Summer camping reservations in Jasper National Park open next week.
FrontCountry campground reservations open at 8 a.m. Mt. Tuesday, while backcountry reservations open at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Sites will be available for dates from early May to late September, which is a longer timeline than usual.
But camping will look different in the park this year, as the forests and the Jasper town site recover from a devastating wildfire last July.
With more than 32,500 hectares burned, the wildfire was the most devastating to hit the National Park in more than a century and about a third of the buildings on the town site were destroyed.
Here’s what you need to know before camping in Jasper National Park this summer.
Watch | Jasper’s summer camp season will look different this year:
The CBC’s Acton Clarkin breaks down the changes to the camp in Jasper National Park after the largest wildfire to hit the area in more than a century.
Are all campgrounds open?
Sections of Jasper National Park are closed due to impacts from the wildfire, which includes multiple campsites.
Some of the sites that are reopening will accept fewer campers than in previous years, as wildfire cleanup and repair efforts are underway.
“There’s a lot of debris on the ground. There’s a lot of trees that have come down,” said Graham Wylde, visitor experience manager for Parks Canada.
“We will be removing trees from the camps as well as repairing much of the utility infrastructure in the camps. The fire not only impacted everything above ground. It also impacted utilities that were buried underground.”
When it comes to Frontcountry sites, Parks Canada says the menaces, Miette and overflow campgrounds will be fully open. Wapiti Campground will operate at a reduced capacity, while Wabasso and Whirlpool Group Campgrounds will be closed.
All backcountry campsites will be open for the season.
Space in some encampments near the town site will not be available, as it remains a potential area for future halfway housing for Jasper residents who lost their homes in the wildfire.
How long will the repairs take?
Some campgrounds will remain closed for the foreseeable future, Wylde said.
“They are going through a planning process, which will lead to a design and construction phase in the coming years to recover and open those camps as soon as possible,” he said.
As for which sites will be open for reservations, prep work is underway to have them ready for campers in May.
Marco Espinosa Álvarez, Parks Canada Visitor Services team leader, said sites have to meet rigorous reopening standards.
“Our main concern is safety,” Espinosa Álvarez said. “Every area we open to the public, we do so after a thorough assessment and extensive remediation work, all with regards to safety.”
Can I go hiking or biking on trails?
Most public trails will be open. Officials say areas to avoid will be clearly marked with signs.
There are downed trees blocking some roads, but that’s not the only concern. The flames have weakened the ground and some trees or branches may be overcome or broken more easily.
Wylde advises people not to linger in areas impacted by the fire and to “be very cautious when traveling on the trails in wind events or rain events and things like that, where the environment can change pretty quickly.”
How can you reserve a prime spot?
As any experienced camper knows, not all campsites are created equal.
“Some points are so in demand. People have been trying for years. It’s like winning the lottery when you get it,” said Jean-François Bussières. He is the owner of Pure Outdoors, a camping and ski equipment rental store in Jasper.
Graham Wylde of Parks Canada suggests planning ahead doesn’t let you down.
“When you go online, have a set idea of what you’re looking for, but also be prepared, if you can, to be flexible with your travel dates,” he said. “Plan to camp mid-week, or plan to camp in shoulder season. Arrive in early May or plan to camp later in September. We’ve had beautiful trails here and amazing camping seasons through Thanksgiving.”
Bussières said he hopes to be open-minded.
“If you’re waiting for the perfect spot or the most prime spot, it can take years to get. But there’s always availability somewhere. And every walk, every pallet has something special.”
Is the city of Jasper open to visit?
The short answer is, yes. There are fences around the site in town blocking off the areas that burned, but the areas that survived the fire are operating as usual.
Paul Butler, executive director of the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce, said visitation is the foundation of Jasper’s economy.
“We need tourists to survive. And our community’s economic recovery will be built on visitation. It’s really important for people to understand that we do want people to visit,” Butler said.
A complete list created by the municipality of what is open in Jasper can be found here.
