Winter Recreation

Christmas Tree Cutting

Permits are available online December 1st-24th. Please contact the Cypress Hills Provincial Park Visitor Centre if you have any questions or for additional information.

Find info on all our cross-country ski trails (using "ski" as the Search term).
Check the Cypress Hills ski trails grooming report.
Spring Creek Cross-Country Ski Trail System offers 10 kilometres of excellent variety for beginner and novice skiers. There are warm-up shelters at the trailhead and at Willow Creek Group Use Area.
Spruce Coulee Cross-Country Ski Trail System (east of Elkwater) is suitable for both experienced and novice skiers. This system consists of Highline Trail, Ridgetop Trail, Rodeo Loop Trail and Spruce Coulee Trail.
In total, the park has about 30 km of groomed ski trails. There are also non-groomed backcountry ski trails.
Cross-country ski rentals are available at Cypress Hills Visitor Centre - full-day and half-day rates.
Check our Winter Trails Guide.

Hidden Valley Ski Resort is located in the park. Read more about Lift Tickets and Season Passes here.

Ice fishing is allowed at Elkwater Lake (pike and perch), Reesor Lake (rainbow & tiger trout) and Spruce Coulee Reservoir (brook trout, walleye, artic grayling).
Check the Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations for details on regulations and restrictions.
For your safety:
- It is extremely important to check ice conditions before walking on the ice.
- According to the Lifesaving Society Ice Safety, ice should be at least 20 centimetres thick for group activities.
- Use caution on ice! Hazardous and thin sections can exist at any time during winter.
- Go prepared for weather changes, wild animals, equipment breakdowns and accidents.
- Review winter safety tips.
For information on road accessibility to Reesor Lake and Spruce Coulee Reservoir, call the Visitor Centre at 403-893-3833 ext. 5.

The campground entrance. Weather dependent, please call the Visitor Centre at 403-893-3833 ext. 5 for further information.
Elkwater has an outdoor skating rink located on 7th Avenue.

There is a toboggan hill south of Hidden Valley Ski Resort on Highway 41. A picnic shelter and stove are located closeby.
Check out our "backyard luge" in front of the Learning Centre (located across from the marina). Bring your own sled or borrow one of our disc toboggans. Helmets are recommended. Weather dependent, please call the Visitor Centre at 403-893-3833 ext. 5 for further information.

Fat biking is permitted on all groomed and track-set trails EXCEPT Spring Creek Ski Trail System.
Bikes with regular mountain bike tires are not permitted. Tires must be 3.7 inches or wider. Tire pressure should be 10 psi or lower.
Skiers have priority on trails. Give skiers lots of space to pass, both on hills and flats.

Please avoid trails that are track-set for cross-country skiing - Spring Creek Cross-Country Ski Trail System and Spruce Coulee Trail.
There are other trails suitable for snowshoeing. (Use "snowshoe" as the Search term.)
Snowshoe rentals are available at the Visitor Centre.

The Learning Centre, located across from the marina, is open as a warm-up building on weekends in winter.
With washrooms and a half kitchen, this is a great place to get warm or enjoy lunch.

Winter camping is available at Elkwater, Spruce Coulee campgrounds and backcountry huts.
All campgrounds are by reservation only.
Please check road conditions prior to your arrival - Spruce coulee campground and back-country huts may be inaccessible due to road closures.