Parks Open

Live BC Parks campsite and day-pass status with freshness and official booking links.

CommunityDegradedNo sign-inGlobalFreeRead-only

What it can do

    What data it sees

    Do you need an account

    No: the server works without sign-in

    Live BC Parks campsite and day-pass status with freshness and official booking links.

    How to connect

    How to connect Parks Open to Claude

    The server address to paste into Claude settings:

    https://parksopen.ca/api/mcp

    1. Open Claude (claude.ai or the desktop app).
    2. Go to Settings → Connectors.
    3. Click Add custom connector.
    4. Paste the server address copied below into Remote MCP server URL and click Add.
    5. In a chat, click + → Connectors and switch the new connector on.

    Custom connectors are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans (Free is limited to one). On Team and Enterprise an organization Owner adds the connector first under Organization settings → Connectors.

    Authorization

    After you click Add, a sign-in window for the service opens. Sign in with your own account and approve access. Claude never sees your password.

    How to connect Parks Open to ChatGPT

    The server address to paste into ChatGPT settings:

    https://parksopen.ca/api/mcp

    1. Open ChatGPT in a browser (chatgpt.com). A Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu plan is required.
    2. Turn on developer mode once: Settings → Apps → Advanced settings → Developer mode.
    3. Open Settings → Connectors and click Create.
    4. Fill in the form: Name (anything), Description (one line about what the service does), MCP server URL (copy it below).
    5. Under Authentication choose OAuth if the service requires sign-in, otherwise None. Click Create.
    6. In a new chat open + → Apps/Connectors and enable the connector.

    OpenAI has renamed this section before (Connectors → Apps/Plugins). If the label differs, search settings for "developer mode". On Business/Enterprise workspaces an admin must allow custom connectors first.

    Authorization

    On first use ChatGPT opens the service's sign-in window. Sign in and approve access.

    How to connect Parks Open to Cursor

    The server address to paste into Cursor settings:

    https://parksopen.ca/api/mcp

    Fastest: click Open in Cursor below and confirm the prompt.

    Manually:

    1. In Cursor open Settings → Cursor Settings → MCP and click Add new global MCP server.
    2. Paste the JSON copied below into ~/.cursor/mcp.json (per project: .cursor/mcp.json in the repo root).
    3. Save the file. The server appears in the MCP list; authorize it there if asked.

    Authorization

    If the service needs sign-in, an authorize button appears next to the server in the MCP list.

    Server tool list (8)

    Raw names from tools/list. Only developers need these.

    parksopen_search_campsitesUse this when exact dates or equipment fit matter, for questions like 'is X available', 'find a site for the long weekend', or 'which parks have space for a 32 ft RV'. It reads observed campsite availability across Canadian park reservation systems (BC Parks today) from public reservation data. Filters the official sites cannot: exact equipment fit, electrical, waterfront, shade, pets, privacy — across every park at once. Returns only sites observed open for EVERY requested night, with an absolute Parks Open page URL to cite, a booking link into the official reservation flow (we never book for the user), and observed_at for freshness; verify availability on the official site. Not for: fees, rules, facilities (use parksopen_park_info), weather (parksopen_check_weather), closures (parksopen_check_alerts), or dates beyond the provider's booking window.
    parksopen_park_availability_calendarUse this when the user asks 'when is X free', 'how busy is X', or 'which weekend should I try' for ONE named park. It returns nightly open counts for the next 8 weeks, whole-stay counts for four weekends, fill rate, and booking rules. For exact equipment fit or specific dates across many parks use parksopen_search_campsites.
    parksopen_find_open_parksUse this when the user has not named a park and wants PARKS ranked by soonest opening or estimated drive time, such as 'where can I camp this weekend' or 'anything near Vancouver with space'. It uses the default tent-compatible inventory and can filter confirmed amenities. Do not use it when van, trailer, RV, or other equipment fit matters; use parksopen_search_campsites with equipment_class. For a named park use parksopen_search_campsites or parksopen_park_availability_calendar.
    parksopen_check_alertsUse this when checking current closures, fire bans, advisories, or nearby wildfires for one park or system-wide. Run it before recommending a park in summer; these are 'verify before you travel' notices, never a booking or safety claim.
    parksopen_check_weatherUse this when the user asks about forecast conditions or air quality at a named park. It returns the Environment Canada forecast (daily high/low/conditions, about 6 days) and AQHI for the nearest station; if the park is beyond range it says so and never invents temperatures.
    parksopen_check_day_passesUse this when the user asks whether a BC Parks day-use pass is required, available, sold out, not released yet, or closed for a date, park, access area, or AM/PM slot. It returns every tracked access area and time slot for the requested parks across the live three-day booking window, with explicit No pass needed versus Sold out states, freshness, the Parks Open comparison page, and the official BC Parks booking handoff. If live inventory is stale, incomplete, or conflicts with published rules, it fails closed and will not claim Available or Sold out.
    parksopen_park_infoUse this when the user asks about reservation policy, fees, pets, fires, facilities, or park descriptions, such as 'does X allow dogs' or 'when do reservations open'. It returns slower-changing facts from the provider's published pages with sources. Do not use it for availability (parksopen_search_campsites) or current closures (parksopen_check_alerts).
    parksopen_get_booking_linkUse this when a search is complete, or when the user already knows the park and dates, to create a deterministic official reservation link with park, dates, and equipment pre-filled. The user completes the booking there; Parks Open never books, holds sites, takes payment, or treats the link itself as proof of availability.