Calgary 
Plan your next summer day trip around Calgary’s closest Provincial Parks and Recreation Areas.
Between the varied landscapes of southern and central Alberta, the Provincial lands and day use areas offer a huge assortment of activities. Many rivers run north or south of Calgary, with the Bow cutting through the city, and these have resulted in several reservoir lakes. From these lakes, we get chances for boating, fishing, swimming, waterskiing, and all sorts of watersports.
To the west of Calgary, you can spend a day trip exploring the many provincial areas within Kananaskis Country. The expansive area is a mix of foothills and small mountains which stretches from the Ghost River in the north, all the way to the Oldman River in the South.
Plan your day trip east of Calgary and you can find more lake and beach areas, reservoirs, and the famous Dinosaur Provincial Park.
These drive times and distances can vary by about an hour due to Calgary’s large and elongated shape, so your choice of Provincial Park and Recreation Areas can also depend on where in Calgary you live.
Kananaskis Country
The Kananaskis Country area is actually several Provincial Parks, Wildlands, and Recreation Areas, which stretch from Canmore in the north to Cataract Creek in the south. And how you want to spend your day in the foothills of the Rockies can help decide which parts of Kananaskis to see.
One of the closest areas, Big Hill Springs, is great for a hike with kids and families. The smaller lakes of Bow Valley are beautiful paddling waters, and the Elbow River can make for peaceful fishing days.
If you prefer a scenic drive, you can do that too, choose from Kananaskis Trail, Smith-Dorrien Trail or Highway 40.
Kananaskis is a big area to explore this summer and fall, so plan for a few day trips and plan a picnic for every park, and don’t forget your Kananaskis Conservation Pass!
Drive-time from Calgary: varies — from 45 minutes to 90 minutes depending on the park.
Chain Lakes Provincial Park
A day trip from Calgary to Chain Lakes will be filled with unique scenery the entire drive, with the foothills in one direction and the Rockies in the other. The Chain Lakes are open to motorized and non-motorized boats, but you’ll need to go slower on this lake. Take your time and watch for wildlife on the shores or fish for catch-and-release rainbow trout. You can pack a picnic to enjoy on your boat or on the shores. But if you require something heartier, you can stop at the Park’s Taste of Country Cookhouse, open for summer. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 1-2 hours (Directions)
Midland Provincial Park
A daytrip to Midland from Calgary will be all about history in all sorts of fun ways. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is the central draw of the Provincial Park, where you and your family can learn about Alberta’s earliest natural history through displays of bones, skeletons, and more.
A lesser-known educational opportunity at Midland is the Coal Mine day use area, where you can explore artifacts from this once-booming Badlands industry. Both day-use areas also have interpretive trails that take you further back to Alberta’s coal mining days. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 1-2 hours (Directions)
Wyndham Carseland Provincial Park
If white-water rafting isn’t your thing, and you’d rather paddle the Bow River at its calmer points in the east, you can daytrip to Wyndham Carseland. This Park is nestled in the hills of the river valley with several amenities to make any sort of day trip more fun. You can launch your non-motorized boats, build a roaring fire for an evening picnic, or purchase your picnic from the onsite concession. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 1-2 hours (Directions)
Ghost Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area
The incredibly large Ghost Lake/Reservoir is a close day trip location from Calgary, especially for those in the west end of the city. You can picnic on the shores and explore along the sandy areas while watching the sailboats and powerboats zoom past. This lake is a wonderful sailing and windsurfing area, as the lake catches huge gusts from the Rockies. This also means that if you take out a canoe or kayak, you’ll want to be mindful of the weather and how quickly it changes. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 30-90 minutes (Directions)
Willow Creek Provincial Park
Willow Creek is directly south of Calgary and is managed partly by Alberta Parks, as well as Stavely Parks. The Willow Creek Campground features a day use area with parking from which you can walk to a beach, playground, and swimming area on the gorgeous creek. Take time to explore the park, which is surrounded by unique coulee formations. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 1-2 hours (Directions)
Little Bow Provincial Park
Plan a lazy beach day this August for you and your family at the Little Bow Provincial Park day use area. The park is located where the Little Bow River meets the Travers Reservoir and is in a calmer part of the large lake. You can stick to the sand and playground area, but to get out and explore the water further, you can launch your own boat or rent a fishing boat/paddle board from the onsite boat house. If you do bring a powerboat, you can cruise out onto the Reservoir and tow tubers, skiers, or wakeboarders. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 1.5-2.5 hours (Directions)
