California State Parks
Six months before arrival, at 8 a.m. Pacific.
Standard ReserveCalifornia campsites. Special drawings, seasonal openings, and individual park restrictions can differ.
Official booking rules ↗Free camping tool
Camping reservation date calculator
Find your booking day, see the time where you are, and save a reminder before reservations open.
Be ready when the calendar opens.
Choose your arrival date to see the booking day, the release time in your time zone, and a reminder you can save.
California, Ontario, BC frontcountry, and Yosemite's monthly releases have different rules. Other Recreation.gov campgrounds and Parks Canada need a campground-specific check.
ReserveCalifornia booking time in the UK
ReserveCalifornia's usual 8 a.m. California opening is 4 p.m. in London for most of the year. It becomes 3 p.m. during the weeks when the US and UK clocks are on different daylight-saving schedules.
The relevant date is the day reservations open, generally six months before arrival. A September holiday can have a March booking day, so converting with September's time difference can give the wrong answer.
Calculate with London time| Release dates | London booking time |
|---|---|
| March 8–28, 2026 | 3 p.m. GMT |
| October 25–31, 2026 | 3 p.m. GMT |
| March 14–27, 2027 | 3 p.m. GMT |
| October 31–November 6, 2027 | 3 p.m. GMT |
| Other dates in 2026 and 2027 | 4 p.m. (GMT in winter; BST in summer) |
For example, a September 15, 2027 arrival normally opens March 15 at 3 p.m. London time. An October 15 arrival opens April 15 at 4 p.m. London time. Sign in and prepare your preferred sites before the opening; a calendar reminder does not hold a campsite.
Sources checked September 9, 2026: California State Parks booking rules, UK clock-change dates, and US daylight-saving rules. The calculator uses each release day's time-zone offset.
Which reservation rule applies?
Official rules checked September 9, 2026. These are booking windows, not a guarantee that a park or campsite operates on your dates. Check for seasonal changes before release day.
Ontario Parks
Five months before arrival, at 7 a.m. Eastern.
Campsite reservations. Day-use permits have a different window; operating dates and maximum stays vary by park.
Official booking rules ↗BC Parks frontcountry camping
Three months before arrival, at 7 a.m. BC Pacific (UTC−7).
Reservable frontcountry campsites. Backcountry trips, groupsites, and first-come, first-served sites use different rules.
Official booking rules ↗Yosemite: Pines, Wawona & Hodgdon Meadow
Monthly blocks open on the 15th at 7 a.m. Pacific, up to five months ahead.
The standard five-month schedule for Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona, and Hodgdon Meadow. Lotteries, seasonal changes, Camp 4, and Tuolumne Meadows need their own schedule.
Official booking rules ↗Recreation.gov: other campgrounds
The booking window depends on the campground.
Open the campground's Seasons & Fees or Seasons & Booking tab. Confirm its release date and time; there is no single rule for all Recreation.gov sites or permits.
Official booking rules ↗Parks Canada
Annual launch dates vary by park and reservation type.
Use Parks Canada's official launch table for your travel year, park, and camping type. A past year's launch date cannot predict next year's opening.
Official booking rules ↗Time-zone note: British Columbia's permanent UTC−7 policy means its winter Pacific time differs from California's.
Already sold out?
A release date is only the start. Learn when returned sites become bookable, then watch the campgrounds that fit your trip.
Reservation calculator questions
What time does ReserveCalifornia open for booking in the UK?
The usual 8 a.m. California release is 4 p.m. in London for most of the year. It is 3 p.m. during the spring and autumn weeks when the US and UK daylight-saving schedules differ. Use the release date, not your arrival date, to choose the correct time.
Does ReserveCalifornia open at 4 p.m. GMT or BST?
Usually 4 p.m. GMT in winter and 4 p.m. BST in summer. During the clock-change mismatch, it opens at 3 p.m. GMT. Choose Europe / London in the calculator to convert your actual booking day automatically.
Is BC Parks' Pacific time the same as California's?
Not throughout the year. British Columbia adopted permanent UTC−7 after its March 8, 2026 clock change. California still changes between standard and daylight time. The calculator applies BC's published change when showing release times and creating reminders.
How do I calculate when campsite reservations open?
Start with your arrival date and the campground's booking rule. California State Parks generally opens six months ahead, Ontario Parks five months, and BC Parks frontcountry three months. Yosemite's standard Pines schedule uses monthly blocks. This calculator applies those rules and shows the release in your time zone.
What happens when the earlier month has fewer days?
A missing calendar day needs the provider's exception. Ontario Parks releases July 29–31 arrivals on March 1 in a non-leap year; July 29 can open February 29 in a leap year. California publishes a similar March 1 exception for August 29–31. The calculator applies these exceptions. For a BC Parks month-end date without a verified exception, it directs you to the provider.
Does this calculate every Recreation.gov or Parks Canada reservation?
No. Recreation.gov facilities have different windows, and Parks Canada publishes annual launch dates by park and reservation type. Those selections link to official release information instead of guessing. Yosemite's standard monthly campground schedule is available as a separate selection.
Does the calendar reminder reserve a campsite?
No. It saves the release time so you can prepare to book on the official reservation site. The calendar download includes a reminder 15 minutes before the release; Google Calendar uses your own reminder settings. Reservations remain subject to availability, season dates, and park rules.
Planning a specific trip? Read our Yosemite reservation guide, Ontario Parks cancellation guide, or campsite notifier comparison.