Kananaskis Country

Backcountry Trip Suggestions

Easy backcountry trips for families and those new to backpacking 

• Point Backcountry Campground and Elbow Lake Backcountry Campground in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park are easier backcountry camping trips.  They both involve short hikes (1-4 km), with minimal elevation gain in stunning settings.
• Jewell Bay Backcountry Campground and Quaite Valley Backcountry Campground are also good trips with minimal elevation gain and less than 4 km of distance.  They are both in Bow Valley Provincial Park.

Kayak or canoe accessible backcountry campgrounds

• Jewell Bay Backcountry Campground is accessible by canoe.  Start from the Barrier Lake Day Use boat launch and paddle approximately 1.5 km west across Barrier Lake to the campground.
• Point Backcountry Campground is located on the west shore of Upper Kananaskis Lake.  It is approximately a 4.5 km paddle from the Upper Lake Day Use boat launch. Caution is advised as winds can blow in and kick up large waves on Upper Kananaskis Lake.

Trips for people with limited mobility (assisted by a caregiver) or people with young children in chariots

• Elbow Lake Backcountry Campground is a 1.3 km hike in up a nice wide trail that is accessible to chariots and bikes.
• Point Backcountry Campground and Jewell Bay Backcountry Campground are great for people with limited mobility or young children as they're accessible by boat.
• For those with young children, both Point and Jewell Bay campgrounds can be accessed by short hikes (3-4 km) on trails that are wide enough for chariots. Both routes have minimal elevation gain. Note that there are sections on the trails to Point and Jewell Bay where you would need to pick up the chariot which would likely require 2 adults.
• Quaite Valley Backcountry Campground is usually a good hike for someone with limited mobility.  The trail is typically smooth, with limited elevation gain.  However, the 2013 flood damaged sections of the trail and repairs are upcoming.

Two-night backcountry trips with minimal elevation gain

• For a great, easy two-night backpacking trip, hike 3.4 km along Upper Kananaskis Lake to Point Backcountry Campground for the first night.  Continue on through forested terrain via Three Isle Trail for another 6.2 km to Forks Backcountry Campground for the second night.
• Elbow Lake Backcountry Campground to Tombstone Backcountry Campground is another great option. It’s a 1.3 km hike to Elbow Lake on the first night, and then another 6 km to Tombstone on the second night. Bikes are permitted on this trail so you could ride to Tombstone.  Note that the trail has some difficult sections due to large stones and washouts.

Difficult backcountry trips

• Turbine Canyon Backcountry Campground to Three Isle Lake Backcountry Campground via North and South Kananaskis Passes is a beautiful multi-day hike that requires good route finding skills. This route takes you out of Alberta’s Peter Lougheed Provincial Park and into Height of the Rockies Provincial Park in British Columbia.
• The route is 16 km to Turbine Canyon Backcountry Campground, where you would spend the first night.  Alternately, you could break it up by staying at Forks Backcountry Campground the first night and then hike the remaining 8 km to Turbine Canyon to spend the second night.
• From Turbine Canyon, hike towards Maude Lake, then over the North Kananaskis Pass, and alongside Leroy Creek.  The unmaintained route heads around the west ridge of Mount Beatty and climbs up through heavily forested terrain past BC Parks’ Beatty Lake Campground.  Four km later, it arrives at Three Isle Lake Backcountry Campground. The trail can be difficult to follow.  If you are not confident with your party’s navigation skills, you may want to choose the easier option below.  
• An easier option is available via maintained trails staying within Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.  After staying at Turbine Canyon Backcountry Campground, return to Forks Backcountry Campground via the Maude-Lawson Trail.  Then take Three Isle Lake Trail to reach Three Isle Lake Backcountry Campground, approximately 11 km from Turbine Canyon. 

Equestrian backcountry trips

• Big Elbow Trail and Little Elbow Trail access extraordinary backcountry camping facilities such as Mount Romulus Backcountry Campground, Big Elbow Backcountry Campground and Tombstone Backcountry Campground.
• These backcountry campgrounds include equestrian-specific features such as storage containers for horse feed.  They make great base camps for extensive exploration on horseback.