Well, we booked our 1 week traditional trip to Sandbanks PP this morning. Getting through on the phone is like trying to win a radio call in contest, but we did it and got a great spot.
Provincial parks keep raising their fees, but I keep coming back for more, guess I'm a sucker for punishment $288 for 6 nights
Anywho nice dreaming of the upcoming season as the trailer sits outside with a foot of snow on it...
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We noticed that last summer in western Canada at the provincial parks where we stayed. Many/most were not only approx double the price we paid in 2006, they were now run by private, for profit concessionaires. Who also wanted to charge us $5 to use the sani-dump which was included, in the past as I remember. It is one thing to charge me, as a non Canadian citizen to use the parks, but since those parks were built with Canadian tax dollars and then to double the cost to a citizen, seems a bit much. Just hope both of our governments don't decide to lease out our highway systems and allow some companies to charge us to drive on them.
Last summer at the Kootenai NP just out of Radium Hot Springs we paid $47 per night. Almost as high as some of the Florida campgrounds. LOL
I do enjoy the provincial parks, like you do, so will keep coming back as long as I can travel and pay the going rate. (doesn't mean I won't complain though) LOL
I
joe b.
Stuart Florida
Formerly of Colorado and Alaska
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Alaska-Colorado and other Trips posted
"Without challenge, adventure is impossible".
I think all government run parks are feeling the crunch of less money from the government coffers. So to keep them open they have to charge the using public more. Still far cheaper than a private park and generally they provide much better scenery.
Donn,Lorri,Max (The Rescued Lab)
Resident Know It All
There is more people camping in Alberta than ever before, campgrounds are typically booked solid 75 days in advance.. Reservations start 90 days prior to first night stay.
There was supposed to be a bunch of new campsites put into the PP's, but I haven't seen anything on that recently.
That $ 288 is how many loonies? Welcome to the real world. I Always tell our children that they grew up in the best times, 1950 through early 1970.
Cars, Food, Travel, Gas were all within our reach, though we earned less per Hr . It was still great.
Could it be that there is a strong lobby from private RV parks, as seems to be the case in VA VA State Park legislation thread? We always loved the PPs in Canada but I wouldn't even go up there, now. Can't afford it!
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donn0128 wrote: Still far cheaper than a private park and generally they provide much better scenery.
Not necessarily. Last time we went to stay at Rathtrevor it was $30/night (last year I think). Due to a storm in the area we delayed departure by a day. However, we discovered the park was almost full for what was open at the time. So, we ended up staying at Whiskey Creek Campground for $28/night. So let's compare:
Rathtrevor PP: $30/night, you get:
1) Flat Pad
2) Picnic Table
3) Fire Ring
4) Water From a nearby tap
5) Mostly outhouses for washrooms (yes there are flush toilets in certain locations)
Whiskey Creek Campground: $28/night, you get:
1) Grassy, mostly flat site
2) Movable picnic table
3) Fire Ring
4) 15/30Amp power (depending on site)
5) Water connection (though it is well water)
6) Flush Toilets
7) Toys for the kids to play with
Seems to me the private site in this case is more economical. Having said that, though, when I first started camping, Rathtrevor was $18.50/night, and you got all the free firewood you could burn.
Not all private sites are cheaper, though. It depends on the site(s) in question.
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$288 for 6 nights
