Prep'ing to Explore Canada's National Parks

[Suanne]

For their 150th birthday, Canada is offering free admission to their National Parks

I've only taken a few forays into Victoria and Vancouver, BC while living in WA.  And drove the Trans-Canada Hwy straight through from above MI to ME in the Summer of 2010.  So, I've very limited experience. 

I've heard some good stuff about Canada's National Parks and just can't pass up the perk of free admission, along with the thrill of being in the midst of amazing natural settings.   My plan is to start on the west coast in May and June, working my way east to enjoy the Fall colors both in Canada and in the northeast US.  I'll be in my Prius.

In 2010 I did a similar excursion for 6 months, exploring the US National Parks.  I really enjoyed camping within them.  So, for those Canadians here, and the US'ers who know, I'm looking for some insights.

Are campgrounds available in most of Canada's National Parks?  Are reservations necessary?  If so, should I book early?  For the northern most parks, when is the earliest I could get into them?  Is there a must-have travel guide for the Canadian Parks?   Although admission is free in 2017, campgrounds are not; can US citizens get a senior discount?  At what age?

What am I missing that I should think about?  What about cell and data in Canada (I have Verizon).  Is there even cell coverage in the National Parks?  Is it best to use a credit card primarily, or cash?   As an American, is there anything I should be aware of?

Lots more questions than answers right now.  I look forward to any feedback, answers, additional questions, or concerns that you can provide.

I so look forward to being on the road again!

Suanne

 

[Almost There]

Let me study up on it and I'll have a bunch of answers for you at the RTR.

One thing I do know - Verizon and likely your phone itself won't work in Canada. My Samsung S4 bought in Canada specifically for dual country use was deemed unusable in the US by Verizon. I now own 2 phones that are each used for 6 months in their own respective countries. There will be areas north of Lake Superior where no one except the locals can get coverage because T-Baytel has a monopoly.

Virgin Mobile runs off of Bell towers and will likely give you the best service in Canada, also the nicest to deal with (really, they are) and you can get a no contract service with them.

Hope you've got a deep wallet, Canadian prices are going to hurt you really badly.

I'll be driving east from Ontario in May so we might just pass each other (hell, we'll plan on it) somewhere on the Trans Canada - I'm moving to BC.

For right now, the answers are: no, yes, yes, July, don't know, not likely, a wad of money, see above, maybe, combination of both, check with your bank on fees for use of charge cards in Canada, check your health insurance to make sure you are covered.

See you soon!

 

[abnorm]

Fifty years ago as a child I visited Algonquin provincial park in Ontario............We traveled in a convoy of over 100 travel trailers in a group called Samco Safari Trailer Club out of the Buffalo area..........the designated camping spot was the old airfield.......when we camped the group "circled the wagons" and had the center field for our activities.......When we convoyed Dad was always the "caboose" with radio and tools and skills for any rescue/breakdowns

Here's where the trouble started......The wagonmaster started circling the field BUT made a mistake and headed Counterclockwise....this placed the trailer doors pointing OUT ! ............ YO WRONG WAY!........ Soon all of the rigs are following an intricate "snake dance" to turn the entire convoy inside out ....It worked and we camped.....an incredible place ........Moose close enough to almost touch......cold clear water......

When we parked Dad found a "Just Married" sign pasted on the back of our rig..........with six kids in the car no wonder people were looking and honking as they passed us on the road.........The group hosted a shotgun wedding for my folks........good times

I would Love to go back but will probably never cross the border again........doug


Almost Beth............Which way......East or West ?

 

[Almost There]

Almost Beth............Which way......East or West ?

Oh hell, I'll be driving from the East heading West! What can I say, I'm left-handed and used to be blonde.....

 

[Suanne]

Thanks Beth!

I sure look forward to seeing you again. I should be in Eberg around the 1st. And let's plan to meet up on your trek to BC too!

Thanks for all the answers ... I feel like I have a place to start now.

