Southern Alberta campgrounds preparing for summer camping season

Albertans are preparing to do some camping this summer, and campgrounds are getting ready for the expected rush.

LETHBRIDGE -

The days are getting longer and warmer, meaning plenty of Albertans will be preparing to do some camping this summer.

"As the weather starts to warm up here, there's lots of inquiries. People have been calling, driving in. Trying to book their plans for the next season coming up," said Trevor Sampson, general manager of the Owl's Nest Campground in Coaldale.

Staff at Owl's Nest believe this summer will be their busiest camping season yet, which is why they're pushing to prepare for it.

"We're bringing a lot of sewer and water to some of the sites and upgrading the power there, just try to keep up with anticipated demand for this season," Sampson said.

Owl's Nest opened in the fall of 2021 and sits on the site of the former Coaldale municipal campground, which closed in 2015.

Sampson and his family opened Owl's Nest after seeing an explosion of popularity in camping following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The campground has be getting steadily busier ever since.

"We kind of opened for the fall of 2021 and then last year, it dramatically increased from the year before and even this year, with the amount of anticipated demand we're going to have here," Sampson said.

Excitement is also building at the Bridgeview Campground and RV resort.

The site was purchased by Kampgrounds of America last fall and is about to have its first summer camping season under the new management.

Staff are hopeful being a part of the KOA group will help bring more visitors.

"We're getting really excited for the new season as a KOA. We're brand new here in Lethbridge that way and so we're excited about the possibility of a lot more traffic coming through the park," said Kathy Regehr, operational manager of KOA Lethbridge.

"Especially our American friends who will be coming through, and we're already starting to see a lot of that traffic at this point."

Regehr recommends anyone interested in booking a reservation at the campground do it right away.

"We are starting to fill up. We still have a fair bit of space available but once those provincial parks and the national parks open up their reservations, we're going to see a lot of activity."