Opening Weekend for Provincial Parks
Blomidon Provincial Park (Province of Nova Scotia / File)
NOTE: A list of opening dates for camping parks across the province follows this release.
Nova Scotia’s provincial parks start opening for the season this Victoria Day weekend.
Seven of the province’s 20 camping parks and all day-use parks open Friday, May 16. The rest of the camping parks will open by June 6.
“Nova Scotia is blessed with incredible and unique natural spaces that are beloved by Nova Scotians, other Canadians and visitors from around the world,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources. “That’s why we continue to invest in improvements across our provincial parks, ensuring that visitors can enjoy the natural beauty Nova Scotia has to offer.”
More than a million people visited provincial parks in 2024. There were 95,150 camper nights (paid overnight stays), a 10 per cent increase from 2023.
Park visitors are reminded to be vigilant about wildfire prevention. Campfires and smoking are not allowed in day-use parks at any time, and people at provincial camping parks and other campgrounds must follow daily provincial burn restrictions. That means campfires are only permitted after 2 p.m. and before 8 a.m. when the Province’s BurnSafe map is green or between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. when the map is yellow – the same as campfires in people’s backyards. If the map is red, campfires are not allowed. A $25,000 fine applies to violations of the daily burn restrictions.
Devices such as gas stoves and charcoal briquette barbeques can be used any time, following manufacturers’ instructions.
Quick Facts:
- alcohol and cannabis are not permitted at camping parks from opening day to July 1 at 1 p.m.; from July 2 until closing in the fall, they are only permitted at rented campsites
- alcohol and cannabis are not permitted at day-use parks
- people should take precautions to prevent tick exposure when they are outdoors, such as tucking in shirts and pulling socks over pant legs
- for early protection against Lyme disease, people can visit their local pharmacist to have their tick bite assessed and determine if a preventive antibiotic is appropriate
Additional Resources:
Campsite reservations: https://novascotia.goingtocamp.com/
Opening dates, advisories and other park information: https://parks.novascotia.ca/
Nova Scotia BurnSafe map: https://novascotia.ca/burnsafe/
Tick safety: https://novascotia.ca/ticksafety/
Information on pharmacist assessment of tick bite: https://novascotia.ca/dhw/pharmacare/healthcare-services.asp
Camping parks opening Friday, May 16:
- Blomidon – Canning, Kings County
- Cape Chignecto – Advocate Harbour, Cumberland County
- Ellenwood Lake – Deerfield, Yarmouth County
- Graves Island – East Chester, Lunenburg County
- Porters Lake – Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
- Rissers Beach – Petite Rivière, Lunenburg County
- Thomas Raddall – Port Joli, Queens County
Camping parks opening Friday, May 30:
- Mira River – Albert Bridge, Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Camping parks opening Friday, June 6:
- Amherst Shore – Amherst Shore, Cumberland County
- Battery – St. Peters, Richmond County
- Boylston – Boylston, Guysborough County
- Caribou-Munroes Island – Caribou, Pictou County
- Dollar Lake – Wyses Corner, Halifax Regional Municipality
- Five Islands – Five Islands, Colchester County
- Laurie – Grand Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
- Salsman – Country Harbour, Guysborough County
- Smileys – Brooklyn, Hants County
- The Islands – Shelburne, Shelburne County
- Valleyview – Bridgetown, Annapolis County
- Whycocomagh – Whycocomagh, Inverness County