When you speak of the lush green trees of Canada, you cannot forget the National Parks that are found in abundance in the country and the beauty and expanse of them. Canada is a country of green wonders, nature very much a part of everyday life even in the populated metropolises. The government of Canada has pronounced vast land areas for the conservation of wildlife, the sustainability of the ecosystem and preserving of Canada’s natural splendor.
National Parks of Canada
One of Canada’s top tourist attractions is their national parks. Many vacationers from all over the globe visiting Canada never fails to go sightseeing in one or few of these unique parks, with their breathtaking wildlife and the various recreational activities associated with them. Hiking, rock climbing, fishing, canoeing, rafting, kayaking, skiing and of course, camping. A full fledged, action packed experience of the wonderful Canadian outdoors!
All 13 provinces of Canada host a national park, adding up to a total of 36 parks and reserves. The concept began as far as 1885, where the first park was formed on the northern slopes of Sulphur Mountains, which was established as Banff National Park in 1887. Yoho, Glacier and Waterton Lakes and St Lawrence Islands National Parks were the next in line. These Parks are protected by law for public appreciation and entertainment, while conserving their wildlife towards a sustainable future. The National Parks system covers a land area as large as 224,465.9 sq km (as reported in 1997), an area close to 2% of the country’s land mass.
Parks Canada is the administration body of the Canadian government that sustains the national parks system, historic sites and national marine conservation areas. They have identified 39 regions, and aims to protect the system through their representation. The system is 60% complete and progressing steadily, with hopes of establishing four more national parks, Wolf Lake in Yukon, South Okanagan-Lower Similkameen in British Columbia, Manitoba and Mealy Mountains in Labrador.
Rocky Mountains from Yellowstone to the Yukon is one special interest area, where an initiative has been established to conserve and maintain this area of rich biodiversity by over 800 organizations, via the ‘The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative’ or Y2Y. Amongst the national parks, Jasper National Park, Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta, Kluane National Park and Reserve, Auyuittuq National Park Reserve, Quttinirpaaq National Park and Ivvavik National Park takes the lead in land area.
Camping
Camping is another favourite tourist activity in Canada, probably because of the abundance of wildlife and organized camping grounds spread throughout the country. All thirteen provinces offer camping choices from primitive, wilderness camp grounds for the ultimate campers to well equipped sites with water, electricity and basic sanitary facilities. These basic campsites have useful amenities such as a parking area, picnic table, barbeque grill, fire ring and lanterns. There are also well equipped camp sites that cater to beginners or luxury campers with restrooms, well equipped tents, hot showers, coin-operated laundries and cooking facilities.
One can experience a variety of camping experiences in Canada, from dense jungles to sandy beaches and interestingly, camping in the snow. Campsites can be categorized based on the geographical regions of the country, such as camping on the shoreline along the British Columbia coast; on the Cordillera east of Alberta border offering highland, rugged mountain familiarity; the Prairies of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba offering campsites on endless fields with vast skies above; the Canadian Shield on the Hudson Bay in northern Ontario and Quebec with boreal forests, rocks and the inland sea; along the Great Lakes in southern Ontario and Quebec; on the Appalachian mountains in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia; as well as a total novel experience in the Arctic region, where one can experience snow camping in areas such as Yukon, Northwest and Nunavut Territories.
Whatever the camping experience you are looking forward to, the following tips should ensure you have the best ever time on your camping holiday anyplace in Canada you choose.
- Plan ahead, research your opportunities and select the areas you wish to camp. Once you decide, book the campground in advance to avoid delays and to reserve the best sites
- Prepare your camping equipment carefully, making sure all gear is in good shape, especially tents and hiking shoes
- Pack up everything from food to first aid and all other requirements, making sure you have extra food for emergencies
- Remember to obtain the list of rules and regulations from the park office that maintains the campsite and to follow them accordingly
- Prepare for severe changes in the weather. Check the weather reports before you set out and avoid unwanted complications
The ‘Parks Canada’ website provides an extensive search engine for finding the best campsite to suite your needs, in 19 national parks under their administration. You can select campsites based on province and the facilities they offer. Visit their website on http://www.pccamping.ca/parkscanada/ to obtain all other related information on camping in Canada. |
