Mountain Campsite Recommendations - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

MillerTime GFG · 05-14-2018, 09:06 AM

We are doing a few smaller family vacations this year rather than one big one, and am looking for some recommendations on some good campsites in the mountains. Generally we only go camping on May long, so we tend to stay away from the mountains...because snow.

Ideally a place with a creek/river, good for kids. We tent, so a place with good tree cover etc.

TIA!

Northendzone · 05-14-2018, 09:13 AM

how far away do you want this place to be?

Hockeyguy15 · 05-14-2018, 09:35 AM

A little pricey, but I've always enjoyed Mount Kidd.

https://www.mountkiddrv.com/

troutman · 05-14-2018, 09:35 AM

My boys used to love going to Cataract Creek - West of Longview, and South of Highwood House.

https://www.albertaparks.ca/parks/ka...ataract-creek/

Otto-matic · 05-14-2018, 09:37 AM

Two Jack Lake, Johnston Canyon in Banff are all fantastic campsites.

MillerTime GFG · 05-14-2018, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northendzone

how far away do you want this place to be?

I'd say ideally within 3-4 hours.

foshizzle11 · 05-14-2018, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

My boys used to love going to Cataract Creek - West of Longview, and South of Highwood House.

https://www.albertaparks.ca/parks/ka...ataract-creek/

I second this. Or even going a little bit farther to racehorse creek, it is awesome out there as well, don't forget your fishing rods!

Great little spot and a lot of tree cover in case it does rain or snow.

Lumby Lager · 05-14-2018, 10:20 AM

If you want great weather for the May long weekend I would suggest Redstreak in Radium. There is a 2-3 KM trail that takes you down to the hot springs. It is pricey like Banff because it is a national park but your firewood is unlimited for I believe $10 a day.

GordonBlue · 05-14-2018, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lumby Lager

If you want great weather for the May long weekend I would suggest Redstreak in Radium. There is a 2-3 KM trail that takes you down to the hot springs. It is pricey like Banff because it is a national park but your firewood is unlimited for I believe $10 a day.

I don't camp much any more so have no idea.
but people at work are always complaining you can't camp much any more on short notice as all the sites are booked in February.

are any of these places actually available for this upcoming weekend?
I looked up Redstreak and there is nothing available, for example.

puffnstuff · 05-14-2018, 10:25 AM

Livingston Falls

And just my personal opinion but dont go to BC

Lumby Lager · 05-14-2018, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

I don't camp much any more so have no idea.
but people at work are always complaining you can't camp much any more on short notice as all the sites are booked in February.

are any of these places actually available for this upcoming weekend?
I looked up Redstreak and there is nothing available, for example.

As far as I know the national park campgrounds have to leave a certain amount of first come first serve sites. When we lived in Canmore we would go to Two Jack lake in Banff a few times during the summer and they had first come first serve sites. Not 100 percent sure as I have always gone to Redstreak in the non peak times like mid September.

Minnie · 05-14-2018, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

Livingston Falls

Was just coming to suggest this also. We haven't camped there yet, but we drove the road through to Coleman and stopped in there to have a look around for future trips. Very beautiful, quiet at least when we were there, and a beautiful drive, especially if you take the 40 all the way from the TCH (Highwood Pass opens June 15).

MacDaddy77 · 05-14-2018, 02:35 PM

Both Paddys flats and Beaver flat west of Bragg Creek are excellent. Both are also 20 minutes or less from Bragg Creek so if you need something your not far away.

Both are on Elbow River and Beaver Flats has 6 walk in tenting sites that are about 500m from where you park.

Minnie · 05-14-2018, 03:23 PM

Check out Ya Ha Tinda/Bighorn Campground? It's up the 40 the other direction, north toward Sundre but it's west of Sundre so if you take the trunk road, you'll miss Sundre altogether. There are several campgrounds all the way up the 40 north. If you don't want to drive the entire trunk road to get to Ya Ha Tinda, there are a few different routes you can take, and google maps will outline them for you. Just a little over 3 hours from Calgary, but may be closer to 4 depending on what part of the city you're in.

Elkton Valley is a nice little campground, just west of the 22, north of Cremona, before you hit the 27 that goes west to Sundre. Also, Burnt Timber.

Southern section of the 40 (you can also random camp all along this route):

Racehorse Campground

Dutch Creek Campground

Oldman River Campground

Livingstone Falls

Cataract Creek Campground

Etherington Creek Campground

I cannot remember the ones that run along the north section that's accessed west of Cochrane and runs all the way up north. If you're on Facebook, there is this group that you could join, and if you want to know where to camp, someone there will tell you eleventy-three different places to go, lol.

Crowsnest area has a bunch between Pincher and BC. We explored the Castle Falls campground a few years ago - thought it was pretty nice.

If anyone suggests Eagle Lake to you, east of Strathmore, give them a slap and do not go there - it's just nasty.

Slava · 05-14-2018, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foshizzle11

I second this. Or even going a little bit farther to racehorse creek, it is awesome out there as well, don't forget your fishing rods!

Great little spot and a lot of tree cover in case it does rain or snow.

The camping is great, but there are no fish and you should definitely not bring rods. The best place is just to stick to the Bow for that sort of thing!

transplant99 · 05-14-2018, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MillerTime GFG

I'd say ideally within 3-4 hours.

Paid camping or off the grid stuff?

foshizzle11 · 05-14-2018, 05:22 PM

Also, I find down highway 40 there are less people camping than some of the other spots. the farther south you travel along highway 40, the more spots I have found. I also found that there are less "party animals" in that area.

MillerTime GFG · 05-15-2018, 08:22 AM

Appreciate all the suggestions!

That Livingstone Falls campground looks unreal, and it's quite close. Was going to book it, but I see it's first come first serve. Can anyone weigh in on how easy/difficult it is to grab a spot? We have a week open, so could show up on a Sunday or Monday if that would make it easier.

troutman · 05-15-2018, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MillerTime GFG

Appreciate all the suggestions!

That Livingstone Falls campground looks unreal, and it's quite close. Was going to book it, but I see it's first come first serve. Can anyone weigh in on how easy/difficult it is to grab a spot? We have a week open, so could show up on a Sunday or Monday if that would make it easier.

Should be no problem getting spots on the Hwy 40 campgrounds if you arrive on Sunday or Monday. These are rustic campgrounds, and Hwy 40 is a dusty, rough road.

Minnie · 05-15-2018, 10:04 AM

You think it's rough? Huh. We found it pretty decent. A few narrower spots/corners at the beginning, if you start at the section just west of Longview, but beyond that, pretty smooth and well maintained for a trunk road. We are up and down the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail/Canmore Hill quite a bit each year and find that to be a much more rough and rattly road than we found 40S from Longview.