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(Image Credit: County of Grande Prairie)
By Erika Rolling
National Parks

Long weekend liqour and cannabis ban for Banff National Park campers

Apr 9, 2026 | 12:18 PM

Spending a long weekend in Banff National Park campground in 2026 will be peaceful for campers.

Parks Canada has put a liquor and cannabis ban in 15 park campgrounds for three major long weekends.

Camping areas included in the ban are: Castle Mountain, Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise Hard-sided, Lake Louise Overflow, Lake Louise Soft-sided, Mosquito Creek, Protection Mountain, Rampart Creek, Silverhorn Creek, Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court, Tunnel Mountain Village I, Tunnel Mountain Village II, Two Jack Lakeside, Two Jack Main and Waterfowl Lakes.

The weekends when the bans are in affect are: Victoria Day (Friday, May 15 to Monday, May 18), B.C. Day/Heritage Day (Friday, July 31 to Monday, Aug. 3), and Labour Day (Friday, Sept. 4 to Monday, Sept. 7.) weekends.

The ban prohibits the consumption of cannabis and alcohol products from 7 a.m. on Fridays, until 11 a.m. on Mondays.

If found in violation, you could face charges of up to $25,000 under the Canada National Parks Act and have your party kicked out of your camping spot, which had to be pre-booked as early as January in some campgrounds.

Alcohol use is allowed outside of long weekends, but only at registered campsites, private residences or licensed premises, but both alcohol and cannabis use is prohibited overnight from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m year-round.

by Erika Rolling