Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is hands down one of the most beautiful camping destinations in Alberta, Canada. The park offers some of the finest camping spots, scenic hiking trails in the wilderness, and a chance to fish and swim in the sparkling lake waters.
Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is perhaps every camper’s dream destination. Located among the Canadian Rockies, 90 kilometers (56 miles) west of Calgary, and spreading over 304 square kilometers, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park has it all.
It doesn’t matter what kind of camping you’re hoping for, the park has something to offer for every type of outdoor enthusiast. Campsites can be found in the woods offering plenty of shade and privacy while some of them are right alongside the lakes looking out at the snow-capped Canadian Rockies.
Dedicated in the year 1977, the park is one of the largest in Alberta with a number of RV, tent, and backcountry campsites.
The park is named after the former Premier Peter Lougheed who agreed to preserve this vast area after just a single helicopter flight. The vast and diverse landscape viewed from above included magnificent mountain ranges, lake-rich valleys, ardent grounds, wild forests, and crystal sapphire water that simply had to be preserved for future generations.
Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is located at a distance of about 85 km or 50 miles from Calgary, Alberta. This makes for a less than two hour drive from a well-populated city to the embracing arms of mother nature. There are many ways of getting to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park depending on the campground you choose. Check your GPS or map before heading out. Once inside the park, paved and gravel roads lead to the park facilities, campsites, and various amenities.
Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is home to many campgrounds and numerous front country and backcountry campsites that can facilitate RV, tent and motorhome camping. Some of the larger, more popular campgrounds include Canyon Campground, Boulton Creek, Elkwood, Interlakes, Mount Sarrail, Willian Watson and Lower Lake Campgrounds.
Located on Kananaskis Lakes Trail, this campground has 50 unserviced pull-through sites for RVs. Fire-pits, boat launch, sewage disposals, and hiking and biking trails are also easily accessible from the campgrounds. Canyon campground also has a playground and fishing pier for anglers of all ages and experience.
This campground is home to 121 well-treed sites for RVs. There are 86 unserviced sites, while 35 are with water and electric hookups. Tap water, fire pits, flush toilets, and wheelchair accessible sites are some of the amenities available at the campgrounds. The campground also has a store which sells basic amenities and fishing gear.
Elkwood Campground also provides 130 well-treed sites that include unserviced campsites as well as those that offer electric (15 amps) and water hookups. Playground, showers, paved bike paths, and hiking trails are also featured at the campground.
Campers will find 48 sites in this picturesque campground all along the shores of lower Kananaskis Lake. The sites are mostly pull-through and come equipped with picnic tables, grills, and access to drinking water. A boat launch area, vault toilets, fishing area, and firewood is all located nearby.
The campground offers 20 electric only campsites with fire pits and access to toilets and drinking water. A lodge is also present on the campground that offers a more luxurious stay and ADA access.
Well-renowned for its simply mesmerizing hiking trails, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park bring hiking enthusiasts from all over the world to trek on the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. The majestic mountain scenery, pristine blue river and lake waters, and dense woodlands offer an immersive hiking experience that is both challenging as well as rewarding. Some of the trails even provide access to Banff National Park and Elk Lakes Provincial Park, part of the larger Kananaskis County region.
Plenty of water-based activities are available at Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. These include canoeing, kayaking, power boating, sailing, and windsurfing that can be enjoyed by vacationers and campers alike. It is one of the most serene experiences to find yourself floating on clear blue water, and everywhere your eyes go, beauty follows. Seeking solitude is also a lot easier when you can just grab a boat and sail away. The boat launch is available at many campgrounds so regardless of where you are staying, you can always access the water.
Anyone over 16 can enjoy the amazing angling opportunities at Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, just as long as they have an Alberta Fishing License. The favored fishing spot for anglers is at the high alpine lake. The Upper Kananaskis Lake is also stocked with over 10,000 cutthroats in 2017, and before that, the lake waters were also introduced to rainbow trout that have grown in number. The lake is also home to brown, brook, bull, and lake trout. Species of dolly varden and arctic grayling are also caught by anglers frequently here. Whether fishing during winter or summer the rich river and lake waters make every fishing experience worthwhile!
104 unserviced tent sites are available on this campground. These sites are on a first come first serve basis and have fire pits and picnic tables as well as a nearby playground. Close to vault toilets but no access to showers. A perfect campground for those wishing to fish and camp in a more primitive camping environment.
Offers 44 walk-in tenting campsites and cannot accommodate RVs. Amenities include nearby paved bike paths, drinking water, dry toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits.
Those that are more fond of mountain biking can enjoy the numerous biking trails that lead to spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. The legacy trail is a popular biking trail that connects the mountain towns of Canmore and Banff. This beautiful paved mountain bike trail runs for 22 km and can be explored by bikers of all ages. More rugged biking trails are also featured at the park that offers challenging routes to the higher vantage points for a more aerial view of this picturesque terrain.
Winter season is not an offseason at Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Hordes of vacationers come from all parts of the country to take part in snowshoeing, fat biking, and cross-country skiing. Six trails are open in the winter months for winter thrill-seekers, and the park remains open throughout winter.
The park also offers horseback riding trails and basic horse camping facilities for those that fancy a bit of horseriding in this simply breathtaking mountain paradise. Elbow Lake Trail allows riders to access Elbow Valley and Sheep Valley to enjoy the beauty of both from their high vantage point. The route takes riders towards the surrounding Rocky Mountains, with views of the magnificent forests, and alluring lakes below. If you have a love for horseriding visit Peter Lougheed Provincial Park and experience a horseriding experience like never before.
