Caution

Weather Alert: Snowfall and cold conditions are expected across Alberta. Check the weather forecast and 511 Alberta before heading out. Drive with caution and be prepared for changing conditions in our parks.

Alberta Parks

The Kananaskis region stretches from east of Calgary to the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. Nine provincial parks and over 50 recreation, wilderness and natural areas provide outdoor adventures and protected wildlife habitat. At the western edge of the region, farms and ranchlands give way to craggy peaks in the mountain paradise known as Kananaskis Country.

Kananaskis is a leader in providing facilities and innovations that make Alberta’s provincial parks places that everyone can enjoy. Specially designed, three-wheeled Park Explorers and facilities like the barrier-free William Watson Lodge and campground make the region’s natural wonders accessible. Special programs are offered to introduce Alberta’s parks to new Canadians, seniors, and people from diverse socio-cultural communities so that to anyone who wishes to, can experience the outdoors.

Plan Your Kananaskis Trip

Kananaskis offers many camping options, including group camping, equestrian camping and backcountry camping.

If you’re camping with the kids, you’ll enjoy the playground and interpretive programs at Bow Valley Campground in Bow Valley Provincial Park. If rustic camping is your style, try Beaver Flats Campground in Elbow Falls Provincial Recreation Area. In Evan-Thomas Provincial Recreation Area, at the privately operated Sundance Lodges, you can camp in comfort in a tipi or trapper’s tent. Guests at William Watson Lodge can camp in a wheelchair-accessible campsite.


Must Sees

Parks

Explore and Discover

Kananaskis offers year-round activities for every age group and every level of ability. Visitors can reach out and touch nature in a diversity of landscapes, from the urban beach of Calgary’s Fish Creek Provincial Park to the remote backcountry of Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park.

Bike, stroll, climb or paddle in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, where crystalline lakes reflect towering mountains. Try some disc golf or orienteering at Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park.

Try ice fishing or dogsledding in Spray Valley Provincial Park. Or get off the beaten track and camp, fish, hike or paddle in the provincial recreation areas along Ghost Creek - Ghost Airstrip and Waiparous Creek.

There’s an adventure for every taste, from exploring the rugged backcountry to taking in a nature talk or studying an educational exhibit. Paved trails and boardwalks throughout the region make nature accessible to everyone.

For more information on travel in the area, check Travel Alberta.

Activities

There’s so much to do in Kananaskis! You can climb a mountain, scale a rock face, hike in the wilderness or stroll (or roll) along an interpretive trail. Strap on your snowshoes or glide along miles of cross-country ski trails. Canoe whitewater or cruise on a power boat. Cast a fishing line into a mirrored lake. Or just take a drive and watch the wildlife.

