As the 2024 camping season approaches, outdoor enthusiasts are set to experience enhancements in the Northwest Territories’ park reservation process. Starting tomorrow, April 16th, a modernized, more user-friendly online booking system will be launched.
“It’s a very awesome new system, lots of new features, lots of different ways to see availability,” Stephanie McCabe, the territorial government’s director of tourism and parks, said in a CBC news report.
N.W.T Parks has introduced a streamlined online reservation portal last month at www.nwtparks.goingtocamp.com, designed to improve the user experience. The improvement includes an entirely redesigned interface that simplifies the process of finding park information and booking campsites. Users are encouraged to create new user accounts ahead of the reservation opening day.
Located off Highway 3 near Behchokǫ, the newly established North Arm Territorial Park campground boasts 15 powered sites and essential amenities such as washroom facilities, a kitchen shelter, and a boat launch.
The 2023 season saw unprecedented challenges due to widespread wildfires, which affected over 4.1 million hectares across the N.W.T., leading to early shutdowns of campground operations. Escarpment Creek campground remains closed this season due to the extensive damage it sustained.
The introduction of the new reservation system and the addition of the North Arm Territorial Park campground are expected to attract more visitors and enhance their camping experience. Every camping season, visitors to the Northwest Territories have the opportunity to secure one of 10 full-season or 80 half-season campsites at discounted rates.
In N.W.T., the Ingraham Trail Route offers a stunning drive starting from Yellowknife and stretching 70 km to Tibbitt Lake. This route showcases the rugged beauty of the Precambrian landscape, dotted with lakes, campgrounds, picnic sites, and boat launches. Outdoor enthusiasts traveling on this scenic highway can enjoy a variety of recreational activities, including hiking, canoeing, and fishing, amidst breathtaking views of forests, ancient rock formations, and abundant wildlife.
Further enhancing the Northern experience, the Waterfalls Route begins as Highway 35 crosses from Alberta into the NWT, becoming NWT Highway 1. Extending to Checkpoint, this route is famed for its impressive array of waterfalls, from cascades to torrents, and offers access to remote campgrounds like the 60th Parallel, Twin Falls Gorge, Lady Evelyn Falls, and Sambaa Deh Falls.
For more information about the upcoming campground opening dates, visit here.
