If you’re planning a visit to Golden Ears, Joffre Lakes, Garibaldi or Mount Seymour, there’s a new step you’ll need to take before reserving a BC Parks day-use pass.
Starting Sept. 22, 2026, people booking a day-use pass will need to create a BC Parks account and verify their identity before they can make a reservation.
The change is being introduced as B.C. updates its day-use pass reservation system and adds security measures intended to improve access to passes when demand is high.
What changes on Sept. 22?
Under the updated system, visitors will need a verified account before making a reservation.
People can create their BC Parks account using their BC Services Card account, which the province says provides streamlined access to a variety of B.C. government services.
People who do not have a BC Services Card account can instead create a BC Parks account using their email address and password.
After creating the account, users will receive an email asking them to verify their identity.
A reservation cannot be made until the associated email address has been verified.
Why is B.C. changing the system?
The province says the additional security measures are intended to help reduce interference from digital bots and other misuse of the reservation system.
BC Parks says the changes are also designed to make the distribution of day-use passes more secure, transparent and consistent.
The account system will also allow users to manage their reservations.
Which parks require day-use passes?
Day-use passes are used during peak periods at four popular B.C. parks:
- Golden Ears Provincial Park
- Joffre Lakes Provincial Park
- Garibaldi Provincial Park
- Mount Seymour Provincial Park
The province says the passes help manage visitor numbers and reduce congestion in parking lots, roads, trails and viewpoints, while also helping limit environmental impacts.
When are passes released?
Day-use passes will continue to be made available online at 7 a.m. two days before the planned visit.
For Garibaldi Provincial Park, passes are required at the Cheakamus, Rubble and Diamond Head trailheads from Friday through Monday and on holidays until Oct. 12, 2026.
At Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, day-use passes resume Oct. 1, 2026, and will be required every day through Oct. 25, 2026.
What should visitors do now?
If you’re planning to visit one of the affected parks, creating your BC Parks account before you need a reservation could help avoid delays.
Make sure the email associated with your account is verified before trying to reserve a pass.
The province is encouraging users who have a BC Services Card account to use it when creating their BC Parks account.
Where to create an account
Visitors can access the BC Parks reservation system through the official BC Parks website.
The changes take effect Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026.
StudioX News will continue to follow updates affecting B.C. parks, outdoor recreation and public services.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
