BC Parks Will Start to Re-Open May 14 After COVID Closures

After closing due to COVID-19, BC Parks will start to re-open the majority of provincial parks and protected areas and marine parks on May 14, 2020. People across the province will have more access to safe outdoor recreation opportunities, while meeting the guidelines of the Provincial Health Officer.

BC Parks Will Start to Re-Open May 14

On May 14, 2020 BC Parks plans to re-open many front and back-country trails, beaches, picnic areas, washroom facilities and boat launches for day-use.

• Visitor centres, nature houses and concession buildings may be opened on a case-by case basis.
• In some instances, facilities such as playgrounds, hot springs, halls, and picnic shelters will remain closed.

On June 1, 2020 BC Parks will re-open most provincial campgrounds and back-country camping.

• To ensure physical distancing, you may notice some changes in campgrounds, including additional spacing between campsites and limitations on the number of guests in campgrounds.
• Some communal facilities such as shower buildings will open with enhanced cleaning protocols, while campgrounds that require visitors to use shared cooking facilities and backcountry cabins will remain closed.

Parks that attract large crowds will remain closed until it is safe to reopen at a later date. Backcountry campgrounds in some parks with high day use will also remain closed.

Camping Reservations

All camping has been suspended until May 31, 2020. Most provincial campgrounds and backcountry camping will open June 1, 2020. The Discover Camping reservation system will be available for new reservations May 25, 2020 at 7:00am PDT.

Health and Safety Guidelines

• Please visit parks close to home.
• Visitors are expected to respect any facility or area closures and to follow the physical distancing requirements set out by the PHO.
• Visitors should bring their own hand sanitizer are asked to practice appropriate hygiene.  If you are sick, please visit another time.

On the South Coast, parks such as Porteau Cove, Okeover Arm, Kilby, Stawamus Chief Protected Area, Cypress Provincial Park, Chilliwack Lake, and Shannon Falls do not yet have a re-open date posted.

You can check a park’s status online here to see if it has a projected opening date or note.