Kananaskis Campgrounds: Where to Camp + How to Choose

Which Kananaskis Campground is Right for You

Some Kananaskis campgrounds come with Wi-Fi and plenty of amenities; others don’t even have drinking water.

There are countless ways to explore Kananaskis, but they’re spread across a huge region. Choosing the right campground means spending more time exploring and less time driving.

We learned that lesson on our first Kananaskis camping trip. We hadn’t done our usual pre trip research before we arrived and pulled into the beautiful Spray Lakes West Campground completely unprepared for how rustic it was—including the fact that there was no potable drinking water.

The views were incredible, but we quickly learned that not all campgrounds in Kananaskis offer the same experience. Since then, we’ve camped in several different areas of Kananaskis and spent a lot more time exploring the region.

Whether you’re planning your trip around some of Kananaskis’ most iconic hikes, spending your days around the lakes, or looking for easy access to Canmore, where you camp can make a big difference.

I’ve organized this guide by area to help you compare your camping options, with information on amenities, reservations, and nearby hikes and attractions. Once you’ve picked a campground, planning the rest of your Kananaskis trip is a whole lot easier when you know how to get around, what passes you need and what to expect when you arrive.

TL;DR

For Peter Lougheed Provincial Park:

• Boulton Creek for amenities
• Interlakes for lakeside camping
• Elkwood for families- playground, showers, and flush toilets
• Canyon for easy Highway 40 access
• Lower Lake for a playground near the Boulton Creek Trading Post

For Canmore access:

• Spray Lakes West for west side access and quieter, more rustic experience (but no services)
• Bow Valley for access to Highway 40 and east side of Canmore
• Other good options: Lac des Arcs, Willow Creek

Near Kananaskis Village:

• Mount Kidd RV Park for full-service camping
• Sundance by Basecamp for glamping and outdoor games
• Skyridge Glamping for an adults-only luxury stay

Map of Kananskis Campgrounds

The campgrounds in this guide are spread across a large area. Use the map to see how they relate to Canmore, Highway 40, Kananaskis Village and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park before choosing where to stay.

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is one of our favourite places to base out of. Located along Highway 40 in the southern part of Kananaskis Country, the park is home to Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes and some of the best hiking trails in Kananaskis.

There’s plenty to do without driving far from your campground. You can paddle or explore the shoreline around the Kananaskis Lakes, hike to Rawson Lake and Sarrail Ridge, walk across the Blackshale Suspension Bridge, or head farther south along Highway 40, where you’ll find both popular hikes and some of the quieter Kananaskis trails.

Peter Lougheed can also work as a base for exploring the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail. If you don’t mind a slightly longer drive, the campgrounds here are some of the closest options with serviced sites, while still putting hikes like Burstall Pass and Chester Lake within reach.

One important thing to know before camping in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park: there is no cell service at the campgrounds. Download any maps, trail information or other information you’ll need before you arrive. If staying connected matters, Boulton Creek does have Wi-Fi available at the Trading Post.

Boulton Creek Campground (Best for Amenities)

Boulton Creek is my top pick in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park if you want a few more comforts at your campground. It

It has a mix of serviced and unserviced sites, drinking water, flush toilets and showers. There’s also an on-site sewage disposal station, making it one of the better equipped camping options in the park.

The biggest advantage, though, is the Boulton Creek Trading Post. It sells basic groceries and camping supplies, firewood, souvenirs and ice cream, and has both indoor and outdoor seating areas.

There’s also Wi-Fi at the Trading Post—a particularly useful perk since there’s no cell service in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.

Kananaskis Interlakes Campground (Best for Lakeside Camping)

If Boulton Creek is my pick for amenities, Interlakes is my pick for scenic location. The campground sits right on the shore of Lower Kananaskis Lake, and many of the campsites have views right out over the water. If waking up beside a mountain lake is what you picture when you think about camping in Kananaskis, this is the campground I’d look at first.

Interlakes is a much simpler campground than Boulton Creek, so you’re trading some of those extra comforts for the setting. There is non-potable water available, so you’ll need to bring your own drinking water.

There’s also a hand launch right at the campground, making it especially convenient if you’re wanting to paddle or fish.

Elkwood (Best for Families)

Elkwood is a good choice for families camping in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, particularly if you want a playground without giving up some of the more comfortable campground amenities.

With a playground, showers, flush toilets and an amphitheatre, Elkwood combines family-friendly facilities with some of the comforts you don’t get at the park’s more basic campgrounds.

Other Good Options in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Canyon Campground is worth considering if you want to stay closer to Highway 40. It has a playground and on-site sewage disposal, but facilities are more basic, with pit/vault toilets and no showers.

Lower Lake Campground is a good alternative if you want a playground while staying close to Boulton Creek. The Boulton Creek Trading Post and showers are just a short drive away, giving you easy access to some of Boulton Creek’s amenities while camping at Lower Lake. Facilities at Lower Lake itself are more basic, with pit/vault toilets and no showers.

Camping Near Canmore

Staying closer to Canmore is a good option if you want to split your time between exploring Kananaskis and spending time in town. It puts restaurants, shops and other Canmore amenities within easier reach without giving up easy access to outdoor adventures.

You can explore in either direction from town. To the west, you’ll find the scenic trail to Grassi Lakes and access to the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail, including the Tent Ridge Horseshoe hike. To the east, you’re well positioned for exploring the Highway 40 side of Kananaskis, including the Barrier Lake area.

