BC Parks Backcountry Reservations: Windows, Fees and Day Passes

When reservations open

For standard parks BC Parks says you can book a backcountry campground up to three months before arrival, starting at 7 am Pacific on the first day of that window. The Garibaldi shelter at Elfin Lakes and the Garibaldi Wilderness Camping Area follow the same three-month rule.

Day-use passes are separate. For Joffre Lakes, passes are free, one per person, and come out two days before the visit from 7 am Pacific, up to four passes in one transaction. Campers with a reservation do not need a day pass.

2026 camping fees per night

BC Parks' reservation page lists these base fees, tax included, for adults aged 16 and over and for youths aged 6 to 15:

• Berg Lake Trail: $10 adults, $5 youths
• Garibaldi: $25 adults, $5 youths
• Joffre Lakes: $25 adults, $5 youths
• Mount Assiniboine: $25 adults, $5 youths
• Golden Ears (most campgrounds): $17 adults, $5 youths
• E.C. Manning: $5 adults, $5 youths

Changing and cancelling

You can change a reservation until noon on your arrival date for $6 per change. You can cancel until 5 pm on arrival day, or 3 pm for the Berg Lake Trail. A cancellation that produces a refund costs $6, and transaction fees are not refundable.

Rules that show up in most BC Parks trips

Joffre Lakes has a permanent campfire ban and no pets are allowed. Garibaldi requires proof of your reservation, bans fires and hammocks, and tells campers to bring a stove. Berg Lake has a permanent campfire ban and a permanent boil-water advisory. Each park has its own page, linked from the permit pages.

Questions