation of the advice of public health officials, they’ll be on the lookout for.”

In a media release, the provincial government offered a reminder that non-essential travel to all areas of northern Saskatchewan — specifically the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District (NSAD) — is prohibited.

As a result, campers should hold off on making reservations in provincial parks that fall within that region, which includes Lac La Ronge and Narrow Hills, until the travel restriction has been lifted.

The current schedule for reservations is: Seasonal campsites across provincial parks (Monday); Pike Lake, The Battlefords, Narrow Hills and Blackstrap (Wednesday); Bronson Forest, Meadow Lake, Makwa Lake and Lac La Ronge (Thursday); Saskatchewan Landing, Douglas and Danielson (May 8); Buffalo Pound, Rowan’s Ravine, Echo Valley and Crooked Lake (May 11); Cypress Hills (May 12); Duck Mountain, Good Spirit Lake and Greenwater Lake (May 13); and, Candle Lake, Great Blue Heron and Moose Mountain (May 14).

More information is available on the Saskatchewan Parks website.

Campese said the reservation system has undergone rigorous testing to make sure there aren’t any hiccups prior to what she expects to be a busy season.

“I do feel like there will be a lot of interest in camping this year,” she said. “People (are) probably ready to head outside and take in some different scenery.”