BC Senior Camping Discount

Are you a B.C. resident who is 65 years of age or older? Then you may qualify for a half-price base camping fee.

You must claim this discount when you pay your camping fees. If you are making a reservation, choose the discounted rate at checkout. For more information, see how to claim the BC Senior Camping Discount, below.

You qualify for the discounted rate if:

• At least one member of your camping party is a B.C. senior (65+)
• Every adult (16+) in your party is a B.C. senior or spouse of a B.C. senior
• You take your trip in the off season (the day after Labour Day to June 14)
• You camp at a frontcountry campground

When you arrive at the campground, the park operator may ask for proof of your age and B.C. residency. For more information, see how to claim the BC Senior Camping Discount, below.

Look in this section for information on:

• Discounted fees: which fees the BC Senior Camping Discount covers 
• Parking: how the Senior Discount helps with parking fees
• Winter rates: what discounts are available if special rates are in effect

Discounted fees

For qualifying parties, the BC Senior Camping Discount can be applied to:

• Any stay in a frontcountry campground in the off-peak season (the day after Labour Day to June 14)
• Camping reservations and first come, first served camping

For full details of which parties, campgrounds, and dates qualify, see who qualifies for the BC Senior Camping Discount, below.

The Senior Discount provides a half-price rate on the base camping fee, which pays for the use of your campsite. It does not cover additional camping fees for firewood, electrical hook-ups, and other on-site amenities.

The discount does not apply to the transaction fees you pay when making a reservation. For more information on the difference between camping fees and transaction fees, visit the camping fees page.

Parking

Parking for one vehicle is included in your base camping fee. If space is available, you can usually pay an additional fee to park extra vehicles. This extra fee is 50 percent of the base camping fee per vehicle, to a maximum of $12 per night.

If you qualify for the discount, you are charged 50 percent of the discounted fee for parking an extra vehicle. So, if the regular camping fee is $20, your discounted rate is $10, and you pay an additional $5 to park an extra vehicle.

Winter rates

Some campgrounds offer a discounted winter rate for all visitors. When this winter rate is in effect, you can normally claim the BC Senior Camping Discount. In other words, you still pay half the regular base camping fee.

If the winter rate is less than half the regular base camping fee, you pay the winter rate instead. This ensures that, whatever the season, you always pay the lowest available rate.

Examples

If the regular fee is $30 but a winter rate of $20 in effect, then you pay $15. The winter rate is more than 50 percent of the regular fee, so the Senior Discount rate is cheaper.

If the regular fee is $30 but a winter rate of $10 is in effect, you pay $10. The winter rate is below 50 percent of the regular fee, so it is cheaper than the Senior Discount rate.

To qualify for the BC Senior Camping Discount, you must:

• Meet the Senior Discount eligibility requirements (see below)
• Make your trip outside the peak season
• Stay at a frontcountry campground
• Be a resident of British Columbia
• Show proof of age and residency when you arrive at the campground

Look below for information on:

• Eligible parties
• Eligible dates
• Eligible campgrounds

Eligible parties

You may be able to claim the BC Senior Camping Discount even if members of your party are not seniors. Other family members are welcome to join you, providing your party meets the criteria outlined below.

To qualify for the discounted rate:

• At least one member of your party must be a B.C. senior (a resident of British Columbia who is 65 years of age or older)
• Your party must include no more than four adults (anyone 16 years of age or older)
• Every adult in your party must be either a B.C. senior or the spouse of a B.C. senior
• Your party must have no more than eight people overall (which can include up to seven children)

Eligible dates

The BC Senior Camping Discount is only available during the off-peak camping season. The off-peak season starts the day after Labour Day and lasts until June 14. This discount is not available during the peak camping season (June 15 to Labour Day). In peak season, you must pay the regular base camping fee.

During the 2023-2024 season, the Senior Discount can be claimed from September 5, 2023, to June 14, 2024.

Eligible campgrounds

The BC Senior Camping Discount gives you a discounted rate on regular frontcountry camping. We define ‘frontcountry’ as any area within 1 km of a highway or park road. To see if the campground you are visiting is in the frontcountry, look it up at camping.bcparks.ca.

For information on frontcountry camping and reservation policies, see the frontcountry camping page.

The Senior Discount cannot be applied to camping in backcountry areas. A backcountry area is one that is more than 1 km away from any highway or park road. The Senior Discount does not apply even if the backcountry area has formal campgrounds that accept reservations.

The Senior Discount also does not apply to: 

• Groupsites (learn more on the group camping page)
• Group picnicking (learn more on the picnic shelters page)
• Cabins
• Marine campsites

Look below for information on:

• When to claim your discount
• Claiming the discount for a camping reservation
• Claiming the discount for first come, first served camping

When to claim your discount

You must claim the BC Senior Camping Discount when you pay your camping fees. If you are making a reservation, always choose the discounted rate at checkout. If you do not claim the Senior Discount at this time, you cannot claim it as a refund later. The discount cannot be refunded to you online or at the park.

If you make an error and fail to claim the Senior Discount when making a reservation, immediately contact the call centre at 1-800-689-9025 (1-519-858-6161 internationally). Our agents may be able to change your reservation, so that you can claim the discount.

When changing your reservation via the call centre, you pay a $6 change fee and a $5 call centre surcharge.

Claiming the discount for a camping reservation

• To claim the BC Senior Camping Discount for a reservation, choose the discounted rate when booking
• You cannot get a refund of the discounted amount later if you do not claim the Senior Discount when booking
• If you book at camping.bcparks.ca, when you are asked to choose a rate, select ‘senior’
• If you book by calling 1-800-689-9025 (1-519-858-6161 internationally), simply tell the call centre agent you’d like to use the discount

For full details of our reservation policies, download the reservation services policies and terms [PDF].

Claiming the discount for first come, first served camping

For first come, first served camping, you pay the discounted fee directly to the park operator. Members of your party may be asked to show photo ID, to confirm you qualify for the BC Senior Camping Discount.

If you want to discuss the discount with the park operator before your trip, find the park’s webpage. Look in the ‘learn about this park’ section for the park operator’s contact details. If you need more help from us, email parkinfo@gov.bc.ca.