Answer: We have 15 walk-in sites & 13 drive-in sites that are reservable starting March 15th by calling Discover Camping at 1 800 689 9025. You can also reserve on-line at www.discovercamping.ca. You may reserve 3 months in advance and 2 days prior to your arrival.

There are no first come, first served sites available from mid-May to Sept. 6th.

Site #s 1,2,3,7,10,12,13,16,18,19 & 20 are closed permanently due to recent concerns associated with rock fall hazard.

We have a large group of 15 to 25 people, how do we reserve the group site at Montague and is there vehicle access to the site?

Answer: If you have a group of 15 to 25 people, you may call Discover Camping at 1 800 689-9025 or on-line at www.discovercamping.ca, 12 months in advance or 2 days prior to your arrival.

There is no vehicle access to the group site as it is located in the walk-in camping loop but there are wheelbarrows located in the compound/Park Headquarters to assist in packing your gear to the site. Please use the walk-in parking lot to park your vehicles.

There are no day use parking fees.

What are the rates for group camping and what is the difference between adult and youth rates?

Answer: A youth group camping or picnicking party must consist of a minimum of 12 people or more. A youth group means a k-12 school, recreation centre or not-for-profit youth organization located within BC, undertaking a camping or day-use trip.

A youth group must be supervised by an adult of the school or not-for-profit society and having a ratio of adults to members who are 18 yrs. of age or younger of: at least 3 youths per adult and no more than 8 youths per adult.

For more information on youth groups, please go to:  youth group free parking pass, or read the approved Parks and Protected Areas Program Youth Group Policy. Please visit the Discover Camping web site for fee schedules.

Can we use a PWD (Persons with Disabilities) for group camping or marine camping?

Answer: Discounts do not apply to group camping/picnicking, backcountry or marine park fees in provincial parks.

I noticed that there is a fire ban in place in the south gulf island Provincial Parks, what type of cooking apparatus can I use while I am camping?

Answer: A campfire ban does not restrict cooking with stoves using gas, propane, or briquettes (briquettes cannot be used in a fire pit or ring and can only be used for cooking purposes and must be contained in an approved BBQ device).

A campfire ban prohibits the use of open fires in burn barrels, fireworks and other open flame campfire apparatus. Portable gas fuelled fire rings are also considered open burning as described in the Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation and are not permitted.

Why impose campfire bans?

Answer: During the summer season, BC Parks may impose campfire bans in provincial parks due to forest fire hazards or forest fires occurring in the area. Although closing parks and banning campfires may inconvenience backcountry users and/or frontcountry campers, the safety of park visitors and the need to protect park facilities and natural resources from wildfire have to take precedence.

I would like to reserve a campsite at Ruckle Provincial Park but I cannot find this park on the Discover Camping reservation service, how to do I reserve a campsite or is it all non-reservable?

Answer: Ruckle Provincial Park on Salt Spring Island is non-reservable all year round with approx. 78 walk-in sites and 8 drive-in sites. There are no hook ups. There is a short trail from the main parking lot into the campground area where you will find numbered picnic tables. Please set up your camp at one of these tables and a park operator will collect from you. The park accepts cash, debit, visa, mastercard & amex.

The campsite rate at Ruckle is $18.00 per group of 4 people (16 yrs. or older). The campsite policy allows 8 persons to a site but only 4 can be adults, with a maximum of two tents per site. 

The best time to arrive at the park is Sunday - Thursday. as Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest days. We do not usually turn people away from the park as it is a fairly large campground. We use the group sites for overflow if they have not been reserved for groups. Check with staff for availability on a night by night basis. If you will be arriving on a Saturday during peak season, we suggest that you call our main office toll free at 1 877 559-2115 for an update on availability.

We have a large group of 15 to 25 people, how do we reserve one of the group sites at Ruckle Provincial Park and is there vehicle access to the site?

Answer: There are 3 group sites that are reservable if you have a group between 15 and 25 people. Group reservations can be made by calling Discover Camping at 1 800 689-9025 or you may reserve on-line at www.discovercamping.ca.

You may reserve up to 12 months in advance or 2 days prior to your arrival. Please visit the Discover Camping web site for fee schedules.

There is a group parking lot just before the main campground parking lot on the right and a trail that leads into the campground area from the main parking lot. Wheelbarrows are available if you need assistance with packing your gear to the group sites. The group sites are numbered 1, 2 and 3 with site #1 nestled against the shrubs to the right, #2 is situated in the middle and has a large tree in the middle and #3 is closest to the ocean and is open and sunny with a few shrubs on one side. Each site has a fire ring, benches surrounding the fire ring and 4-5 picnic tables. Photos of the group sites and main campground area can be viewed at: www.bcparks.ca/ruckle/photogallery.

My fiancé and I would like to be married at Ruckle Provincial Park, what is the procedure to reserve a date, time and location within the park and is there a fee?

Answer: We issue a " Letter of Consent" starting March 1st @ 8:30 a.m. for the current operating season, if the group/event follows the guidelines listed below:

As all Provincial Parks are open to the public, we are not permitted to reserve areas from the general public.

There are 3 picnic areas in the day use area that can be used free of charge for up to 25 people and providing there are no special requests or facility setup. For special events, such as a wedding ceremony or reception, groups of 25 to 50 are required to reserve a group site. We cannot accommodate special events of over 50 people as it will preclude the rights of the general public to use the day use areas in the park. A group site may be reserved up to 12 months in advance or 2 days prlor to arrival by calling Discover Camping at 1 800 689-9025 or on-line at www.discovercamping.ca.

Special requests such as a PA system is permitted for the wedding vows only and not permitted for music, reception or entertainment purposes. A PA system must be kept at a volume that is not intrusive to other members of the public visiting the park or camping.

We suggest that a walk through the park prior to the application of a "Letter of Consent", would be helpful in determining the perfect spot for a wedding ceremony. Please be advised that all day use and campground areas are walk-in and can only be accessed by service vehicles.

Our staff are not required to assist in wedding plans while on duty; i.e. transporting BBQs, chairs, tables, misc.items, etc. Staff will be notified of your arrival and the time and location of your ceremony and will make sure that the area you have chosen is well maintained, clean of debris, grass cut and picnic tables washed.

Are campsites reservable in any of the backcountry marine parks that are only accessible by kayak or boat?

Answer: No, all campsites are non-reservable. There are reservable sites at Montague Harbour Provincial Park on Galiano Island by calling Discover Camping at 1 800 689-9025 or to reserve on-line the web address is www.discovercamping.ca.

Please Note: The new BC Parks Backcountry Registration System allows you to purchase a backcountry permit before leaving home.  This service provides the convenience of paying the camping fee in advance by credit card and eliminates the need to fill out a registration form at the park.