The best camping near Writing-On-Stone Áísínai'pi Provincial Park

Home to endless chains of rock formations, Writing-on-Stone Áísínai'pi Provincial Park will be your repeat adventure destination. Travel back in time through the area’s rock carvings and paintings, which were etched in cliff faces hundreds of years ago by Indigenous peoples. The images are said to tell the stories and secrets of what life was like in the Badlands. Explore more by scrambling to the top of a hoodoo, where you’ll get a good view of the Milk River—a popular spot for a lazy float on a hot day. The park has one campground, Writing-on-Stone Campground, where many of the tent and RV sites are tucked under the shade of the cottonwoods and just steps away from the river.

1. All campsites must be reserved ahead of time, from the Friday of the May long weekend through the Monday of the September long weekend.
2. Many campsites become available on a first-come, first-served (FCFS) basis from September 7 to September 30, while others can still be reserved online—the park is still busy at this time, so get there early if you're hoping for a FCFS site.
3. In winter, campsites are FCFS and are easy to snag.
4. The campground and interpretive tours book up quickly in the summer, so campers should make reservations a few months in advance. Reservations can be made up to 90 days ahead of time online, by phone, or in person at the visitor centre. Unless you’re feeling super lucky, don’t show up in person expecting a vacancy.

Beat the summer crowds and the scorching heat by visiting in early September, when it’s still warm enough to float down the river—so long as it hasn’t dried up—and the visitor centre is still open for its regular business hours. The park has serviced power sites available all year, which makes it an ideal choice for winter camping. We love snowshoeing on the trails along the Milk River.

• Water services (including showers and flush toilets) usually start on or just before the May long weekend and typically close for the season in late September.
• There are showers on site, but they only accept loonies and toonies. There is no ATM on site or cash-back services at the park. We suggest stopping at an ATM in Milk River or Foremost before heading to the park.
• There is no cell phone service in the campground, but there is service and free wifi at the Visitor Information Centre.