Photo: Flickr: Christian Andersen

Good news if you're a fan of the great outdoors.

Happy campers will now have over 500 new campsites to choose from.

Environment Minister George Heyman says the growing popularity of camping and environmental tourism are spurring the government to continue increasing the number of campsites and “enhance visitor experience.”

Along with the additional campsites, facilities have been upgraded in Fintry Park, Martha Creek Park, Robson River and Monck Park.

“People in B.C. love getting out to the great outdoors. Growing the number of campsites means more people can access popular spots and discover new favourites in different areas of the province," said Tourism Minister Lisa Beare.

"We want to make sure people of all abilities are able to enjoy nature and all our beautiful province has to offer. That's why it's so important that BC Parks is now incorporating more accessible design in new campgrounds and recreation sites."

BC Parks currently manages 10,700 campsites that receive over 21-million visits each year.

The sites range from walk-in tent sites to marine sites, 13 provincial parks will have 362 new sites and 12 recreation sites will have 232 new sites. The new BC Parks campsites are located in regions with the highest demand - the Lower Mainland, Thompson-Okanagan, Kootenay Rockies and Mount Robson.

The sites are in addition to 431 new campsites created in 2018, bringing the total number of new campsites to 1,025 during the past two years. For the third year in a row, there will be no increase to camping fees in provincial parks.

The new BC Parks campsites are available for reservation via the Discover Camping reservation service. Construction is still in progress at some locations so check the BC Parks website for updates on availability.