“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” said a Parks Canada warden to me years ago. “If you’re going on an overnight hike in a national park, well, you’ve just got to camp.”

And so a camper was born.

Different Camping Styles

But not everyone is such an easy convert to the ways of camping. There are lots of people who don’t want to hoof their homes on their backs or spend a night squirming around a bulge of roots that threaten to split open the floor of your tent.

And Parks Canada is on to you.

Parks Canada Offers New Accommodations

Marking their 100th birthday with loads of special programs all summer long, Parks Canada has also launched some innovative parks accommodation programs. Here’s a few for you to check out:

Georgian Bay Islands National Park

(Photo credit Parks Canada/ W. Waterton/ 1991)

Georgian Bay Islands National Park near Port Severn, ON, offers an all-inclusive package that includes a Friday pick-up in Honey Harbour and pre-assembled luxury campsites for two nights ($179/weekend).

St. James National Historic Site

(Photo credit Parks Canada/ D. Houston/ 2003)

St. James National Historic Site in BC offers a rustic bed & breakfast in its Officer’s House ($100/night dinner and breakfast included).
 

Elk Island National Park

(Photo credit Parks Canada/ Barrett & MacKay/ 1986)

Elk Island National Park, east of Edmonton, AB, has three new teepees that you can reserve. Each teepee campsite can accommodate up to 18 people, so they’re great for family reunions. They’re equipped with a fire pit, picnic table, raised platform and sleeping pads ($55/night).
 

Yurt Camping in Canada's National Parks

(Photo credit Parks Canada/ E. Le Bel/ 2008)

Yurts, portable, wood lattice-framed dwelling structures used by Turkic and Mongolian nomads, are available year-round with all gear (except bedding or sleeping bags) at Manitoba’s Riding Mountain National Park in the Wasagaming campground ($65/night), Quebec’s Parc national Forillon ($129/night), New Brunswick’s Fundy National Park in the Headquarters campground ($90/night) and Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula National Park at Cypress Lake Campground.
 

Jasper National Park

(Photo credit Parks Canada/ Barrett & MacKay/ 1986)

Prospector tents that are already set up are available at Whistler’s Campground in Jasper National Park, AB, from $70/night.

To book any of these experiences, call the Parks Canada campground reservation service at 1-877-737-3783 or go to pccamping.ca.