Parks: reservations open now

Camping reservations for the 2026 season opened Monday in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, while Isle Royale National Park is set to reopen Thursday, April 16. (manitoba.ca) (saskatchewan.ca) (nps.gov) Manitoba’s Parks Reservation Service began its first round of bookings at 7 a.m. on April 13 and covers campsites, cabins, yurts and group-use areas at 46 provincial park locations. The province said Black Lake Campground and Tulabi Short Haul sites will remain closed. (manitoba.ca) Saskatchewan opened seasonal campsite reservations on April 13, with nightly campsites, yurts, backcountry camping, group sites and day-use facilities scheduled to roll out from April 14 through April 17. The province said bookings open at 7 a.m. Central Standard Time each day through its online system. (saskatchewan.ca) (saskparks.tourismsaskatchewan.com) Saskatchewan also added a one-year pilot discount for visitors with a valid Accessible Parking Program permit issued by Sask Abilities. The 25 percent reduction applies to daily, weekly and annual park entry permits and must be redeemed in person at park gates. (saskatchewan.ca) (ckom.com) The April reservation rush is when many campers lock in peak summer weekends months in advance, especially for electrical sites, cabins and school-break dates. Both prairie provinces are using staggered launch dates instead of releasing every booking at once. (manitoba.ca) (saskparks.tourismsaskatchewan.com) Isle Royale follows a different calendar because the Lake Superior island closes every winter and reopens each year on April 16. The National Park Service says the park remains closed from November 1 through April 15, even though the surrounding lake stays open to navigation. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) Getting there still takes more planning than the reopening date suggests. The National Park Service says ferry and seaplane service typically starts in mid-May, and private operators show 2026 sailings beginning in May rather than on opening day. (nps.gov) (isleroyale.com) Visitors to Isle Royale also pay a separate park user fee of $7 per day for each person age 16 and older, or $60 for an annual Isle Royale pass that covers the passholder and up to three other people. The park’s main season runs through October 31. (isleroyale.com) (nps.gov) For campers trying to book now, the practical split is simple: prairie park reservations are already live, and Isle Royale access opens on April 16 but most transportation starts later in May. (manitoba.ca) (saskparks.tourismsaskatchewan.com) (nps.gov)