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park
While driving from Calgary to Glenbow Ranach won’t take a lot of time out of your day, you can spend the entire day here exploring the foothills. You can plan for a hike or two, or a bike ride, with 28km of trails: these lead to a variety of viewpoints and sights like the historic quarry, the Bow River, distant Rocky Mountains, abandoned structures, and hundreds of acres worth of foothills. You will have several picnic areas from which to choose along those trails, including a few with shelter! Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 10-40 minutes (Directions)
Lake McGregor Provincial Recreation Area
The large and impressive Lake McGregor, south of Calgary, is fed by the Bow River, and eventually feeds the even larger Travers Reservoir. The Lake is a favourite of fishers in southern Alberta as you can catch anything from walleye to perch, whitefish to pike, and trout. The day use area has a beach as well, and the super cool waters would feel great on a hot August Day. The huge amount of space also allows for motorized boats to pick up speed and cruise, tow water skiers, or any boater can travel the shores to find those quieter, more secluded fishing spots. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 1-2 hours (Directions)
Dinosaur Provincial Park
The name explains exactly why this southeastern Provincial Park is so famous: the dinosaurs! Dinosaur Provincial Park is an active paleontological site as it has one of the richest fossil fields in the entire world; this also makes the park a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fortunately for those in Calgary, this world-renowned attraction is within reach as a day trip. Explore the large badlands, interpretive trails with fossil displays, cottonwood forest trails, and the nearby Red Deer River. Experienced paddlers can plan day trips on the river which either start or end in the Provincial Park, with each trip totalling about 8 hours. And if any of your exploring for the day builds up an appetite, you can stop by the Cretaceous Café for a bit, or use one of several picnic sites. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 1.5-2.5 hours (Directions)
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Glennifer Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area
The large prairie reservoir north of Calgary has three day use areas with two near the dam and the other area on the southwest side. The Cottonwood day use has space to launch a boat (motorized or not), and tree-lined picnic spots. The North and South Valley areas are more suited to picnickers. Once you get a boat on the Glennifer Reservoir, you can speed around with waterskiers or tubers in tow, or find a quiet fishing spot. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 1-2 hours (Directions)
Park Lake Provincial Park
We have a short amount of time left for beach days in Alberta, but you can make the most of it with a trip from Calgary to Park Lake, even if just for the day. Park Lake Provincial Park was Alberta’s first back in 1929, and continues to be a scenic beach and camping destination with interpretive programming, great birdwatching spots, and a fun place to boat. You can take your paddleboard or kayak and explore the shores or quieter areas of the lake. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 1 hour and 45 minutes – 2 hours 45 minutes (Directions)
Oldman Dam Provincial Recreation Area
This dam is what controls the flow of the Oldman River which eventually makes its way past Fort McLeod. The large Recreation Area has five day use areas where you can set up for the day for picnics, sailing, canoeing/kayaking, or fishing. Nearby is the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump viewing area as well and is worth the stop on your drive to the Dam. You also have all the amenities of Pincher Creek just five minutes from your picnic areas. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 1.5-2.5 hours (Directions)
Lundbreck Falls Provincial Recreational Area
Visit “Niagara Falls” of Alberta! Just a short drive from Lethbridge, these waterfalls are a result of the Crowsnest River which cuts through a valley of limestone. The lush forests around the falls even creep through some of the limestone and frame the waterfall among some unique foothill scenery. Crowsnest River also offers some of the best trout fishing and the day-use area offers excellent river access! Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 2-2.5 hours (Directions)
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Beauvais Lake Provincial Park
The large Beauvais Lake PP is worth the longer drive for a day trip from Calgary. There is a lot to see and do here in a day with options like simple picnics, easy hikes, more challenging hikes, biking, and birding. And for boaters of any kind, this beautiful foothill lake provides a relaxing way to cruise along in a a powerboat (under 12km/hour), canoe, kayak, or SUP. The lake currently has two open day use areas with the boat launch closest to the campground. You can also explore Beauvais via the trail which loops the entire lake. Details
Drive-time from Calgary: 2-3 hours (Directions)
