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Alberta Parks
Kootenay Plains
Kootenay Plains approach from Hwy 11.
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Alberta Parks
Pierre Grey's Lake Provincial Recreation Area
Sunset at Pierre Grey's Lake Provincial Recreation Area
By Mary Fitl, Alberta Parks
Most folks are familiar with the vast, bustling loops of campsites in the well-known Alberta provincial parks, but have you traveled the David Thompson Highway through Rocky Mountain House and Nordegg to see the sweeping valley of the Kootenay Plains? Do you wish for a quiet place off the beaten track where you can relax and watch a late northern sunset paint the lake with flaming colours?
You may have to travel a bit further, and in many cases be prepared to drive on gravel access roads, but you will find that the experience at these destinations makes it all worth it.
– Chain Lakes Provincial Recreation Area
Only about two and a half hours from Edmonton, this small campground off Hwy #2 northwest of Athabasca gets you up close and personal with the life in the boreal forest. You'll travel about 20 km on a gravel road to this rustic campground. Prepare to be self-sufficient on this adventure, bringing your own supply of drinking water and firewood. Fish for trout in the stocked lake, or explore the shoreline from your canoe or kayak. Only non-motorized boats are allowed.
Alberta Parks
Franchere Bay Provincial Recreation Area
Franchere Bay Provincial Recreation Area
– Franchere Bay Provincial Recreation Area
This large campground on Moose Lake near Bonnyville has some power and water hookups as well as unserviced campsites. There's a shower building and a sewage disposal station and a sandy beach to laze around on. A boat launch provides lake access for all kinds of on the water adventures. In addition to reservable campsites, there are many sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis, for those not big on making plans.
Alberta Parks
Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area
Touchwood Lake
– Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area
East of Lac La Biche, has several campgrounds with essential services and stunning views of Alberta's northern boreal forest wetlands. Touchwood and Ironwood lakes are just two of the campgrounds you can explore in Lakeland.
- Touchwood Campground is a favourite destination for local anglers and families looking to enjoy the clear water of the lake. Just outside of the campground, there's a staging area where OHV riders can access the trail network throughout Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area.
- Ironwood Lake campground is on a small lake that's perfect for wildlife watching, birding and exploring by canoe or kayak.
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Alberta Parks
Rock Lake Provincial Park
Rock Lake Provincial Park's Solomon Creek
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Alberta Parks
Rock Lake Provincial Park
On the edge of Willmore Wilderness Park.
– Rock Lake Provincial Park
Explore Alberta's Northern Rockies at Rock Lake Provincial Park, off Highway 40, northwest of Hinton. A winding, gravel road transports you away from the stress of pavement deep into the forest of the Northern Rockies. Mountains, forest, and wildlife along the shores of Rock Lake will surround your campsite. This park is also a staging area for backcountry adventurers heading deeper into the wilds of Willmore Wilderness Park. Firewood is available, but you'll need to bring your own water supply for this experience at the edge of the wilderness, truly off the beaten track!
– McLeod River Provincial Recreation Area
McLeod River Provincial Recreation Area is 23 km southeast of Hinton on the Robb/Hinton road. You can stop to enjoy a picnic or camp in the spacious, treed sites along the river. Firewood is provided, but you will need to bring water. The area is a great base camp for a weekend of fishing, and an excellent spot to put in a canoe or walk the short forestry interpretive trail on the east side of the campground.
Alberta Parks
Sundance Provincial Park
Sundance Provincial Park
– Sundance Provincial Park
Sundance Provincial Park is 56 km northeast of Hinton on Emerson Creek Road. The park is off the beaten path, but once you find it, you reward will be a chain of 5 small lakes and about 7 km of trails to explore. You can fish, canoe, or take an electric-powered boat on the lakes and view the hoodoos on the Wild Sculpture Trail. The small Emerson Lakes campground provides unserviced campsites, vault toilets, and firewood, but you'll need to bring water.
– Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park
This quiet, rustic campground has a great beach, and lake access for sailing, paddling or windsurfing. Hike or mountain bike along the shady boreal forest trails, or rise with the sun for exceptional birdwatching. Most of these first-come, first-serve campsites along the lakeside have power hookups, and water and firewood are available. Amenities are close by in the towns of Grimshaw or Peace River.
– Fawcett Lake Provincial Recreation Area
Brimming with history as a WWII POW camp, you can see remnants of the POW-operated sawmill on the lakeshore to this day. The lake is excellent for fishing, paddling and exploring with electric motor boats. Nicely-treed campsites are close to the lakeshore and are all on a first-come, first-serve basis.
– Smoke Lake Provincial Recreation Area
Near Fox Creek, a cozy campground with treed sites is suitable for RVs or tenting. The boat launch provides access to this small lake for exploration and fishing. Firewood is available, but you will need to bring water.
Alberta Parks
Moonshine Lake Provincial Park
Moonshine Lake Provincial Park
– Moonshine Lake Provincial Park
Try this family-friendly campground where all the sites have power hookups and access to showers. There are first-come, first-serve sites, as well as reservable sites so you can plan ahead, or drop in spontaneously. A great lake for paddling, there's plenty to do here with a beach, interpretation programs, playgrounds and a lifejacket loaner station in case you forgot to bring one. A network of trails around the lake allows you to tailor the length of your hike and gives you plenty of wildlife viewing and photography opportunities.
– Prairie Creek Provincial Recreation Area
Venture southwest of Rocky Mountain House on Hwy. 752 to a small, pretty campground with very private sites and quiet, peaceful camping. There are fifty well-treed sites, with a few next to a perfect trout-fishing creek. Bring your own firewood and water supply, and relax in the beautiful surroundings of Alberta's foothills. Amenities are close in nearby towns.
– Calhoun Bay Provincial Recreation Area
Enjoy a private, quiet camping experience in the shade of the natural aspen-spruce forest, with tent and RV-friendly sites. Launch your kayak or canoe into the lake to enjoy fishing or paddling. You can also sail or wind-surf in this prairie-parkland setting with lots of nature immersion opportunities in the surrounding area.
– Thompson Creek Provincial Recreation Area
Find private, quiet camping in the Rockies southwest of Nordegg on Hwy. 11. This picturesque recreation area is on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. There are over 50 well-treed sites, suitable for RVs and tents. A trail leads to scenic views of the river valley.
These are just a handful of the parks where you can relax into some good old-fashioned camping off the beaten path in Alberta. They may be a little rough around the edges, but if you equip yourself for the adventure, you'll be well-rewarded. To get details about these parks, including driving directions and up-to-date advisories about wildlife or fire hazards, check albertaparks.ca.
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