The province’s free daily pass program returns to three popular parks this summer to manage traffic flow and conserve the environment.
From June 17, visitors to the Golden Ears, Joffre Lakes and three route heads in Garibaldi will have to book their place online, the Environment Ministry confirmed on Tuesday.
“Overuse has become a growing challenge in these three parks,” Environment Minister George Heyman said in a press release.
“We need to ensure that, above all, we are protecting what makes these parks special through sustainable recreation.”
Read more: BC doctors can now prescribe a national park pass to patients who need time for nature
Tickets can be booked online at the BC Parks website at 7 a.m., two days before a scheduled trip. Season tickets can be canceled if plans change.
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Those visiting Golden Ears and the heads of Diamond Head, Rubble Creek and Cheakamus trails in Garibaldi will need vehicle passes, while all visiting Joffre Lakes Park require an individual pass, the province said. As in previous summers, Discover Parks ambassadors will review season tickets.
There will be no first-come, first-served system for the car park where season tickets are required.
2:09 The pilot program expands the role of First Nations BC park rangers The pilot program expands the role of First Nations BC park rangers
According to the Ministry of the Environment, an “unmanaged increase” in visitors can cause damage to trails, trampling of vegetation, displacement of wildlife and negative impacts on “indigenous cultural values”. Parking can also become a challenge, he added.
Over the next three years, BC Parks will invest $ 21.5 million to expand outdoor recreational opportunities, including the addition of new campgrounds and trails to parks and the improvement of existing facilities.
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