Today is a day that many camping enthusiasts from Manitoba have circled on their calendars.

Reservations for Manitoba campgrounds can be made beginning this morning at 7 a.m. The Manitoba Parks reservation system will accept bookings in three phases:

  • April 5 at 7 a.m. - campsite reservations open for cabins, yurts, group-use areas and for the Birds Hill Provincial Park campground.
  • April 7 at 7 a.m. - campsite reservations open for Winnipeg Beach and all campgrounds in the Whiteshell Provincial Park.
  • April 12 at 7 a.m. - campsite reservations open for all remaining provincial park campgrounds.

Elisabeth Ostrop is Manager of Recreation and Education Services for Manitoba Parks. She says if history repeats itself, the campground reservation system will be extremely busy on opening day.

"Right when we open, everybody's got multiple devices," Ostrop explains. "So one person can inflict a lot of busyness on the reservation system, just from all the different things that they are trying to log in with. And then usually by later in the day, things kind of calm down.'

According to Ostrop, most of the reservations for the entire season happen within the first few hours on opening day. However, she says that does not mean that those who do not get a reservation on opening day, have no shot of camping this year. She says campers sometimes change their mind and so if you did not get the site you were looking for, it is a good idea to check closer to the weekend you were hoping for, in case it suddenly becomes available.

"Inventory does free up," she says.

Meanwhile, similar to last year, Ostrop says they are expecting a lot of activity within campgrounds this summer.

"Early indications are that we are going to be very busy again," she says. "It might be similar to last year, which was also extremely busy, every weekend was (like) a long weekend."

Ostrop says this is a direct result of COVID-19, noting the restrictions are preventing Manitobans from vacationing outside the province. She says the other thing that happened last summer is the cancellation of kids camps and sporting events meant families were less busy on weekends.

"We certainly noticed the upswing," she says.

Ostrop reminds all campers to check the province's website for any travel restrictions and COVID-19 protocols during the camping season.

Also, Manitobans are reminded that park vehicle passes will be available online as part of the province's e-licensing program.