Buck Lake Provincial Recreation Area
RV Guide
Introduction
Buck Lake Provincial Recreational Area is a beautiful lake-side camping location offering outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy many water-based activities as well as hike on the short trails along the lake shore. This recreational area is sparsely equipped with only basic camping necessities but offers a large boat launch area with plenty of room to tie up your boats, canoes or kayaks. Power boat or windsurf on the almost 10 km long Buck Lake and enjoy the soothing winds and calm waters.
Buck Lake Provincial Area also offers campers the opportunity to fish from the shoreline as well as from boats. The grassy lake shores and surrounding woodlands offer the ideal spot for a picnic with plenty of birds and wildlife for you to spot while you enjoy relaxing by the vast lake waters. The night skies are also amazingly clear with plenty of stars for you to view as you lie by the camp fire.
The large spacious campsites mean that your larger RVs and motor homes can be easily accommodated although this Recreational Area doesn't offer any hook-ups. Facilities here include a fish cleaning station, dry toilets, picnic tables, playground and water pump. Be prepared for a primitive RV or tent camping experience in Alberta's wilderness.
RV Rentals in Buck Lake Provincial Recreation Area
Transportation
Driving
Buck Lake Provincial Recreational Area lies 130 km or 80 miles southeast of Edmonton, Alberta. The campground is located about a half an hour drive away from Drayton Valley, AB. Follow Hwy 13 to Buck Lake Road. From there unmarked gravel roads lead to the Recreational Area and campgrounds. The roads can be wet and muddy during summer but are wide enough to allow for larger vehicles to easily come though. The campsites are extremely large and spacious and so is the boat launch area so bringing your boats out here is never a bad option.
Parking
Public Transportation
Campgrounds and parking in Buck Lake Provincial Recreation Area
Campsites in Buck Lake Provincial Recreation Area
First-come first-served
Buck Lake Campground
Buck lake Campground has a total of 27 unserviced RV and tent sites some of which are on gravel while the others are on open grass. Each site has its own picnic table and fire pit while other amenities to campers include a water pump, dry toilets, refuse containers, fish cleaning station and boat launch area. A few sites located close to the irrigation canal are great for boating enthusiast as they are able to tie their boats right where they are camping.
The campground offers a minimalist and primitive camping experience with plenty of water-based activities to partake in. A remote and relatively uncrowded park Buck Lake Provincial Recreational Area is ideal for those looking for a remote and quite lake-side RV camping holiday.
Seasonal activities in Buck Lake Provincial Recreation Area
In-Season
Fishing
The almost 10 km long and 12 meter deep Buck Lake offer anglers plenty of opportunity to fish along the shoreline or embark on boats to get to the deeper end of the lake for a bigger sized catch. Buck Lake is teaming with a variety of fish species including walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and lake whitefish that make for a thrilling fishing experience. The fish cleaning station located just by the boat launch area allows anglers to easily gut and clean their catch for supper or take it home with them for a sea food dinner with family and friends.
Boating
You are never short of water-based activities in Buck Lake Provincial Recreational Area. The wide and lengthy gravel boat launch area is perfect to launch power boats, kayaks and canoes into the lake waters and set off on a memorable boating experience in one of Alberta's larger lakes. Windsurfing, paddle-boarding, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking and power boating are all allowed on the lake waters, making for a truly memorable day out. An irrigation canal that flows out of Buck lake is also close to the campground and has several posts to tie up boats after you are done with them for the day.
Hiking
Although Buck Lake Provincial Recreation Area isn't known for its hiking trails, there are plenty of grassy trails that run along the irrigation canal and along the lake's shoreline. Enjoy hiking along these trails for a chance to spot some rare and unique bird species as well as occasional wildlife. The easy flat ground offers a comfortable hiking experience on mostly open grasslands with some surrounding trees to offer respite and shade from the summer heat.
Off-Season
Picnicking
Fancy a lake-side picnic somewhere in Alberta? Consider taking a trip down to Buck Lake Provincial Recreational Area for a spot of picnicking looking out at the vast open lake waters and surrounding grasslands and woodlands. Picnic tables are situated right by the lake for the best views of the water as you relax and enjoy the lake breeze and comfortably warm summer weather. The nearby playground also offer kids the opportunity to have some fun while you relax and enjoy the natural surroundings.
Ice Fishing
The fishing frenzy here is not just during the summer. Once the lake freezes over, it makes excellent fishing grounds for a spot of ice fishing during winter months. Those that enjoy the sport can drive down to Buck Lake Provincial Recreational Area and take advantage of the rich fishing grounds with few people to interrupt your fishing excursion.
Star Gazing
The night skies at Buck lake Provincial Recreational Area rank #4-5 on the Bortle Scale. You get to see a lot more stars in the sky then you would be able to in the city and even in the suburbs. Shooting stars and clear constellations are a common sight in the night sky. The lack of trees and vast waters reflect the stars as if they were on land making for some truly majestic nights.
