Provincial parks and campsites expected to be busy for long weekend

Saskatchewan’s provincial parks expect to be busy over the Canada Day long weekend.

According to the provincial government, lots of people are hitting the road and gearing up to soak in the nice weather that’s expected over the weekend.

“For many people, this kicks off the summer, and it’s a huge weekend for us,” said Robin Campese, executive director of visitor experiences with the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport.

Campese said a lot of the electrified campsites in the southern and central parts of the province are fully booked up for the weekend, but there are still some electric sites available if you’re willing to make the drive up north. She noted there will be some non-electric sites available throughout the province, including the southern and central regions.

According to Campese, the camping numbers so far in 2023 are very similar to what she saw in 2022.

“We’re pretty much on par at this point. Of course there’s people who book at the last minute, and then some people’s plans change,” Campese explained.

“Last year was a big year for us. It wasn’t as big as 2021, with the one million visits, but I think 2022 was our highest year with visitation and camping.”

Because of the Canada Day long weekend, Campese noted there will be 14 different parks hosting festivities for visitors to enjoy.

“We have so much going on. (The Canada Day events) will take place from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.,” she added.

“We’ll have cake and cupcakes, beach relays for families, and then we’ll close out the day with the second annual Canuck Quest.”

Reservations for SaskParks campsites and the full list of Canada Day events can be found on its website.