Peter Lougheed Provincial Park Camping

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream. 

The real draw of Boutlon Creek Campground is the Trading Posting (convenience store) which sells prepackaged ice-cream treats and during the warmer months (e.g. June to August) ice cream by the scoop (with lots of flavours). It’s a nostalgic experience and often lined up. 

Pros:

Ice cream

No cell coverage or wifi

Recently built new full-service sites

Cons:

Can be busy, especially the full-service loops

Some of the infrastructure is ancient (e.g. the amphitheater) 

Occasionally there are sewage odors near E Loop

This is a deceptively large campground. There are several loops, but it doesn’t feel large or overly busy. The size also lends itself well to biking and walking around. There are also a number of trails, many of which are paved, right from the campground. 

This campground is a short distance from the Lower Kananaskis Lake (<2km) as well as Upper Kananaskis Lake (<8km). Both lakes are stunning, with the upper lake also having interpretive trails and waterfalls. 

There is a payphone at the Trading Post, which is also well-stocked with all sorts of camping gear, clothes, food, etc. 

Peter Lougheed Parks Discovery Centre is a short drive away and is worth a stop. It has a huge number of bats around back (you can actually hear them in the bat houses during the daytime). The view from the seating area is breathtaking. It also has free wifi, although it is very very slow. There’s also a payphone. 

What did the fish say when it swam into the wall? Dam! 

This is an amazing retreat, well off the beaten path and almost feels like back-country camping. While it sports no services, including cell coverage and wifi, that’s part of the charm. 

Pros:

No cell coverage or wifi

Huge private sites

Lake access

Cons:

Rustic facilities (old vault toilets)

Water is cold

No phone on-site (can be a safety consideration) 

There’s lots of fish in the lake, a nearby boat launch, and lots of folks on paddleboards etc. While there isn’t a dam, there is a neat hydroelectric power generation plant worth exploring at the south west side of the Lower Lake. 

There are 3 loops and not really a bad site in any of them. There is a campground manager and potable water is usually available in the campground by June, through until about September (temperature dependant and you can get water about a 10 min drive toward Kananaskis).

This is a very bikeable campground with a paved trail through the woods up to Boulton Creek Campground, which includes a small store (Boulton Creek Trading Post), which also sells propane (by the tank or refill).