In the rainy and snowy winter, I can’t help but reminisce about warm and sunny summer backpacking trips. And the more I think about backpacking, the more I want to go backpacking. Which leads me to start flipping through guidebooks, spread maps across the dining room table and spend far too much time googling trails. What do backpackers like me do in the offseason? Plan next year’s trips! The most spectacular trips are often ones that are in popular or fragile places, so they often have reservation systems in place. And nothing sucks more than finding out a trip you want to do is booked up! So I’ve put together a complete list of the Washington and BC backpacking reservation dates you need to know. Put these dates in your calendar people! (Or if you’re like me, agonize over which trip to pick since they all sound amazing!) I’ve got reservation dates for you for 10 different trips in South West BC, Interior and Eastern BC and Washington State. Plus there’s also details on how to reserve and my top tips for getting those hard-to-get reservations.

Quick Reference Chart

 

Trail/Park	When to Reserve	Where to Reserve
Bowron Lake Circuit, BC	Oct 1 2017	Online
Berg Lake, BC	Oct 1 2017	Online
West Coast Trail, BC	January 8, 2018	Online
Enchantments, WA	February 15, 2018	Online
Rockwall Trail, BC	March 1, 2018	By phone
Mount Rainier National Park, WA	March 15, 2018	Online
North Cascades national Park, WA	March 15, 2018	Online
Olympic National Park, WA	February 15, 2018	By Email or Snail Mail
Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC	4 months before your trip	Online
Lake O’Hara, BC	3 months before your trip	By phone

 

South West BC Backpacking Reservation Dates

 

West Coast Trail Reservations

 

What: This 75km (46.5 mile) trail is full of beaches, coastal rainforest, ladders and boardwalks. Since it’s a West Coast rite of passage it is on many bucket lists and is probably the most popular multi-day hike in Canada. Want more info? My friend Mike from MB Guiding has a great online West Coast Trail Guide. You can also check out the Pacific Rim National Park website.

When to Reserve: Starting January 8, 2018 at 8am PST

Where to Reserve: Online on the Pacific Rim National Park website. There’s also info on reserving by phone here.

How Much Do Reservations Cost: Reservations cost $24.50. There is a $127.50 fee to hike the trail, plus two mandatory $20 ferry crossings and a National Parks entry fee.

Tips and Tricks for Getting a Reservation: You need an account on the Park’s website so create one ahead of time so you don’t get slowed down on reservation day. Be ready with your preferred start dates, start location and a few alternates.  For better odds, avoid July and August which are the busiest.

 

Garibaldi Provincial Park Reservations

 

What: South West BC’s premiere alpine backpacking destination with several trailheads and campgrounds to choose from. Reservations are required for all the campgrounds as well as the Elfin Lakes Shelter. For more info on trails and destinations, check out the BC parks website.

When to Reserve: Up to 4 months before your trip.

Where to Reserve: Online via Discover Camping.

How Much Do Reservations Cost: Reservations cost $6/night per tent pad, up to a max reservation fee of $18. You will also have to pay a per person backcountry fee of $10 for campsites and $15 for the Elfin Lakes Shelter.

Tips and Tricks for Getting a Reservation: Make your reservation as early as possible. For better chances avoid long weekends or pick a mid-week trip. If you can’t get a reservation for the Garibaldi Lake campground, consider booking Taylor Meadows or Helm Creek and then hiking over to Garibaldi Lake for the day. Can’t get a Garibaldi reservation for the dates you want? Check out my list of other awesome BC alpine backpacking destinations that don’t require a reservation.

 

 

Interior and Eastern BC Backpacking Reservation Dates

 

Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit Reservations

 

What: The Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit connects numerous lakes and rivers through portages to make a roughly square-shaped 116km (72 mile) route. It takes about 6 to 10 days to complete. (Yes I know this is a canoe trip, not a backpacking route, but it’s a similar wilderness experience and the only paddling trip in BC that requires reservations, so it made the list.) To see what it’s like, check out Gemma and JR’s Bowron Lakes trip report on their blog Off Track Travel. More info on the BC Parks website.

When to Reserve: Starting Oct 1 2017

Where to Reserve: Online via Discover Camping.