Are campgrounds available in most of Canada's National Parks? -- no
Are reservations necessary? -- yes
If so, should I book early? -- yes
For the northern most parks, when is the earliest I could get into them? -- July
Is there a must-have travel guide for the Canadian Parks? -- don't know
Although admission is free in 2017, campgrounds are not; can US citizens get a senior discount? -- not likely
At what age? --
What am I missing that I should think about? -- a wad of money
What about cell and data in Canada (I have Verizon). -- see above [in Almost There's post]
Is there even cell coverage in the National Parks? -- maybe
Is it best to use a credit card primarily, or cash? -- check with your bank on fees for use of charge cards in Canada
As an American, is there anything I should be aware of? -- Check your health insurance to make sure you are covered

Since most of the National Parks don't have campgrounds, can you disperse camp on public lands?

Looks like another cell phone is in my future

Thanks again.

Suanne

 

[WriterMs]

Suanne,
Thanks for this thread. When I no longer need to be "back home" for my mom, I expect to spend a lot of time in western Canada during the summers (to avoid being in the US). I am concerned about the added costs, but have only been to Banff and that was decades ago.

So I'll get a heads up by reading your questions and the answers.

 

[Almost There]

Since most of the National Parks don't have campgrounds, can you disperse camp on public lands?



Thanks again.

Suanne

It's called Crown Land in Canada and yes, you can.

BC is very much easier to camp in for little or nothing. In addition to having the most National Parks in the country, they also have an extensive amount of provincial parks, and a ton of campgrounds run by Fish & Wildlife, MNR, First Nations and BCHydro (that's the provincial electric company... ) as well as crown land.

I've not done the prairies so I'll be figuring that one out for myself anyways and will share.

Ontario has a lot of crown land but their policy is almost anti-public use. They lease the crown land out to forestry companies for logging who put in roads as needed but then part of their contract is that they have to decommission the roads when they're done. They take out the culverts and plow up the entrances to close the roads thereby preventing public access from them. Most people who camp on crown land do so on canoe and backpacking trips or access by ATV, not in their vehicles. There is absolutely no crown land in southern Ontario.

But hey, we have lots of WalMarts....

Again, no experience with Eastern Canada and you'll be on your own down there, I'm heading west....

You might be wise to take a look at Boondockerswelcome.com as an additional source of places to stay.

 

[rvwandering]

I'll give it a try Suanne. We visited most of the Canadian national parks along the British Columbia/Alberta border in June 2015. Almost all have campgrounds but some are not opened until late June. We found some beautiful spots to boondock. http://rollinginarv-wheelchairtraveling.blogspot.com/2015/06/boondocking-along-hwy-1.html

 We haven't visited any of the prairie parks.

  We visited Nova Scotia and Newfoundland in Summer of 2014. I highly recommended visiting Newfoundland if you have the time. It's a long ferry trip and the island is large so takes a bit of time to see even some of the sights. The national parks have campgrounds.

  Answers to some of your questions:

 Are campgrounds available in most of Canada's National Parks?  - Yes in the national parks but not the national historic sites.
Are reservations necessary? - We did not make any.
For the northern most parks, when is the earliest I could get into them? -- July
Although admission is free in 2017, campgrounds are not; can US citizens get a senior discount? -- no
What about cell and data in Canada (I have Verizon). - We have AT&T and could add Canada for $20.00 a month plus a high charge per minute but it's probably different now. Most Walmarts have free WiFi that you can access from the parking lot.
As an American, is there anything I should be aware of - Canadians are super friendly.  

  I have a lot of information on my blog about all of the parks that we visited. Just click on the province name on the list the right side. I also have some of the boondocking spots on this map - https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?...ll=42.739046848340614,-111.96575889999997&z=4

 

[ahh_me2]

Can't help you much on your questions as I'm a Canadian, Urban Vandweller.
Everyone wants to visit Banff, but Jasper is also is a very nice area, just further north.
If you ever find yourself in Edmonton Alberta, let me know, we can do coffee and swap stories!

