Launch dates for Canadian Rockies backcountry campground reservations in 2024 have been released by Parks Canada. To be assured of a site in the backcountry campground of your choice, you should take note of these dates and log on to Parks Canada Reservations at the designated time and date given below. As in previous years, dates for each park are are staggered, but on launch day, the entire season opens for that park, You should log on up to 30 minutes prior to the opening, from where users are directed to a waiting page. At the designated launch time, everyone in the “waiting area” is randomly assigned a place in the queue. Once your it’s your turn, you will have 30 minutes to make a reservation.

But be warned, you will need to get online on the exact date given below to have any chance of reserving a campsite at the more popular backcountry campgrounds, as the screen-grab from 2023 for Lake O’Hara campground illustrates below.

Launch dates for Canadian Rockies backcountry campgrounds in 2024 are:

Banff National Park: 8 am (MST) January 29, 2024
Jasper National Park: Thursday: 8 am (MST) February 1, 2024
Kootenay National Park: 8 am (MST) January 29, 2024
Yoho National Park: 8 am (MST) January 29, 2024
Waterton Lakes National Park: 8 am (MST) January 24, 2024

Lake O’Hara campground reservations 2024

Although Lake O’Hara is in Yoho National Park, the launch date is earlier than the rest of the park. In 2024,  Lake O’Hara campground reservations open at 8 am MST on January 25, 2024.

Mount Assiniboine campground reservations 2024

Mount Assiniboine backcountry campground reservations in 2024 are made through BC Parks. Instead of a launch day for reservations, the BC Parks system operates on rolling dates, with reservations opening up to 4 months in advance of the date you want to arrive, at 7 am PST. For example, if you want to arrive on July 25, 2024, you can reserve starting at 7 am PST on March 25, 2024.

The reservation website is https://camping.bcparks.ca