Fans of the Yukon resident annual campground permit, which allows Yukoners an entire season of camping without needing to buy daily permits, will likely be disappointed to learn that the annual pass will not be compatible with the territory’s new campsite reservation system — to start, anyway.
Four Yukon campgrounds — at Pine Lake, Marsh Lake, Wolf Creek and Tombstone Mountain — will offer reservable campsites during the upcoming camping season as part of the Yukon government’s two-year campsite reservation service pilot program. The announcement was made on March 4 during a press conference at the Yukon legislature by Nils Clarke, minister of Environment and Public Works, alongside Yukon Parks’ director, Shannon Trott, and operations manager, Carrie Mierau.
“While we are committed to enabling annual permit holder reservations for the 2025 season, we will need to ensure that our systems can accommodate this function. Annual permit holders will continue to be able to use their permits to camp at any frontcountry territorial campground on a first come, first serve basis,” Clarke said.
According to Clarke, nothing is stopping annual campground permit holders from reserving a campsite, although their annual pass will not cover the reservation fee, which they will have to pay out-of-pocket.
“My understanding is that the current software has not enabled an annual permit holder to be able to use the notional credits that he or she or they have with respect to that annual pass to be credited towards the registration, the registration fee,” Clarke said.
Trott said at the press conference that efforts are underway to allow annual campground permit holders the ability to also reserve campsites. However, that will not happen before the end of the 2024 camping season.
“We do have hopes that this is something that we can potentially offer, even going into next year,” Trott said.
News that a campground reservation system was in the works first broke last summer, and since then, a trickle of information on the project has found its way out to the public. During the press conference, it was confirmed that 50 per cent of campsites at the four trial campgrounds will be available for reservations.
“I know that many Yukoners are looking for certainty that there will be a campsite when they arrive at a Yukon campground but also that many enjoy the flexibility of last-minute camping trips. That is why, at each participating campground, 50 per cent of the campsites will be available for reservation. The remainder of campsites will continue to be available on a first-come, first-served basis,” Clarke said.
Information was also shared on how those heeding the call of the wild can reserve a campsite: Both frontcountry and backcountry campsites can be booked online at https://yukon.goingtocamp.com or by calling 1-888-352-0532 or 1-867-322-0222. Prospective campers must register for a My Yukon account before reserving a campsite.
Campsite bookings for frontcountry campgrounds (accessible by vehicle and typically within one kilometre of a road or highway) can be made starting April 10 at 9 a.m. Available reservation dates are from May 3 to Sept. 30. Backcountry campsite reservations can be made beginning March 6 at 9 a.m.
Reserved campsites will be available to campers from 3 p.m. on the first day of their trip, and they’ll be required to vacate the campsite by noon on the final day of their reservation. Seven consecutive nights is the maximum campsite reservation length, and campers will be able to book three separate trips per transaction, according to Trott.
During the press conference, Clarke noted that introducing a campsite reservation system aligns the Yukon with other Canadian jurisdictions. He added that feedback from Yukoners spurred the introduction of the pilot program.
“Following our engagement with Yukoners on the Yukon Park Strategy, we heard from a majority of respondents that they are in favour of testing out a reservation service at territorial campgrounds. And we have listened to that feedback,” Clarke said.
He added, “This new service will not only improve fair access and certainty with campsite booking, and facilitate better camping trip planning, but will also help us determine if this is a model that works for camping in the Yukon.”
When asked what recourse will be available to campers who arrive at a campground to find their reserved site already occupied, Mierau said that the presence of Yukon Parks’ staff in the four reservation pilot campgrounds will be stepped up. She added that visitor service operator positions will be added to help with “this compliance enforcement issue and enable people to get assistance with checking in.”
The campground reservation pilot program will be reviewed at the end of its first year. If it is successful, it could be expanded in the future.
READ MORE: Major expansions planned for 2 Yukon campgrounds
Contact Matthew Bossons at matthew.bossons@yukon-news.com