How Much Do Reservations Cost: The reservation fee is $18.00 (plus tax) and there is also a $60 per person canoe circuit user fee.

Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation: Reserve as early as possible since this route is popular with international travellers. Know how many canoes and people will be in your party before you make your reservation as only a set number of canoes and people may depart per day. July and August are the busiest and if you opt for June or September you’ll have much better chances. Check out Kenzie’s June trip where they didn’t see anyone else for days!

 

Berg Lake Reservations

 

What: The Berg Lake Trail is a 23km backcountry trail into a gorgeous glacier lake in Mount Robson Provincial Park on the BC side of the Rocky Mountains. It’s called Berg Lake since the glacier calves icebergs right into the lake. For more info check out Marta’s Berg Lake Trail Guide on her blog In a Far Away Land and the BC Parks website.

When to Reserve: Oct 1 2017

Where to Reservations: Online via Discover Camping

How Much Do Reservations Cost: Reservations cost $6/night per tent pad, up to a max reservation fee of $18. You will also have to pay a per person backcountry fee of $10/person/night.

Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation. Reserve as early as possible since this route is popular with international travellers. There are 7 campgrounds on the trail so be sure to have a few options for first choice, second choice etc.

 

Rockwall Trail Reservations

 

What: The premiere backpacking destination in Kootenay National Park is the Rockwall Trail.  It’s a 55km multi-day high alpine backpacking route through the Rocky Mountains. It passes by numerous waterfalls and the famous rockwall. For more information see the Kootenay National Park website.

When to Reserve: March 1, 2018

Where to Reserve: By phone by calling  the Lake Louise Visitor Centre from March 1st until May 18th, 2017 and the Kootenay Visitor Centre from May 19th until October 9th. Phone numbers are listed on the Kootenay National Park website.

How Much Do Reservations Cost: Reservations cost 11.70. You’ll also need to purchase a wilderness pass for $9.80

Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation: You have reserve each of your campsites on the trail so have a few different itinerary options prepared before you call. Call in the morning as soon as the visitor center opens and be prepared to wait on hold or hit redial a bunch of times. Have a few members of your group call on separate phone lines to increase your chances that one of you will get through.

 

Lake O’Hara Reservations

 

What: The Lake O’Hara area has a small 30-site backcountry campground that accesses over a dozen day hikes. It is a truly spectacular spot set among alpine lakes and hanging valleys in the Rocky Mountains inside Yoho National Park. You can base yourself at the campground and head out on a different and spectacular hike each day. And the best part? You can take a shuttle bus on a private road right to your campsite! For more info and some drool-worthy photos, check out my friend Kristen’s Lake O’Hara Camping and Hiking Guide on her blog Bearfoot Theory or on Yoho National Park’s website.

When to Reserve: Three months before your trip.(The first date you can call and make reservations is April 2, 2018.)

Where to Reserve: By phone at 250-343-6433.  For details on times the phone line is open, please see the Lake O’Hara Camping Reservation info page on the Yoho National Park website.

How Much Do Reservations Cost:  Reservations cost $11.70 and your reservation is valid for both a campsite and the shuttle bus. You’ll also need to purchase a wilderness pass for $9.80/person/night.

Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation. Call in the morning as soon as the visitor center opens and be prepared to wait on hold or hit redial a bunch of times. (Most days are fully booked by 10am.) Have a few members of your group call on separate phone lines to increase your chances that one of you will get through.

 

 

Washington Backpacking Reservation Dates

 

Enchantments Backpacking Reservations

 

What: The Enchantments are a high alpine area in Washington’s Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Most people do a 19 mile (30km) thru-hike to see the whole area, but numerous side trips are also possible. For a full guide to the area check out Clever Hiker’s Enchantment Lakes Backpacking Guide.

When to Reserve: Enchantments reservations work on a lottery system. Put in an application for the lottery in between Feb 15 and March 2. Check back in mid-March to see if you “won” the lottery and got a reservation. You have until the end of March to convert your lottery win to a reservation.

Where to Reserve: Online on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest website.

How Much Do Reservations Cost: There is a $6 application fee plus a $5/person/night fee if your application is accepted.

Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation: Pick a start date in the middle of the week. Consider applying for the Snow Zone or the Colchuck Zone and then day hiking into the Core Zone, instead of applying for a difficult-to-get Core Zone permit. Get everyone in your group to submit an application to increase your chances.

