Hey everyone, this might be a stupid question but they say no question is a stupid question right? haha.

Im hoping to do some, off the grid camping coming up here, and i am familiar with the spots near ghost lake for crown land.

Im just curious if we do the hike, are the Alberta Forestry Service fire lookouts open to public access to stay in? in a first come first serve basis? if not, could people love some suggestions for there favourite off the grid/crown land camping spots including hikes? (preferably with a good view and maybe a river/lake near by.

Also preferably within 3-4 hours of Calgary, in the banff/rocky mountain house direction.

Thanks in advance! happy camping.

Hey! We're doing 2 weeks in Banff/Jasper/YOHO and we want a couple of nights somewhere that is really fun for the kids (3 and 1). A pool, hot tub or playground would be ideal. We don't mind splurging a little bit for a couple of nights to get more of a resort feel. Any recommendations?

I thought the parks booking was pretty smooth this year. How did everyone else do? Good experiences? Bad experiences? Anything you're particularly proud about snagging? I got some nice dates on the Brazeau Loop that I'm already looking forward to.

I’m brand new to Alberta and have always lived in big cities. For the first time ever, I’m this close to nature and wanted to try camping this summer.

I was able to snag a site at the silver horn creek campground close to Canada Day. It will be just me and my partner for a couple of nights. Because I’m so new to this, I would love opinions on a few questions:

1. Camper van v/s tent: I know a van will be more comfortable but it’s too expensive. Would love to spend less than half in renting camping gear, including an air mattress. I don’t want to freeze at night and sleep is very important to us, especially during vacation. Some camper vans also offer running water, but I am told showers are available at a short drive or into Lake Louise Village.

I’m leaning towards a tent but is this a mistake for a first-time camper?

2. Bear safety: some photos on google reviews show bear tracks right on the campground. I know we are in bear country and most bears are equally scared of us. But I’m terrified of encountering one and feel that it will hinder my ability to truly relax. I will keep bear spray and lock away my food, but have also heard that it’s hard to deter the hungry ones. I also don’t have the option to travel with a group since I’m so new here.

Realistically, how afraid should I be?

I want to love camping so if you have any other tips, please let me know :) thank you!

Hello everyone,

I am working on a university project focused on improving bike racks, and I’d like to gather your feedback as experienced users.

What are your biggest frustrations with bike racks (installation, security, capacity, etc.)?
And if you could dream of the perfect bike rack, what would it look like?

I’m referring to racks mounted on or at the back of your vehicle, where you can place and secure your bikes, luggage, groceries, bags, or other items.

I’m also curious to hear your ideas about integrating modern technologies (automation, innovative materials).

Thank you in advance for your input! 🙏 Feel free to share your experiences!

With 2025 reservations opening up shortly, I posted a video with a tour of the campground amenities from our trip there last year. Hope this helps people with planning their trip

https://youtu.be/c0L7iStKr4w

Hello,

I'm looking for some recommendations on some first time friendly hike in and camp recommendations. Possibly something in the Nordegg area or something within 3 hours of Calgary.

2 adults Hike in Camp for 2 nights Hike out

I'd say our hiking experience is moderate but we aren't afraid to push our boundaries or limits.

I'm coming over from New Zealand to visit friends over July and into August. While I'm there I really would like to see some Quaking Aspen as they're my favorite exotic tree.

I wondered if you all had any suggestions for any long hikes that feature these trees
I consider myself to be a very competent hiker so any suggestions are welcome!
thanks!

-Hike would be in the early summer

-1-2 nights max

-Ideally would have to be less intense in length/height than the Panorama Ridge in BC. I think that is the limit of my fitness right now.

I am open to all suggestions as I only know hikes in Banff/Kananaskis/Peter Loughheed provincial park. Thank you all

Hey everyone, I'm wanting to get into winter camping in a hot tent this season and I'm just curious if there are any regulations I should be aware of for using crown land or any tips you guys can share? I'm a pretty experienced hiker and camper and will be making sure I go with a buddy or two after I try out the equipment for a few nights in a safe and familiar location. I'm in the Calgary area and any suggestions for good locations to rent a hot tent and stove would also be appreciated. Thanks!

Hello, I would like to ask if you could recommend places in Alberta to do my first winter camping in my SUV. I acquired my public land camping pass, but I would like to go to places where there are at least a few people or services nearby. Maybe if you have any tips I would really appreciate it.

I want to find some beautiful biking trails in Alberta(maybe east BC near Banff) that would be easy for an 8-year-old to ride on. It doesn't need to be paved, just lower gradients and wider paths. I'm hoping to find something similar to Myra Canyon in Kelowna.

A friend suggested Waterton as an option for camping. I look at some pictures and there's some beautiful places, but not a fan of the townsite camping ground. As we are going with two toddlers and aren't super experienced camping I don't think we would do back country. Is there any good campgrounds where we can reserve a spot with time?

We've been planning to come to canada on an alberta road trip with the potential to moving there in future years. We booked our flights and rv just a matter of weeks before the wildfires began.

Now that we're planning campsites etc jasper is the only place we're struggling to find anything. Would it be a better idea to just visit jasper on a day trip and drive on to a site elsewhere? It was one of our bucket list places to visit and it's such a shame to see what has happened, but we'd still like to go there and support the local economy.

Thanks!

We car camp. We’ve always had a thick foamy but it’s too small to fit us and our 1 & 4 year old and dog this summer. What do you do with kids do you all share or does everyone have their own mattress and sleeping bag?

Hi,

I'm planning on taking my family (me, wife a almost 4year old and 2 year old)camping next summer, somewhere in the Rockies. Last June we camped on Tunnel Mountain Campsite and it was great as a first time experience, having the town close incase of an emergency or in case things didn't worked out.

But this year we want to try something different. I'm very familiar with the area around Banff, so I'm not opposed to trying something different like Yoho, Golden, Kootenay or even Kananaskis. We don't necessarily want to do lots of hiking, mainly just spend time outside, maybe go spend time at the lake/river or do a small hike, visit a small mountain town.

I wouldn't want to camp to far away from a town in case of an emergency, and would rather camp somewhere a bit more private, Tunnel Mountain feels like there is no privacy.

Any advice? Also what would be the best time? June might be to cold, but less crowded, but July might be perfect weather, but too many people?

I grew up camping, never went on a plane for vacations. It was some of the memories of my life!

I’m not a novice, but it’s been years. And now I have kids (6 and 3) and want to go camping with them, around Banff, kananaskis, etc. (Tenting)

What do I need to worry about? My dad brain goes into protective mode and I think about intruders, animals, etc.

Help me squash my worries so I can go out and make some mems.

Hi there,

Looking to help my parents plan their retirement cross country trip. They asked me to look into Dinosaur campground. I see it’s reservable starting around April. And individual sites are available 90 days prior to date. So does this mean April dates will be available some time in January/February?

Just wanted to clarify so my parents don’t become homeless during the trip.

Thanks!

Sorry, I'm sure it's a silly question. But, what fuel do you use in alcohol stoves? Up until now I've only used canister and white gas stoves. In the UK I think meths was the go-to fuel of choice in alcohol stoves, but I haven't found it here.

Also, are we allowed to use alcohol stoves during fire bans here?

Where can I buy a bison hide, I'd like to do some winter camping. I live in Calgary. Any suggestions are very welcome.

Heading to Canmore/Kananaskis in mid December to do some winter tenting and was wondering if anyone knows of any good locations for that!