Canmore itself also has several campgrounds if staying right in town is your priority. For this guide, I’m focusing on campgrounds within Kananaskis that still give you convenient access to Canmore and the surrounding area.

Spray Lakes West (Best for Rustic Camping and West-Side Access)

Spray Lakes West is my pick if you’re looking for a quieter, more rustic camping experience near Canmore. The campground sits along the shore of Spray Lakes Reservoir, surrounded by mountains, with beautiful views across the water. It’s also entirely first-come, first-served, making it a useful option if you’re travelling without a campground reservation.

Rustic really does mean rustic here. There are outhouses and a single hand pump with non-potable water, but otherwise there are no services.

The location is one of Spray Lakes West’s biggest advantages. Sitting right along the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail puts you close to mountain lakes, trailheads and some of the best larch hikes in Kananaskis. Continue south along the Smith-Dorrien and you’ll find even more hiking opportunities, including the Smutwood Peak hike.

Spray Lakes West is relatively close to Canmore, making it a convenient base if you want to combine time in town with exploring the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail. Just be aware that the entire Smith-Dorrien Road, including the section leading to Canmore and the campground is rough gravel with no cell service.

Bow Valley (Best for Amenities and North Highway 40 Access)

Bow Valley Campground is a good choice if you want more amenities while staying within easy reach of Canmore. With serviced sites, flush toilets, showers, a playground and a campground store, it offers a more developed camping experience than Spray Lakes West.

Its location is another big advantage. Bow Valley is about 30 km east of Canmore, close to Highway 1 and well positioned for heading south on Highway 40.

You can spend some time around Barrier Lake and the Barrier Dam, or head east for the Mount Yamnuska hike. It’s a convenient base if you want to explore this part of Kananaskis while still having relatively easy access to Canmore.

For RV campers, Bow Valley also has an on-site sewage disposal station—one of only a handful of campgrounds in Kananaskis with this service.

Other Good Options Near Canmore

Willow Rock Campground is a good alternative if Bow Valley is full or if you want the flexibility of first-come, first-served camping. Located only about 2 km from Bow Valley Campground, it has a mix of reservable and first-come, first-served sites along with flush toilets, showers, a playground and on-site sewage disposal.

Lac des Arcs Campground is the closest to Canmore of the Kananaskis campgrounds on this list. It’s a small, simple campground with just 28 unserviced sites, but its location right on Lac des Arcs also makes it a good option if you’re bringing a paddleboard, canoe or kayak. There’s a hand launch and playground, while the facilities are more basic, with pit/vault toilets and non-potable water.

Near Kananaskis Village

Camping near Kananaskis Village puts you close to the most developed part of Kananaskis, with restaurants, the Nordic Spa and other resort amenities nearby. It’s a good location if you want easy access to those conveniences without giving up the mountain setting.

There are also several outdoor activities nearby. Troll Falls is one of the area’s most popular shorter hikes, while the Kananaskis Village trail system gives you options for walking and biking without having to drive far.

You’re also well positioned for heading farther south along Highway 40 if you want to explore more of Kananaskis.

Unlike the other Kananaskis campgrounds, the campgrounds in this section are privately operated, so reservations, fees and campground policies are handled by the individual operators.

Mount Kidd RV Park (Best for Full-Service Camping)

Mount Kidd RV Park stands out as the only full-service campground on this list, with some sites offering power, water and sewer hookups right at your campsite. There are also power-and-water, power-only and unserviced sites, so you have quite a bit of choice depending on how you camp.

It’s also one of the better options for families who want things to do at the campground, with a playground and other recreation facilities.

The trade-off for the extra amenities is cost. Mount Kidd is one of the more expensive options in this guide. There are also additional charges to keep in mind, including a reservation fee and fees for some changes or additional camping units.

Sundance By Basecamp (Best for Glamping)

Sundance by Basecamp is a good choice if you want more flexibility than a traditional campground. Along with unserviced campsites, there are glamping tents and tipis at different price points and comfort levels.

There are hot showers and flush toilets at the Trading Post. You can also pick up camp supplies or rent gear, including bedding, cooking kits, coolers and propane firepits.

Outdoor activities include volleyball, soccer, badminton, bocce ball and cornhole, with a large open field that gives kids plenty of room to run around.

Skyridge Glamping (Best for an Adults-Only Getaway)

If your idea of camping leans heavily toward the glam side of glamping, Skyridge offers an entirely different way to stay near Kananaskis Village.

This adults-only (21+) retreat has luxury micro-cabins with private bathrooms, kitchens and king beds, making it much closer to a private mountain cabin stay than traditional camping.

It’s considerably more upscale than Sundance and would make the most sense for couples or adults who want to use Kananaskis as their outdoor playground during the day and come back to a comfortable private cabin at night.

Final Thoughts on Camping in Kananaskis

There really isn’t one best campground in Kananaskis. Where you stay depends on what you want to do while you’re there—and how many comforts you want to come back to at the end of the day.

For us, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is hard to beat as a base for exploring Kananaskis. You’re surrounded by lakes, hiking trails and mountain scenery, with several campgrounds to choose from depending on the experience you want. But if your plans take you closer to Canmore, along the Smith-Dorrien, or around Kananaskis Village, staying in one of those areas can save a lot of driving.

And after arriving at Spray Lakes West without drinking water on our first Kananaskis camping trip, I can say this much: check the campground amenities before you pack. The difference between full-service camping and a hand pump with non-potable water is worth knowing before you get there.