 

Mount Rainier National Park Backpacking Reservations

 

What: The crown jewel of Mount Rainier National Park is the 93 mile/105km Wonderland Trail which circumnavigates the mountain. If you aren’t up to the entire Wonderland Trail, you can tackle shorter sections of it or backpack on some of the parks other trails. Find out more on the Mount Rainier National Park website.

When to Reserve: Reservations open on March 15, 2018. All reservation requests received between March 15 and March 31 go into a lottery for priority. All reservation requests received April 1st onwards are processed in the order they were received.

Where to Reserve: Online via the Mountain Rainier National Park website. A park ranger will get back to you within a few weeks to let you know if a reservation is available for your requested dates.

How Much Do Reservations Cost: The reservation fee is $20.

Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation: Submit several alternative itineraries. Submit your reservation request before March 31, especially if you want to hike the whole Wonderland Trail. You can only submit one reservation request per person so if cost isn’t an issue, consider having everyone in your group submit requests.

 

Olympic National Park Backpacking Reservations

 

What: Olympic National Park is a huge park with a variety of rainforest, alpine and beach backpacking trips. For beach backpacking trip ideas, check out my guides to the beautiful coastal backcountry areas of Ozette Loop and Shi Shi Beach. For a complete list of trails, see the Olympic National Park website.

When to Reserve: Starting February 15, 2018 for all trips between May 1 and September 30.

Where to Reserve: Send in your reservation request form by email or snail mail. The mailing address and email address are on the ONP website.  Wait for the Wilderness Information Center to email you back to confirm you have a reservation. In busy times it may take a few weeks to receive your email.

How Much Do Reservations Cost: There is no reservation fee, but you will have to submit credit card info to pay a wilderness fee of $8/person/night.

Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation: Send in your reservation request as early as possible. Include several alternate itineraries on your reservation request, especially for long weekends. You can only submit one reservation request per person so if cost isn’t an issue, consider having a few people in your group submit requests.

 

North Cascades National Park Backpacking Reservations

 

What: North Cascades National Park is a huge park with tons of backpacking options, most of them high in the mountains. Reservations are not required for the more remote corners of the park, and they do hold aside a certain number of permits in popular areas for first come-first served permits. But if you want to visit the most popular areas. You can find info on all the trails on the North Cascades National Park website. Looking for trip ideas? Check out my trail guide for the East Bank Trail on Ross Lake.

When to Reserve: Reservations open on March 15, 2018. All reservation requests received between March 15 and March 31 go into a lottery for priority. All reservation requests received April 1st onwards are processed in the order they were received.

Where to Reserve: Online via the North Cascades National Park website. A park ranger will get back to you within a few weeks to let you know if a reservation is available for your requested dates.

How Much Do Reservations Cost: $20 reservation fee

Tips and Tricks For Getting a Reservation: Come up with lots of alternative itineraries. Submit early. You can only submit one reservation request per person so if cost isn’t an issue, consider having a few people in your group submit requests.

 

So there you have it: Washington and BC backpacking reservation dates for 10 different trips. How many of these hikes have you done already? Tell me in the comments. I’ve done the West Coast Trail, the Enchantments, and trips in Garibaldi, North Cascades and Olympic Parks. But the real question should be: which of these trips do you want to do most? (My answer might be all of them. Eep.)

 

Further Reading:

I’ve written about a few of the trips on this list:

• Check out my complete guide to the Ozette Loop in Olympic National Park. It’s a short beach backpacking trip, perfect for beginners.
• Shi Shi Beach is also a great beginner backpacking destination in Olympic National Park.
• The East Bank trail in North Cascades National Park is a great low elevation backpacking trip for spring and fall.

Want a spectacular backpacking trip that doesn’t require reservations? I’ve got some suggesions:

• Here’s my list of alpine backpacking trips in South West BC that doesn’t require advance booking.
• Looking for a snow-free early season backpacking trip? I’ve got 10!
• Looking for a mini-thru hike? Try the Sunshine Coast Trail.
• West Coast Trail all booked up? Try some of the other coastal hikes on Vancouver Island like the Nootka Trail or the Wildside Trail.

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