Park Activties Status
Bluerock Wildland Provincial Park Fishing Hiking - Backcountry Hiking - Front Country Equestrian Hunting Mtn. Biking/Cycling Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park Canoeing/Kayaking Fishing Hiking - Backcountry Equestrian Hunting Rock Climbing Snowshoeing Geocaching Electric Bicycles Mtn. Biking/Cycling Open
Bow Valley Provincial Park Birding Canoeing/Kayaking Hiking - Backcountry Hiking - Front Country Equestrian Mtn. Biking/Cycling Power Boating Trail Running Rock Climbing Wildlife Viewing Wind Surfing Snowshoeing Cross Country Skiing Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Bow Valley Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Open
Bragg Creek Provincial Park Fishing Hiking - Front Country Geocaching Open
Burnt Timber Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country Swimming Open
Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park Cross Country Skiing Hiking - Front Country Hiking - Interpretive Mtn. Biking/Cycling Trail Running Picnic Fat Biking Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Cat Creek Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Electric Bicycles Mtn. Biking/Cycling Fishing Open
Cataract Creek Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country Snowmobiling (Off-site) Geocaching Mtn. Biking/Cycling Electric Bicycles Open
Cobble Flats Provincial Recreation Area Fishing Group Use Picnic Open
Dawson Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country Equestrian Mtn. Biking/Cycling Snowmobiling (Off-site) Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park Fishing Hiking - Backcountry Hunting Mtn. Biking/Cycling Wildlife Viewing Geocaching Electric Bicycles Equestrian - Backcountry Open
Elbow Falls Provincial Recreation Area Camping Canoeing/Kayaking Fishing Hiking - Front Country Trail Running Geocaching Electric Bicycles Mtn. Biking/Cycling Open
Elbow River Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country Equestrian Mtn. Biking/Cycling Trail Running Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Elbow River Launch Provincial Recreation Area Fishing Picnic Open
Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park Fishing Hiking - Backcountry Equestrian Hunting Mtn. Biking/Cycling Rock Climbing Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Etherington Creek Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country Equestrian Snowmobiling (Off-site) Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Evan-Thomas Provincial Recreation Area Cross Country Skiing Fishing Hiking - Backcountry Hiking - Front Country Hiking - Interpretive Equestrian Ice Fishing Interpretive Program Winter Camping Fat Biking Mtn. Biking/Cycling Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Fallen Timber South Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country OHV Riding (Off-site) Snowmobiling (Off-site) Geocaching Open
Fisher Creek Provincial Recreation Area Camping Hiking - Front Country OHV Riding (Off-site) Snowmobiling (Off-site) Geocaching Open
Fitzsimmons Creek Provincial Recreation Area Fishing Hiking - Front Country Open
Ghost Airstrip Provincial Recreation Area Camping Cross Country Skiing Fishing Hiking - Front Country OHV Riding (Off-site) Snowmobiling (Off-site) Geocaching Open
Ghost Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area Camping Canoeing/Kayaking Fishing Ice Fishing Power Boating Sailing Water Skiing Wind Surfing Geocaching Open
Ghost River Wilderness Area Backcountry Camping Hiking - Backcountry No Fires Open
Gooseberry Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country Canoeing/Kayaking Fat Biking Open
Greenford Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Open
Heart Creek Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Hiking - Interpretive Rock Climbing Open
Highwood Provincial Recreation Area Fishing Geocaching Open
Highwood Compound Provincial Recreation Area – Closed
Highwood Junction Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Picnic Open
Indian Graves Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Backcountry Equestrian Wildlife Viewing Open
Ing's Mine Provincial Recreation Area Geocaching Mtn. Biking/Cycling Electric Bicycles Hiking - Front Country Trail Running Open
Jumpingpound Creek Provincial Recreation Area Geocaching Hiking - Front Country Open
Lantern Creek Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Backcountry Equestrian Open
Lineham Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Geocaching Open
Little Elbow Provincial Recreation Area Camping Canoeing/Kayaking Fishing Hiking - Front Country Equestrian Mtn. Biking/Cycling Geocaching Electric Bicycles Hiking - Interpretive Open
Lusk Creek Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Equestrian Mtn. Biking/Cycling Geocaching Electric Bicycles Picnic Open
McLean Creek Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country OHV Riding (Off-site) Snowmobiling (Off-site) Geocaching Open
Mesa Butte Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country Equestrian Mtn. Biking/Cycling Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Mist Creek Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Backcountry Equestrian Open
Moose Mountain Trailhead Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Trail Running Open
North Fork Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country Equestrian Mtn. Biking/Cycling Electric Bicycles Open
OH Ranch Heritage Rangeland Hunting Open
Old Baldy Pass Trail Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Backcountry Equestrian Mtn. Biking/Cycling Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Ole Buck Mountain Natural Area Hunting Open
Peter Lougheed Provincial Park Canoeing/Kayaking Cross Country Skiing Fishing Hiking - Backcountry Hiking - Front Country Ice Fishing Mtn. Biking/Cycling Power Boating Sailing Snowshoeing Trail Running Wind Surfing Equestrian Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Picklejar Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Backcountry Equestrian Open
Pine Grove Provincial Recreation Area Fishing Hiking - Front Country Geocaching Group Use Open
Pinetop Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Backcountry Mtn. Biking/Cycling Electric Bicycles Open
Plateau Mountain Ecological Reserve Hiking - Backcountry No Fires Open
Sentinel Provincial Recreation Area Fishing Hiking - Front Country Geocaching Open
Sheep River Provincial Park Cross Country Skiing Fishing Hiking - Front Country Hiking - Interpretive Equestrian Ice Skating Mtn. Biking/Cycling Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Sibbald Lake Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Hiking - Interpretive Geocaching Trail Running Open
Sibbald Meadows Pond Provincial Recreation Area Fishing Hiking - Front Country Geocaching Open
Sibbald Viewpoint Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Geocaching Trail Running Open
Spray Valley Provincial Park Canoeing/Kayaking Cross Country Skiing Environmental Education Fishing Hiking - Backcountry Hiking - Front Country Hiking - Interpretive Ice Fishing Power Boating Sailing Wildlife Viewing Wind Surfing Snowshoeing Geocaching Mtn. Biking/Cycling Electric Bicycles Open
Stoney Creek Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Group Use Open
Strawberry Provincial Recreation Area Camping Equestrian Open
Trout Pond Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Picnic Open
Waiparous Creek Provincial Recreation Area Camping Fishing Hiking - Front Country OHV Riding (Off-site) Geocaching Open
Waiparous Creek Group Camp Provincial Recreation Area Fishing Hiking - Front Country OHV Riding (Off-site) Open
Ware Creek Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Equestrian Mtn. Biking/Cycling Electric Bicycles Open
West Bragg Creek Provincial Recreation Area Cross Country Skiing Hiking - Front Country Mtn. Biking/Cycling Trail Running Geocaching Electric Bicycles Open
Wildhorse Provincial Recreation Area Hiking - Front Country Open
Wolf Creek Provincial Recreation Area – Closed
Updated: Mar 20, 2025
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