Best Sites to Find Campgrounds in Alberta

I’m an over-researcher. If we pick a place we’re going to vacation, I will pull together a list of 20+ possible spots to stay in our home-on-wheels with information like nightly rate, playground, shower facilities, reservation policy, power, water, and other amenities in a spreadsheet.

Are you like me? Or do you just want to find the campground closest to where you’re travelling?

Today I’m sharing my much prized list of Alberta campground databases and some notes about each to help you discover your next favourite campground!

Campsite Search Apps That Work in Canada

Why do Americans always seem to forget there is a world beyond their borders? While many of the most popular campground search apps are amazing if you are in California or Colorado, they SUCK north of the 49th parallel.

I’ve tried so many over the years, and I’m always willing to give a new option a go, but year after year, these sites are where I return to research campground options in Alberta.

Alberta Mamas

Okay, our lists aren’t searchable, but they extensive on the topic covered (see the first sentence of this article – I will over-research the heck out of them!). If you think we should create a list for something, drop us a line!

• The Complete List Of Alberta Mamas’ Campground Reviews
• Our Favourite Campgrounds in Alberta
• Campgrounds with Pools in Alberta
• Inexpensive Campgrounds Near Drumheller

ParkAdvisor

Available as a website, Apple, and Android apps, Park Advisor isn’t pretty to look at, but has instantly become my first stop for campground research.

The list is extensive. The links to campground websites actually work! And you have so many filtering options.

The only downside is they don’t include many dispersed camp site suggestions.

Campendium.com

Campendium has been one of my first stops when researching campgrounds for years. I love their Map feature so I can zoom in on the area we plan to stay. If you’re new to dispersed camping this is a great place to start.

FreeCampsites.net

The website isn’t pretty, but FreeCampsites.net certainly does the job! This user-generated list of mostly free campsites gives some incredible (and not so incredible – i.e. WalMart parking lot) options for a place to stay.

Be sure to enter a location in the search field at the top left to make the map cover the area you want to go.

RVParky

I keep a note in my list of links “move the red dot to the area you want to camp” for RVParky. When you move the dot the list of campgrounds on the left is sorted by proximity to the dot. So convenient! If only their list was a bit more extensive.

AllStays.com

AllStays.com maps private, city/county, provincial, and national campgrounds, as well as truck stops, WalMart parking lots, and other possible places to stay for the night. You can’t really filter the results, but it makes a solid starting point to find campgrounds near your chosen destination.

Campgrounds.RVLife.com

By the time I’ve made it this far down my list I’m just doing a quick sanity check that RVLife doesn’t have a campground I somehow missed on another site. Their list isn’t as extensive as other sites, but they have surprised me on occasion with a new campsite option.

Thankfully the website is quick, the map is good, and the labels are descriptive, so it doesn’t take me long to get through. If I’m trying to decide between a couple campgrounds or need more details about a spot there are reviews on here that can fill in holes.

Local Tourism Boards, Town & County Websites

After using maps (it’s nice to see where the campgrounds are!) I like to check tourism and town/county websites for the area we’re travelling. There is often more than one tourism page for an area, and depending on where you’re going it may fall under more than one county (Drumheller has four!).

The easiest way to find these sites is while searching for more information about the campgrounds found on the first few sites. You can also search for your destination with “tourism board” or “campgrounds.”

Useful Sites for More Campground Information

These are some of my favourite campground-hunt related sites. I don’t usually use them to create my list of potential campground based on location, but these unique sites have some special features that can add to the campsite selection experience.

CampNab

Missed out on making a reservation at your favourite campground? CampNab can help! For a small fee they will monitor for campsite availability opening up at your campground of choice on specific dates.

They also have a map of campgrounds that are available for online reservations.

TravelAlberta.com

Searching the Travel Alberta campground list by location is challenging (even if the campground is ten minutes away, if it’s registered against a different location it won’t show up in a filtered search), but if you’re looking for specific features anywhere in the province, this is a great tool!

I rarely use Travel Alberta for location-specific research, but if I am, I’ll use the location of campgrounds I’ve already found for filtering.