I've lived all across Canada in my life, some beautiful scenery, so many places well worth visiting.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

There's a pretty good Canadian photographer named Darwin Wiggett who's published several ebooks on shooting the western National Parks in Canada.

http://www.darwinwiggett.com/ebooks/

 

[Travelmonkey]

Most credit cards will charge a fee (3%, is typical) for foreign transactions. Some credit cards waive this fee but typically these are airlines or business related type cards that carry an annual fee (Southwest Airlines credit card and Chase Sapphire are 2 cards that waive foreign transaction fees). It might make sense to research a card for this purpose so you are not carrying too much cash or hunting for an ATM.

If you have a newer smart phone, it you might be able to add a SIM card when you get to Canada. Many carriers, this is a no brainer. Just swap the SIM card in your unlocked phone. I think Verizon is phone dependent though.

Sounds like an epic trip, I look forward to following. Safe travels.

 

[Suanne]

...BC is very much easier to camp in ... most National Parks in the country, ... provincial parks, and a ton of campgrounds run by Fish & Wildlife, MNR, First Nations and BCHydro (that's the provincial electric company... ) as well as crown land. I've not done the prairies so I'll be figuring that one out for myself anyways and will share ... absolutely no crown land in southern Ontario.  But hey, we have lots of WalMarts. ...take a look at Boondockerswelcome.com as an additional source of places to stay.

Thanks again Beth.  Great info on dispersed camping on public/Crown land, and camping in general.  I see lots of research in my future

... the Canadian national parks along the British Columbia/Alberta ... Almost all have campgrounds ... We found some beautiful spots to boondock. http://rollinginarv-wheelchairtraveling.blogspot.com/2015/06/boondocking-along-hwy-1.html ...

We visited Nova Scotia and ... highly recommended visiting Newfoundland ... The national parks have campgrounds ...

Are campgrounds available in most of Canada's National Parks?  - Yes in the national parks but not the national historic sites.
Are reservations necessary? - We did not make any...
Most Walmarts have free WiFi that you can access from the parking lot...
Canadians are super friendly.  

I have a lot of information on my blog about all of the parks that we visited. Just click on the province name on the list the right side. I also have some of the boondocking spots on this map - https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?...ll=42.739046848340614,-111.96575889999997&z=4

Thanks much Karen.  I should of thought about checking out your blog and map of boondocking spots ... it's a treasure trove of information and inspiration!

... If you ever find yourself in Edmonton Alberta, let me know, we can do coffee and swap stories! ...

You got it ahh_me2!  I do enjoy meeting up with other "vandwellers" on my travels.

... good Canadian photographer ... Darwin Wiggett ... ebooks on shooting the western National Parks in Canada. http://www.darwinwiggett.com/ebooks/

I'll check that out OP.  Thanks!

Most credit cards will charge a fee (3%, is typical) for foreign transactions. Some credit cards waive this fee but ... carry an annual fee ... research a card ... so you are not carrying too much cash or hunting for an ATM.

Very good info Travelmonkey.  I agree that a card and a little cash is probably the best strategy ... no different than in the States.  Thank you!

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I spent a lot of time all over Canada, crown land is reserved for citizens only but that would not be a problem as hardly anyone polices it, There are so many places to camp in BC because of it's largeness and boondocking especially for a night or two would be very easy. Check out under bridges by streams or rivers. usually a fishing hole or a access road for bridge inspection or left over from the build. Over a six month period a couple of years back, we paid out 110 dollars in campgrounds, and showers, from Vancouver, north to Alaska then across to Quebec. About the same another year when we did the Translabrador, and the maritime provinces that trip only lasted 3 months. We found driving on the secondary highways through the prairies that a lot of small towns had camping areas in town that were either very cheap or mostly free, equipped with toilets. Around the National Parks it is very expensive, I once rocked up on a motorbike in Jasper to camp about 8 years ago, the campground wanted 40 dollars for the night for a tent site, no showers, I kept riding, got caught in a snow storm at a high pass in August, got soaked from the rain and was forced to stop at a motel that charged me 165.00 for the night. live and learn. The one thing about Canada and this is true for the northern part of the states is that you have to be prepared for any kind of weather even in August especially if you are going high. It doesn't have to be expensive. If you are traveling outside of America don't admit you voted for Trump, you will be better received/perceived the rest of the world is not impressed. Safe travels