BC Parks to require accounts and identity verification for day-use pass bookings

The Government of British Columbia is updating reservations for day-use passes at Golden Ears, Joffre Lakes, Garibaldi and Mount Seymour parks, where passes help manage visitor numbers during the peak season.

The revised process takes effect Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. Anyone booking a pass through the BC Parks website will first have to open an account and complete identity verification. The government says the added protections are meant to limit digital-bot interference and other misuse while supporting fairer access.

BC Parks recommends using a BC Services Card account to set up the new profile. An email address and password can be used instead by people who do not have a BC Services Card account. The email linked to either process must be verified before a reservation can be completed.

The booking window opens at 7 a.m. two days before the intended visit date.

At Garibaldi Park, the requirement applies at the Cheakamus, Rubble and Diamond Head trailheads from Friday to Monday and on holidays through Oct. 12, 2026. Joffre Lakes Park will restart its day-use pass requirement on Oct. 1, 2026, with passes required daily through Oct. 25, 2026.