"Line is paused": Frustration after Parks Canada campsite booking leads to long wait times
Camping reservations for Banff opened Friday morning, and many people were slammed with long wait times and even a temporary pause in progress while in line to nab spots.
Reservations for Banff National Park kicked off today at 8 am, and many hopeful campers were shuffled behind more than 40,000 people when the queue first opened.
Many people took to social media to express their dismay over fluctuating wait times before a “line is paused” notice appeared where the wait time used to be, to the dismay of many.
@ParksCanada this booking system is such a disaster. How is the time going up and pausing. Frustrating every year.
— Tom Hurley (@leprechauntom99) January 26, 2024
Each year @ParksCanada changes their system or makes adjustments and each year I get confused in a different way. What the heck does this mean? “It is your turn The line is paused.”….I waited on that screen for five minutes to get a new screen that says…. pic.twitter.com/ojgpVTEabG
— Party Panther (@partypanther21) January 26, 2024
How did reserving a campsite turn into buying Taylor Swift tickets?
— jiggles (@hello_jiggles) January 26, 2024
@ParksCanada
I am waiting for more than half an hour to get in and this is what I am getting pic.twitter.com/j71vPot0ne— {Centrist} (@soul_careless) January 26, 2024
Parks Canada booking update. I signed on before 8. The wait was 19 minutes at 8. A few minutes ago it was 4. Then 11. Now it’s paused. #parkscanada pic.twitter.com/KEbAQUNI0j
— Dave Breakenridge (@BreakenridgeYEG) January 26, 2024
I am curious how I went from 8,000 in line to 36,000 in line. This is grizzly! I can’t bear it. I preFUR a better system.
— Tom Sampson (@iceTyyc) January 26, 2024
“You’re almost there.”….then once I get signed in all the spots are gone. @ParksCanada can’t get their s*it together I’ve tried to camp at Banff Two Jack Lakeside for like 5 years now and each year I’m 15,000 in line and all the spots are taken. What a joke
— Party Panther (@partypanther21) January 26, 2024
Parks Canada told Daily Hive that at the site’s 8 am launch time, there were more than 41,000 devices assigned to a random spot in the queues system, with even more joining in the minutes following.
As more people browsed for campsites, the reservation system began to slow down, and as a result of high demand, the queue system was paused for seven minutes from 8:28 am to 8:35 am. After the pause, it took time for the system to readjust the estimated wait times.
“This did not impact users’ place in the queue system or users’ ability to make a reservation if they were already through the queue and on the reservation website,” Parks Canada said.
“Parks Canada apologizes for the additional wait this caused for users.”
Those looking to nab backcountry camping reservations in Banff National Park can do so on January 29 at 8 am.
Those looking to camp in Jasper National Park can try to get their dates starting January 30 at 8 am, with backcountry camping reservations opening up on February 1 at 8 am.
Elk Island National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park and Wood Buffalo National Park camping reservations kicked off earlier this week at 8 am on January 24.
“Some locations are very popular, and reservations fill up quickly. Due to high demand, visitors are encouraged to be flexible, consider visiting during the week rather than weekends or even during shoulder seasons, or choose to discover lesser-known but equally spectacular hidden gems.”
Did you have any troubles while trying to snag camping reservations through Parks Canada for 2024? Let us know in the comments below.