BC's Provincial Camp Grounds Rip-off

[J Mac]

Provincial campgrounds have a clever rip-off in place. Securing a campground in some provincial parks is very difficult, but the user still has to wade through an archaic system to anchor a camp site. A new system is apparently on deck for the future. In the meantime a $6.00 per day reservation fee is added, on top of daily rates, to the campers confirmation. This reservation fee is non refundable if plans change. So, in essence, we are being charged for doing all the work! In some ways it's similar to Ticket Masters ripoff fees with one difference. A concert ticket can be scalped, a camping reservation no longer can.

[Greg A]

We call that "hidden taxation" in the states. A number of states have no income tax, and it sounds good on the surface until you evaluate the "hidden taxes." I.E property taxes, vehicle fees, park fees, etc, etc, etc.

[J Mac]

BTW BC Gonernment has the same rip off in place with reservations on BC Ferries. Change of plans means a loss of reservation fees. Reservations are non-transferable!!

[gbaglo]

Remember the 'good old days' when BC Provincial Parks had free firewood?
Of course some campers had to try to burn it all and parks were smothered in wet wood smoke.
Nope, I don't miss that at all.

[KarenH]

Yes, we have the same situation with ferry and camping reservations. Washington State park fees have increased tremendously in the last several years. A park ranger recently told me that the state park system is under a mandate to become more self-supporting as funds are shifted elsewhere. Whereas I'm a staunch supporter of user fees, I do think it's a shame in this case as our park system has priced itself out of range for many, many people. I believe it's the one recreational outlet all residents should be able to enjoy.

Edited: Reading Glenn's post reminded me not only of the free firewood but of the times before leash rules were in effect and most male dogs were not neutered. Dog fights were de rigueur in campgrounds in those days.

[blhvet]

The reservation fee for Alberta Privincial Parks is $12/reservation. Not bad if you're booking several days, but it makes it awfully expensive if you're only there for one night. And there are fewer and fewer parks with first come, first serve sites. I'm trying to make peace with it... ��

[padlin]

Same deal as ReserveAmerica down here, except there is one reservation fee per reservation, verses your per night.

[maurerl]

I wrote a letter to BC Parks after our last experience, suggesting their reservation policy is flawed. No response yet (probably never!).

Reservation fee applies for the first 3 nights of a stay, so if you're reserving 7 nights, you get nights 4 - 7 without the fee -- unless you have to book multiple campsites in the same campground because any one campsite isn't available for the contiguous block of 7 nights. Every time you move, even within the same campground, even on contiguous days, its a new reservation and the 3-day-clock starts anew.

OK, whine/snivel off now. Porteau Cove is still a nice place to camp (if you can get in)!

A bigger problem, in my opinion, is that some parks -- including Porteau Cove -- are now 100% reservation-only, and have zero sites set aside for first-come first-serve campers.

[maurerl]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Remember the 'good old days' when BC Provincial Parks had free firewood?

They still do -- but I hear the penalties for being caught cutting it are pretty severe!

[Iowa Dave]

The nightmare we call government these days is largely run by folks with administrative training but very little field experience. In addition, departments which do not actually produce product cost money to operate also do not generate revenue. The result is to use tax money to run IT, Accounting, Human Resources, and other non revenue producering departments. Then top level decision makers make the producers, water works, parks, recreation, libraries, solid waste, etc, try to make operational costs by raising revenue. Along with this comes reservation fees, higher fees, non resident fees, dog camper fees, and on and on. Solutions : boondock. disperse camp, senior pass, season passes, camp host, shoulder season reduced rates, Sunday thru Thursday outings, no holidays, they're a nightmare anyhow. etc.
I feel your pain.
Dave

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

The nightmare we call government these days is largely run by folks with administrative training but very little field experience.

When my favorite campground first went to a reservation system, there were twelve different categories depending on the type of campsite and the day of the week. The ranger told me that the state accountants had set it up based on the number of times in the previous year a particular site had been used. Needless to say, it was a nightmare for all involved with the rangers bearing the brunt of camper complaints. The fee schedule has since been greatly simplified.

