Help? Looking for free camp sites close to Calgary - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

alltherage · 07-26-2010, 12:46 PM

Hey so I'm looking for a site like McLean Creek but we dont all have trucks to off road. If you can get into McLean somewhere with a Honda Civic or a vehicle that size then I just dont know the entrance haha. Any ideas?

We're looking for a "free site" because we're younger (23-25yrs) and like to have beers late in the night without disturbing other people. We usually have music and stuff pretty late.

No, we dont burn couches or kill people, we just like to have some uninhibited fun once in a while hahahaha.

Any ideas? I'm thinking hopefully within 2 hours of the city... the closer the better.

We went to Waiporous (sp?) a month ago or so and thought we were in a free zone because there were lots of old fire pits and stuff around, but a ranger stopped by and ticketed us for it. He was really cool and let us continue to camp (our site was clean and well kept) but we still got a ticket... and would prefer not to break the law.

Thanks!

Flacker · 07-26-2010, 01:02 PM

The area around the Oldman is all open camping. It is a beautiful area and I have never seen a conservation officer or ranger.

There are no facilities but that kind of goes with the price tag.

West of Chain Lakes, north of Coleman out on the Trunk road, there are thousands of good camping spots.

Swayze11 · 07-26-2010, 01:03 PM

Burnt Timber is free - extremely close to North Ghost. If you know where the outdoor paintball place is about 30-45 mins west of Cochrane it is about 15 mins from there.

alltherage · 07-26-2010, 01:12 PM

Thanks guys... would either of you happen to be able to map out on google or somewhere for me? Google doesnt seem to be "getting" the areas you are talking about... but if you know where abouts it is you could probably find it. Sorry, it could very well be a user error...

Thanks again!

amorak · 07-26-2010, 01:27 PM

So you want free camping, and then when people tell you the names you get confused? Are you sure "middle of nowhere" camping is up your alley?

I have a feeling we're going to hear about a few inexperienced campers dying in the woods this weekend

SteveToms · 07-26-2010, 01:33 PM

Works hard for the money

Rerun · 07-26-2010, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alltherage

Thanks guys... would either of you happen to be able to map out on google or somewhere for me? Google doesnt seem to be "getting" the areas you are talking about... but if you know where abouts it is you could probably find it. Sorry, it could very well be a user error...

Thanks again!

You can download all the maps you need for the Waiparous/Ghost/Burnt Timber areas here

http://www.srd.alberta.ca/Recreation...lications.aspx

P.S. If you are Random Camping, you might want to read this, and make a copy of it before you head out....

http://www.srd.alberta.ca/Recreation...nd-Mar2007.pdf

alltherage · 07-26-2010, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amorak

So you want free camping, and then when people tell you the names you get confused? Are you sure "middle of nowhere" camping is up your alley?

I have a feeling we're going to hear about a few inexperienced campers dying in the woods this weekend

I'm not "all confused" I am simply trying to find out where these places (which I have never been to or heard of) are... thats what maps are generally for. I appreciate the help and was just asking if they could point out the general direction.

When I googled the Chain Lakes it went to the Yukon Territories hahaha... I dont think thats what Flacker was talking about!

And @SteveToms... obvious troll is painfully obvious. Your 2:1 ratio of drive-by posts are getting really old at this point. Why not start contributing to the community instead of degenerating it?

Thanks to the people actually staying on topic and helping a fellow CPer out.

Barnes · 07-26-2010, 03:45 PM

This is a good spot. Fish cops will come by during the day but if you keep the area clean and aren't fishing without a license, you'll be fine.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...15771&t=h&z=16

Drive south on 22 and turn off at highway 532 right before chain lakes, south on forestry trunk road and the area is just after the bridge where the river goes from the right side of the road to the left.

If that area has people, there are some more good spots further down that road. Just look for any signs of tracks leading towards the river on your left.

Swayze11 · 07-26-2010, 04:24 PM

http://www.redrocksawmills.com/ghostarea.html

If you scroll down there is a map to where it is. Really easy to get to, just be prepared to potentially have cows in your campsite when you wake up - scared the crap out of me the 1st time I went out here.

alltherage · 07-26-2010, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swayze11

http://www.redrocksawmills.com/ghostarea.html

If you scroll down there is a map to where it is. Really easy to get to, just be prepared to potentially have cows in your campsite when you wake up - scared the crap out of me the 1st time I went out here.

Hahaha that's hilarious. Thanks for the info! I think because the sites are free they obviously dont have the money for websites... and really what I'm looking for are just forests that we are allowed to camp in. I just really dont want to end up having to go to a pay site with families and stuff where we're just going to bother people.

We're trying to be irresponsible responibly.