May long weekend camping reservations available soon: B.C. Parks

People sit around a campfire. (Shutterstock)

Campers, mark your calendars.

Online reservations for BC Parks sites for the May long weekend will be available for booking in a matter of days.

The system allows would-be campers to secure their spots four months in advance on a first-come, first-served basis – a process that, in the past has led to long waits and disappointment for some of the most popular parks.

The fee for reserving a spot starts at $6 per night and maxes out at $18. There are also fees for cancelling or changing bookings.

This year, according to a statement from the province, 60 new campsites have been added to the system: 30 at Fintry Park near Kelowna, 17 at Rolley Lake Park near Mission, and 13 at China Beach Campground in Juan de Fuca Park near Victoria.

One of the most popular destinations in the Lower Mainland, however, will not be welcoming campers for the first unofficial weekend of summer, the province said.

Golden Ears Park – which has over 400 campsites spread over three campgrounds – is still inaccessible because the road was badly damaged during an intense storm three months ago.

The storm, which hit on Oct. 19, produced record-breaking rainfall and caused road washouts, flooding and mudslides. Four people died as a result.