[Kærnehuset]

From what I understand, the BC Parks reservation system is run by a company out of Ontario. Again, a mdddleman / person is involved and that drives up the price of a campsite. I agree the system is laborious and flawed as many people seem to have difficulties getting a reservation. And that is with high speed internet service. I really feel for those elsewhere in the province who don't. When the bell goes and you try to get a site, they are miraculously all taken! One thing that we have noticed is the people who rent RV's from the big RV rental companies seem to get many of the good campsites. Is this by chance or does something stink here?. Like Lotar and Wendy, we are going to write a letter to the Minister responsible BC Parks to register our concerns. Will they be heard or fall on deaf ears, who knows? If enough people complain, maybe they will change the way they do business. So please pass on your concerns and suggestions to try and affect change. My thoughts.

Scott

[Kærnehuset]

And here are the contact details for the BC Minister of Enviornment, who oversees BC Parks:

Honourable Mary Polak
PO Box 9047 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2

env.minister@gov.bc.ca
Telephone: 250 387-1187
Fax: 250 387-1356

Scott

[blhvet]

Fewer and fewer first come sites in Alberta as well. And I think the numbers will go down even more - I've talked to a few different campground managers, who say those sites often sit empty because everyone thinks they will be full because there are so few of them. Maybe they should have some "first come, first-serve, 1 night only" for people who are traveling

[Jim Bennett]

I booked 2 campsites for 3 nights in August at Falls Creek in Wells Grey PP in BC,t hrough discovercamping.ca. At $23/night for each site was $138. The total bill came in at $156.90, so effectively paid $18.90 for the booking, or $9.45 per site.

I had a heck of a time using their mobile app, but when I jumped on my PC, it was quite easy.




All of this beats the crap out of the system BC PPs used to have in place where you had to go and find a campsite where someone was leaving, and beg them to let you have it next.

[skyfree]

Camping is getting expensive and a spot in a popular place is becoming very difficult to obtain. Here in California I would gladly pay $6 extra per night for a reservation if I could get one, but unless you are able to reserve 6 months in advance and are able to get on the computer soon after they become available, forget it. Plans change in 6-months and I've had to walk away from expensive reservations on the coast twice, losing the entire amount both times. Very discouraging, but somehow it's still something we all do.

[gbaglo]

Nifty trick campers have been using here to secure a site for a long weekend is, when booking opens for the week ahead of the holiday, they reserve for a week and a half to cover the holiday. A couple days later, they cancel the first part and just keep the long weekend. They do pay a penalty for cancellation. This gets them a booking before those who think they have to wait for the holiday opening.
I suspect that BC Parks is on to this ruse and may have done something about it.

[padlin]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Nifty trick campers have been using here to secure a site for a long weekend is, when booking opens for the week ahead of the holiday, they reserve for a week and a half to cover the holiday. A couple days later, they cancel the first part and just keep the long weekend. They do pay a penalty for cancellation. This gets them a booking before those who think they have to wait for the holiday opening.
I suspect that BC Parks is on to this ruse and may have done something about it.

Works down here with ReserveAmerica too, at least that's what the customer service rep told me when I asked. Problem I've run into is checking out early. The people at the campgrounds have no idea what to do to get you your refund for the unused days. Only 1 of 3 times doing so actually worked.

[maurerl]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

. . . the system BC PPs used to have in place where you had to go and find a campsite where someone was leaving, and beg them to let you have it next.

This is exactly how we ended up getting campsites at Yellowstone & Crater Lake on our visit last fall -- not having planned down to the nth degree before we went on the trip.

Thank goodness for the USFS & BLM, and, locally, for the BC Forest Service & the timber and utility companies, although they're on a much smaller scale than the US providers.

[Greg A]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Nifty trick campers have been using here to secure a site for a long weekend is, when booking opens for the week ahead of the holiday, they reserve for a week and a half to cover the holiday. A couple days later, they cancel the first part and just keep the long weekend. They do pay a penalty for cancellation. This gets them a booking before those who think they have to wait for the holiday opening.
I suspect that BC Parks is on to this ruse and may have done something about it.

They've been doing a similar deal in CA for years. They'll book the Monday through Sunday for the Holiday weekend. They then pull the trailer out on Monday, set it up and leave until they come for the weekend on Friday night. Somehow they get these spaces reserved for the Holiday weeks the second the reservations open 6 mos out.