Despite the recent economic downfall Jasper National Park campgrounds have battled through the summer with near equal numbers of last year.

According to Jasper National Park campground supervisor Jeff Banks, up until June 25 the campgrounds had higher numbers this year than last until the Canada Day holiday that landed on a Wednesday this week. Total numbers to date are down, however not by much.

‘The weekend prior to the holiday was busy, and the weekend after the holiday, from Wednesday until Sunday, was more like a busy long weekend,’ he said. 

On Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4, all the campgrounds were full and 125 people were in the overflow campgrounds.

Banks said that the campgrounds are also so weather-dependant, which is also a factor in campers in the park.

Campers in the park were also required to obey new campground rules ordering fires to be out by 11 p.m. as well as loudness and rowdiness ceased at the same time. Banks said that they have had a good response on the fire, liquor and noise laws.

He said that Jasper is so much farther from a city centre, unlike Banff, that people understand that it’s a long way home if they get kicked out of the campground for being loud. It’s something that they think about because there is really no other option once you’re here, he said.

Banks said the campgrounds get a lot of families, and most people respect the fire, liquor and noise laws late in the evening.

Parks Canada didn’t have any wildlife issues to report over the holiday.