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By Chris Brown

Put the tent away for now

Alberta Parks suspends camping reservations until after May long weekend

Apr 17, 2020 | 11:13 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Reservations made through Alberta Parks for camping before May long weekend are being suspended.

Refunds will be given for payments already made.

Saskatchewan, B.C., Ontario and Parks Canada have also suspended or delayed camping reservations. The City of Medicine Hat announced on Wednesday the Gas City Campground will be closed until at least the end of May.

The suspension is in place until the province’s chief medical officer of health is confident the health and public safety risk from COVID-19 is reduced.

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Existing camping reservations to May 19

The online reservation system is temporarily closed and no longer accessible for customers to cancel bookings on their own. Alberta Parks will begin notifying customers with existing reservations up to May 19 through a system-generated email. All fees paid will be refunded. Customers are advised that refunds may occur in multiple transactions. For example, reservation or change fees may be refunded separately from camping fees. Transactions may take up to two weeks for processing.

Camping reservations after May 19

Additional cancellations, including those after May 19, will be announced in the future as government continues to assess the pandemic situation on the advice of the chief medical officer of health.

Random camping on public land

Dispersed random camping on public land is currently permitted, but further restrictions may be necessary in the future as the COVID-19 situation continues to unfold. Campers should be aware that a fire and recreational off-highway vehicle (OHV) ban is currently in place in the Forest Protection Area. All random campers must follow the directions of the chief medical officer of health, including physical distancing and no mass gatherings.