Help Keep SiteScout Free

In order to keep SiteScout available for free, we rely on donations from fellow campers like yourself to help cover the cost of ongoing development to stay compatible and up-to-date. Donations are not required, but every little bit helps!

SiteScout Has Moved!

SiteScout has partnered with Algonquin & Beyond to help streamline communication and to help identify any future bugs that may arise. I’m not an outdoorsman; the extension was created as a favour to the camping community, but ongoing maintenance of SiteScout is challenging since I’m not active in the community, and because it is a free extension. Algonquin & Beyond has offered to assist with certain aspects of the project.

*You’ll be redirected to Algonquin & Beyond

SiteScout

See Campsite Availability Again On The Ontario Parks Website

What is SiteScout?

SiteScout was created to help make planning trips easy again. Ontario Parks removed the ability to see campsite capacity and availability… we’ve brought it back. Conveniently view both site availability and capacity once again with just a click on the map. No additional setup. No complicated workaround using Chrome’s Inspect tool. Just download our Chrome Extension and you’re good to go. It’s that easy. 

SiteScout is a Google Chrome Extension and is completely free.

Without SiteScout Extension

With SiteScout Extension

How to Install?

Step #1

Click “Get Extension” below. We’ll send you an email to download the extension from the Google Chrome Web Store. It’s that easy! Just make sure you’re using Google Chrome as your browser.

* You’ll be redirected to Algonquin & Beyond

Step #2

Click “Add to Chrome” and then confirm by clicking “Add Extension”. That’s it. You’re good to go!

* You may need to restart Chrome and/or click on the SiteScout icon to activate the extension.

Video Demo

FAQ

How does SiteScout work?

SiteScout is a free Google Chrome Extension. When you click on your desired lake, SiteScout sends a request to Ontario Parks and retrieves the info about lake capacity and availability. We’ve taken this information and included it in the side details pane for a clean, seamless user experience.

How do I enable / activate the extension?

When you install the extension to your Chrome browser, SiteScout should automatically be enabled. That’s it, you’re good to go! If for some reason it does not work right away, you may need to restart Chrome and/or click on the small SiteScout logo to activate it. (We recommend “pinning” the extension by clicking on the small puzzle piece icon at the top right of your browser, and then clicking the pin icon beside the SiteScout extension) 

What devices and browsers does SiteScout work with?

SiteScout is a Google Chrome extension and must be used with your Google Chrome browser. It works on desktop and tablet, however it does not work with mobile devices.

Does the SiteScout extension work for Algonquin Park?

Absolutely! SiteScout was created specifically with Algonquin Park in mind.

What other parks does the SiteScout extension work for?

So far SiteScout has only been tested with Algonquin Park. We anticipate it will work for other parks that follow a similar booking pattern (eg. situations where you don’t book a specific campsite, but rather book from an allocated number of reservable sites for a given lake).

Which "views" does SiteScout work for?

SiteScout currently works with Map view only when making a reservation on the Ontario Parks website. It does not work with List view or Calendar view.

Will it also show availability for hiking trails and campgrounds?

When you book a backcountry hiking campsite, or a campground campsite, you are booking a specific campsite so the availability is either 0/1 or 1/1, which you can already see on the Ontario Parks website. SiteScout is not applicable to situations where you book a specific campsite like this.

I can't get SiteScout to work, what should I do?

SiteScout should be enabled automatically once installed on your Chrome browser. If for some reason it does not work right away, you can try restarting Chrome and/or clicking on the small SiteScout icon to activate it. If you are still having issues feel free to email us at info@sitescout.ca

I'm concerned about my privacy, what data does SiteScout collect?

SiteScout does not have access to your device or any of your personal information. The only data we collect is i) from our website, we collect your email address, which we require in order to communicate about future re-installs or updates for the extension, and ii) from the Google Chrome Web Store, no data is collected; we are only able to see how many people have installed SiteScout and how many people use SiteScout (only the aggregate numbers, no individual or identifiable information).

Is SiteScout affiliated with Ontario Parks?

This web site and the SiteScout Chrome extension is not endorsed by, directly affiliated with, maintained, authorized, or sponsored by Ontario Parks in any way. All product and company names are the registered trademarks of their original owners. The use of any trade name or trademark is for identification and reference purposes only and does not imply any association with the trademark holder of their product brand.

We’d love to hear what you think! Send us an email at info@sitescout.ca. Want to support the project? Feel free to buy us a coffee with the form in the next section below 😊

Support the Project

The SiteScout Chrome Extension is completely free. However, occasional updates made by Ontario Parks to their systems can break SiteScout, requiring development work to patch the extension. In order to keep SiteScout available as a free extension, we rely on donations from fellow campers like yourself to help cover the development costs. Donations are not required, but every little bit helps! If you find this extension valuable and would like to show your support, you can use the form to buy us a coffee 😊 ☕

DISCLAIMER: This web site and chrome extension is not endorsed by, directly affiliated with, maintained, authorized, or sponsored by Ontario Parks in any way. All product and company names are the registered trademarks of their original owners. The use of any trade name or trademark is for identification and reference purposes only and does not imply any association with the trademark holder of their product brand.

© SiteScout 2023