Original Published on Jul 29, 2022 at 08:06

By Ryan Clarke, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Scouts Canada has named Jasper National Park the ‘most epic camping site’ in a national survey of its volunteers and scouts.

  In the survey by Scouts Canada, Jasper ranked first among five other  parks, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in BC ranking second, and  Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario coming in third.

 “Camping  appears to really be increasing in popularity, especially through COVID,  because it’s local, affordable, and people are able to do it as a fun  thing together. Scouts Canada has a community of expert campers and  skilled outdoors people, so they went out to their membership to get  tips about the camping destinations that a lot of scouting and scouting  members have seen and done and what’s on their must-see lists,” said  Teresa Waddington, Scouter for Scouts Canada.

 With 46,704 members  surveyed the list has the backing of many seasoned campers. Among the  survey was a ‘hidden gem’s you’ve never heard of’ section, with Alberta  again making the list at Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park, indicating  it’s a gem because of where it lies along the Milk River, with hoodoos  and a rich history.

 Scouts and volunteers were asked what makes a  campsite a dream spot, saying the views, water proximity, and wildlife  were the top reasons for choosing a place.

 Scouts Canada teaches  many opportunities with life long applications both in the wilderness  and everyday life. From teachings on leadership and resourcefulness, to  how you work in a group and collaborate building a tent or building a  project.

 “You’re going to be out against the elements no matter  what. It’s bringing the right gear, bringing the right attitude, and  being willing to work with the people in your group to adapt. And really  enjoying being out there regardless of what the weather is because it’s  a beautiful world, even if it’s pouring rain, or lightning and thunder.  It’s amazing what you can experience,” said Waddington.

 With a  focus on building youth into leaders, Scouts Canada looks to see how  they can help build experiences, and have the ability to put them  towards confidence in their lives, while focusing on having real world  skills that allow scouts to feel ready when they get into the real  world.

 “They can be resilient, they can adapt, they can  collaborate, and they can work well with teams. Having the sense of self  to be successful in whatever their endeavours are,” said Waddington.

  For a full list of the “Most Epic Campsites in Canada” visit scouts.ca/  under news and events. Scouts Canada pairs its programming parallel to  the school year, and youth and adults looking to sign up or volunteer  can register in September.

This item reprinted with permission from the Herald, Lethbridge, Alberta