AlbertaCampsites.com

The OG list of Alberta campgrounds, AlbertaCampsites.com is often in the top 10 search results when you try to hunt down details on a specific campground.

Their database may not have current information (prices, phone numbers, and website links are often dated), but I like checking a campground listing on here to see reviews, photos, and sometimes find a link I can’t locate anywhere else.

HipCamp

While it got a lot of hype over the last few years in camping circles, HipCamp is more of a cabin search platform than a campground search tool in Alberta.

There are some unique campgrounds listed on the site, but this one is last on my list of sites to check.

RoadTrippers

The map feature on RoadTrippers is useful, but they keep a lot of the features of the website behind a membership wall (there are free memberships available, but I don’t even like doing that).

Harvest Hosts & Boondockers Welcome

If you aren’t the type to stay in a spot for multiple nights, Harvest Hosts runs a pretty cool operation. They have the repository of local museums, golf courses, breweries, and other businesses that will let you stay for free if you’re a member.

You have to reach out to your potential host in advance to confirm they have space for you, and you’re encouraged to spend some money with the Host. Note that most places limit your stay to 1-2 nights.

CampReservations.ca

I LOVE this site for reserving a campsite. Sometimes I’ll even pick our campground because it’s listed on CampReservations.ca. But I don’t use it for research.

CampSpot

CampSpot is becoming a popular tool for campgrounds to manage their reservation systems on, but I wouldn’t use it for research.

Popular Campground Databases that Suck for Alberta

There are so many lists out there of “check this site for your next campground!” that just don’t work if you live outside the United States. You’ve probably seen a viral reel listing a bunch of these websites.

IMHO, don’t waste your time visiting these sites if you’re sticking to Canada (if you’re heading south of the border they might be worth it, though!).

GoRVing.com

GoRVing.com is another “the list isn’t complete without it,” but the Alberta results are questionable. There are plenty of duplicates (even some triplicates!) within the 400-ish results, items that aren’t a campground or even a place you are allowed to overnight, and campgrounds that have been closed for several years.

iOverlander

I’ve heard iOverlander iss an amazing resource. It looks to have a huge list based on the screenshot. But comparing results between it and any of the above websites there are places missing.

It’s actually been years since I’ve even bothered visiting!

RoverPass

Another site that’s on everyone else’s list that really falls flat for Alberta is RoverPass. It has even fewer suggestions than iOverlander. Personally, it’s a skip.

Picking Your Perfect Campground & Campsite

Discovering new campgrounds is a favourite part of trip planning for me. Picking the campground can be a bit stressful, though. If you also find it a challenge, here are a few things I use to help rank or eliminate options:

• Availability – If there aren’t any campsites available when I’m travelling it’s a moot point and they’re struck from the list.
• Price – if I’m paying almost as much as a hotel to camp, chances are we won’t stay there.
• Playground – The options for the kids to entertain themselves away from the campsite are SO important, and a playground has proven to provide hours of entertainment for my kids. We usually try to get a campsite close to the playground if it’s an option.
• Showers – if we’re camping for more than three nights I want the chance to shower, and we don’t have one in our trailer. (We can always go to a local pool, but it’s nice to stick to the campground).
• Location – Campgrounds aren’t usually at the center of town (and I usually avoid the ones that are – because NOISE!). I’ll look at things like how close the campground is to the things we want to do, if it’s near a highway or railroad tracks, or any special features.
• Privacy & Tree Cover – We camp to get away from the city, so we look for private sites and decent tree cover. If we don’t have power and will be relying on our solar panels, though, I have to take getting some sunlight into account. It’s all about balance!

I will usually narrow the list down to a few options and make my husband pick. This lets me be happy that we’re staying at a good campground, and he can’t complain about the campground he chose!

Get Camping!

In the end, the campground is often what you make of it. Some campgrounds aren’t that amazing, but if YOU go in with a positive attitude, the rest of the family will hopefully find enjoyment in it, too.

After all, you are out camping, away from the house, and creating memories. Enjoy your time together!

Make your camping trip even better with some of these ideas:

• 150 Things to Do While Camping!
• Try these easy camping meals on your next camping trip
• Fun Ways to Keep Kids Busy While Camping