Parks Canada refunds camping minus fees 3+ days out; inside 3 days you lose the first night. The West Coast Trail's 21-day rule, Lake O'Hara's 3:30pm cutoff, shuttles and fees.
Last checked: October 2026. Rules are from Parks Canada's reservation policies as of that date. Some individual parks publish their own rules on top; check your park's page.
Parks Canada has one main cancellation rule for camping, and a set of exceptions for the places people most want to go. Knowing which one applies tells you how much you'll lose if you cancel, and, if you're trying to get in, when other people are most likely to give up their spots.
The fees
- Reservation fee: $11.50 online, $13.50 by phone. Non-refundable. For day-use activities and shuttles it's $3.50 online, $5.50 by phone.
- Change or cancellation fee: $11.50 online, $13.50 by phone, per change or cancellation. Non-refundable.
The rules by type
| Reservation type | Cancel early | Cancel late | Deadline |
|---|
| Frontcountry camping | 3+ days before arrival: refund minus reservation and cancellation fees | Under 3 days: also lose the first night | Until 11am the day after arrival, then no-show rules |
| oTENTiks, yurts, cabins | Same as frontcountry | Same, first night of accommodation | Same |
| Backcountry camping | 3+ days before: refund minus fees | Under 3 days: also lose the first night's backcountry fee | Changes until 2pm on arrival day |
| Lake O'Hara campground | As backcountry | As backcountry | Changes and cancellations close 3:30pm the day before |
| Lake O'Hara day-use bus | — | — | Booking possible until 3:30pm the day before |
| West Coast Trail | 21+ days before: use, orientation and ferry fees refunded | 20 days or fewer: use fees not refunded | Booking until 11:59pm two days before |
| Chilkoot Trail, Long Range Mountains | 21+ days: route fees refunded | 20 days or fewer: 50% of route fees refunded | Same as WCT |
| Moraine Lake and Lake Louise shuttle | Up to 1 hour before departure: refund minus fees | Less than 1 hour: no cancellations | 1 hour before departure |
| Alpine Start shuttle (Moraine Lake) | — | — | Changes and cancellations close 3pm the day before |
| Day-use activities | 3+ days: refund minus fees | Under 3 days: 50% of prepaid activity fees | — |
No-shows
For frontcountry and roofed accommodation, a no-show can ask for a refund by calling the park within 30 days of the scheduled departure, minus the reservation fee and the first two nights. After that, everything is forfeited. Parks Canada says: "Your reservation will be cancelled and your campsite will be made available to other guests."
For backcountry, Parks Canada notes that the general no-show rule doesn't apply to several parks, including Jasper and Banff, Kootenay and Yoho, which follow their own park policies. At Lake O'Hara, missing your bus without telling anyone makes you a no-show and the campground reservation is released back into inventory. West Coast Trail no-shows forfeit everything.
Changes
- Frontcountry and backcountry: 3+ days before arrival, you pay the price difference and a change fee. Inside 3 days, also the first night.
- Extending a stay with the same arrival date has no change fee.
- West Coast Trail: 21+ days out, price difference plus a change fee. Inside 20 days, use fees aren't refundable. See West Coast Trail permits.
Closures
If Parks Canada closes a site, all affected reservations are cancelled and fully refunded, including service fees. Rebooking after it reopens is a new reservation. If you cancel because of weather or smoke without an official closure, standard fees apply.
When sites reappear
The rules create points where cancelling suddenly gets more expensive. People who know they can't go tend to cancel just before them. This is our reading of the policy, not measured data yet:
| What | Most likely window |
|---|
| Frontcountry campgrounds (Two Jack, Tunnel Mountain, Green Point, Cyprus Lake…) | 4 to 3 days before arrival, plus no-shows released after arrival day |
| Backcountry sites | 4 to 3 days before, and changes up to 2pm on arrival day |
| Lake O'Hara campground and bus | The three-day mark, and the afternoon before, until 3:30pm |
| West Coast Trail | 22 to 21 days before each start date |
| Chilkoot | 22 to 21 days before |
| Moraine Lake shuttle | Up to an hour before each departure, plus the 8am release two days before. See Moraine Lake shuttle sold out |
Outside those windows, sites still come back as plans change: groups shrink, and people who booked several options on launch day drop the extras.
Watching with Canada Camp Alerts
Canada Camp Alerts watches a set of high-demand Parks Canada facilities, including Two Jack Lakeside, Tunnel Mountain Village 2, Floe Lake, the Banff, Kootenay and Yoho backcountry, Lake O'Hara Campground, the Lake O'Hara Bus, the West Coast Trail, the Moraine Lake shuttle, Kejimkujik backcountry and Stormhaven at Bruce Peninsula. The list is on /parks.
Set a watch on the facility page for your nights (or days, for shuttles and buses). We alert you when one goes from booked out to open, meaning any site, pad or seat at that facility is available. Each night or day is judged on its own. We don't check that one site is free for your whole trip, and we don't match party size or equipment, so check the details on Parks Canada's site before you pay. You book there; we never book or hold anything.
- Free: one watch for one night, email, 15 minutes after pass holders.
- Season pass: C$25 once, 12 months, no auto-renew. Up to 10 watches, date ranges, instant email, Telegram and browser push. With 3:30pm and one-hour cutoffs, the 15-minute delay on the free plan matters.
FAQ
What is the Parks Canada cancellation policy for camping?
Cancel 3 or more days before arrival and you're refunded minus the reservation fee and cancellation fee ($11.50 online each). Inside 3 days, you also lose the first night.
Is the reservation fee refundable?
No, except when Parks Canada closes the site.
What about the West Coast Trail?
Use fees are refundable only if you cancel 21 or more days before your start date.
When is the Lake O'Hara cutoff?
3:30pm the day before, for both the campground and the bus.
Can I cancel a Moraine Lake shuttle ticket?
Yes, up to one hour before departure, minus the fees. The Alpine Start closes at 3pm the day before.
Does Parks Canada refund for bad weather?
Only if it officially closes the site. Otherwise standard fees apply.
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