The first day of fall is here and the time to tuck the camping gear away until next year is right around the corner.

The Okotoks Lions Campground plans to close next week after a very busy year of hosting campers from around the world.

Pauline Krause, lions campground manager, says this season was busier than normal for a couple of different reasons.

"I think it was probably busier because a lot of people I believe stayed closer to home and this year due to us taking in Fort McMurray people, there was limited space. We gave ten spots to Fort Mac and they stayed until August 4th and after that we opened up the spaces to the the public."

Krause says along with Fort McMurray evacuees the campground has accommodated a number of various groups.

"We get a lot of campers from the city, we get locals, we get Europeans that travel to Alberta to sight see, we usually get them at the very end of their stay so they can clean out their motor homes and fly home, lots of U.S. visitors this year. So it was a mix, it's always a mix."

The campsite takes a total of about five days to shut down for the winter, Krause says, September 30th will be the final close date this year.

"That will be our last day and everyone that has come into the campground before then will leave on the 1st and no public will then be allowed in. Sanidumps will probably remain open until the Monday and then after that the water shuts off and we start shutting down."

The campsite will start replying to reservation requests for next season and start the re-opening process a week before the May 1st open date.

To contact the campsite visit the Okotoks Lions Camground webpage.

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