Starting next month Saskatchewan residents will be able to start booking campsites online. (File Photo/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

2020 Camping Season

Residents can book campsites starting next month

Apr 24, 2020 | 5:24 PM

The Government of Saskatchewan has released a schedule for when people can start reserving campsites at the province’s parks.

In a media release sent out Friday morning the province set a range of dates for when the parks start taking online reservations.

• Monday, May 4: Seasonal campsites across provincial parks

• Wednesday, May 6: Pike Lake, The Battlefords, Narrow Hills, Blackstrap

• Thursday, May 7: Bronson Forest, Meadow Lake, Makwa Lake, Lac La Ronge

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• Friday, May 8: Saskatchewan Landing, Douglas, Danielson

• Monday, May 11: Buffalo Pound, Rowan’s Ravine, Echo Valley, Crooked Lake

• Tuesday, May 12: Cypress Hills

• Wednesday, May 13: Duck Mountain, Good Spirit Lake, Greenwater Lake

• Thursday, May 14: Candle Lake, Great Blue Heron, Moose Mountain

Parks will open their gates to the public starting June 1. Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport Gene Makowsky said they are confident the ministry’s booking system will be able to handle the traffic. He explained the scattered dates will be helpful in this regard.

“It is a little different this year because of those stipulations, so we certainly look forward to having folks register and be able to do that promptly and efficiently,” he said.

The minister said parks staff have been working to make sure facilities are ready for visitors. The parks will not be fully staffed to protect against COVID-19 and facilities such as playgrounds and swimming pools will not be open. Bathrooms will be available to the public, but Makowsky said they will be asking people with campers to use the one they have on board. He added group camping is not permitted.

“We’re asking just generally, primary residents of your current home to be in each campsite,” he said.

Only Saskatchewan residents will be allowed to reserve campsites in the province’s parks. Makowsky said they also plan to make it clear online only provincial residents are able to use the parks.

Makowsky stressed people looking to book a site must do so in advance and use the online service to do it. The minister added people who do plan on booking sites should have provincial issued identification with them to show they are a resident.

“We’re only allowing people to register online, we won’t let people just roll up to the gates,” he said.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn