Neat Campsites

[Circa89]

I am finally taking the plunge and getting back into camping after my son was born. I am looking for a nice "trial" site that we can use for a night. Requirements.

under a 2 hour drive.
Lake or swimming nearby (hopefully fishing too).
Well treed, We are in a tent not a trailer so I would prefer something less RV parkish than a pine lake etc.

I haven't really explored Alberta's campsites. I always seem to have gone to the rockies and crossed over into BC when we used to camp.

Brooks area sounds nice.

Any nice spots for a family with 2 kids under 5?

[greyshep]

Try Wyndham-Carseland.

Very nicely treed. Sites are nicely seperated. Has a few playgrounds for the kids. There is a nice ice cream store nearby if that interests you.

Lots of different birds in that area which make it interesting (storks for example)

Not a far drive out of the city which is a bonus. (only about 30minutes outside the city limits - East on hwy 22x)


Swimming is available I suppose, but it is the bow river so it may be a bit daunting for a young one. Fishing is certainly an option though.

http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/enjoying_alb...ion.asp?id=178

[V]

Originally Posted by fotze

Brooks Area? Are you kidding.

I liked the upper lake (or lower, or interlake can't remember) in kananaskis. The campsite was right on the lake and heavily treed.

Interlakes is the one you're thinking of, I think. Half the campsites are right on the lake, it's absolutely gorgeous there, and to boot, you're camping pretty much right at the base of Mt. Indefatiguable, my favourite mountain to climb.

I've been to a number of campgrounds throughout Alberta, and I don't think any of them are as nice as Interlakes. There aren't a lot of sites though, so you might have a hard time getting a spot there, especially on a long weekend.

[Circa89]

Originally Posted by fotze

Brooks Area? Are you kidding.

I liked the upper lake (or lower, or interlake can't remember) in kananaskis. The campsite was right on the lake and heavily treed.

That's why I asked. I thought Brooks might have a slight meat packaing smell to the air. They (alberta Tourism) write-up the descriptions so nice it sounds like you just might visit heaven itself.

I went fishing at Lundbreck Falls last season and because of the flooding/high water we had to try all the lakes in the area. Does anyone know the name of the lake about 15-30 mins west of Lunbreck. Its on the northside of Hwy 3. Off the road about 4-5kms. I think its called Mirror Lake???
If so is there overnighting allowed? Nice little fishing hole



Interlakes Are reservations allowed or just a first come first serve basis?
Are these the lakes that are on the road between Fortress and Canmore?. I remember driving by thinking these would be amazing little get aways.


^^^^^
I was thinking of Spray Lakes. Man that's nice up there.

[rubecube]

Johnson Lake in BNP is nice.

[Circa89]

Thanks Rube, I do a lot of day trips to Two Jack and Minnewannka so I'm looking for something a little different. Thanks though. I love that area.

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by fotze

Brooks Area? Are you kidding.

I liked the upper lake (or lower, or interlake can't remember) in kananaskis. The campsite was right on the lake and heavily treed.

another great campsite on the Upper Kananaskis Lake is called 'The Point' its about a 2 hr walk into the camping area. It requires booking a spot, and its first come first serve when you get there. Its the most amazing spot i've camped out west.

[KevanGuy]

Originally Posted by greyshep

Try Wyndham-Carseland.

Very nicely treed. Sites are nicely seperated. Has a few playgrounds for the kids. There is a nice ice cream store nearby if that interests you.

Lots of different birds in that area which make it interesting (storks for example)

Not a far drive out of the city which is a bonus. (only about 30minutes outside the city limits - East on hwy 22x)


Swimming is available I suppose, but it is the bow river so it may be a bit daunting for a young one. Fishing is certainly an option though.

http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/enjoying_alb...ion.asp?id=178

I second this. Nice short drive. Never any traffic, even on the long weekend. Great distance between sites for the most part. Sites right up against the River. The weir is there too and that is pretty cool to check out.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by moncton golden flames

another great campsite on the Upper Kananaskis Lake is called 'The Point' its about a 2 hr walk into the camping area. It requires booking a spot, and its first come first serve when you get there. Its the most amazing spot i've camped out west.

Great spot. It's only 45 mins if you go the right way. Just watch out for bears.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by KevanGuy

I second this. Nice short drive. Never any traffic, even on the long weekend. Great distance between sites for the most part. Sites right up against the River. The weir is there too and that is pretty cool to check out.

Yeah, and if you play the Crazyland golf course you can hit balls at your campsite on #17 and 18!!!

I camped at Travers Dam (Little Bow Rec Area) 2 weeks ago, and it was OK. Windy as hell though. Lots of swimming, decent fishing, not too much traffic, but COLD WATER. It warms up apparently.

[Calgary Flames]

Radium Hot Springs, the one in the Valley.

[Circa89]

Thanks for the ideas guys I'll probably try Interlake this friday night. If it works out for the little ones I'll keep exploring the rest of Alberta over the summer.

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by Calgary Flames

Radium Hot Springs, the one in the Valley.

I believe that one is called the canyon? Very nice campground, certainly lends itself more towards Trailers/motorhomes, etc. But one of the cleanest campgrounds I have stayed in.

We are heading to Radium for the July long weekend and have a spot booked at a place called Mountain Shadows Resort. Has anyone here been there? Any recommendations?

[the-rasta-masta]

Although not in Alberta, my favourite campsite is Premier Lake in BC, about an hour past Invermere on the highway toward Cranbrook. Its a longer drive, about 4 hours from Calgary, but the campsites are on a nice little brook with an excellent lake for fishing, and natural hotsprings nearby.

[jonesy]

Mt. Kidd is good for 'easy' camping with nice treed sites, bike paths river etc

they have a wading pool (usually at 0C) and a hot tub

[V]

You may as well stay at a well-treed resort if you're going to camp at Mt. Kidd. Do they still have that arcade there? And the tennis courts?

[Buff]

It may be a bit more than 2 hours, but Waterton is a great place to camp.

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by Buff

It may be a bit more than 2 hours, but Waterton is a great place to camp.

Agreed. As long as it isnt too windy it is easily one of the nicest spots in the province if not the best.

Beautiful scenery, tons of wildlife (watch out for the bears), not over commercialized like Banff, nowhere near as crowded.

We spend at least one week per summer there.

It has a great golf course as well that is very reasonably priced.

I would encourage anyone who hasnt been there to check it out.

[jonesy]

Originally Posted by Dominicwasalreadytaken

You may as well stay at a well-treed resort if you're going to camp at Mt. Kidd. Do they still have that arcade there? And the tennis courts?

There are some nice sites for tents only.
As I said it is 'easy camping'

[V]

Sorry, some of us outdoor types like to get all hoity toity on folks that camp at sites with hookups, or really anything that isn't a tent.