Calgary 
Escape to the south this winter in Alberta.
1.5km iceway/Alberta Parks/Flickr
Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park is in the southeast corner of Alberta and offers an interruption to the region’s flat prairies. The park scenery includes large rolling hills which extend east into Saskatchewan. The Cypress Hills are also heavily forested and provide a vast variety of year-round recreation. At the centre of the park is the small village and lake of Elkwater. This is the hub of the summer and winter activities.
A great place to start an adventure in the hills is the Visitors Centre. The central location is near several trailheads and offers ski or snowshoe rentals. From here, you can more easily explore the winter trails, find the views, and see more of the park.
Downhill Sports at the Hidden Valley Ski Area
The Cypress Hills and their steep slopes give skiers and snowboarders alike the perfect beginner hills in southern Alberta. Hidden Valley Ski Resort is on the east side of Elkwater and provides a unique prairie skiing opportunity. The hill offers runs for all skill levels, including a black diamond, a terrain park, and a beginners’ area.
Skating in the Old Baldy Campground
So, there is no camping open in the Old Baldy Campground during the winter. But the campground adapts for winter activities and becomes a 1.5km iceway for skating. You may also reach the campground several ways: you can follow the ski trails, embark on snowshoes, or park your vehicle in the day-use area.
Rustic Winter Camping & Comfort Camping
There are three ways to camp in Cypress Hills over the winter: in the comfort of their cabins, in an RV, or a tent. The Elkwater and Spruce Coulee Campgrounds are both year-round for tents and RVs, but only Elkwater has power and water hookups.
The Elkwater Cabins are one of many comfort camping options offered in Cypress Hills; these cabins fit up to three people with a double bed and single bunk above. The year-round cabins are powered, equipped with lighting, and a mini fridge. Outside the cabin, you will also have a private deck and firepit: perfect for stargazing under the dark sky preserve! The other seven sets of cabins in Cypress Hills are open from spring to fall.
Cross Country Skiing in the Spring Creek
The Spring Creek Trailhead is south of Elkwater on the Buffalo Trail and west on Murray Hill Road. This is also the end of Murray Hill Road for the winter months. But there is parking at the trailhead ,where you can strap on cross-country skis and explore over 8km of groomed trails.
The trail is treed in most of the way and has a warm-up hut halfway along the path. There are other trails which cut across the loop if you want to shorten the trip. Cross-country ski rentals are available at the Visitor Centre.
Snowshoeing
The Cypress Hills campgrounds south of Elkwater provide a vast expanse of snowshoeing areas. There are marked trails, too, which head south of town from Lakeview Drive and 7th Avenue. You can head up the incline of Tower Trail for viewpoints overlooking the town and lake or follow shorter trails through Beaver Creek or the Rangers Trail. These areas do not have groomed XC ski trails, making it easier to find your way on snowshoes. Snowshoe rentals are available at the Visitor Centre.
Stargazing from the Spruce Coulee Campground
As one of Alberta’s Provincial Dark Sky Preserves, you are guaranteed great stargazing across the park, as long as the weather cooperates. The winter stargazing in Cypress Hills can reveal epic night sky scenes of stars and the Aurora.
Ice fishing on Cypress Hills’ Three Lakes
The central lake of Elkwater in Cypress Hills permits ice fishing, and you can take a scenic drive to the park’s two other lakes for a more secluded afternoon of ice fishing. These are Reesor Lake and the Spruce Coulee Reservoir.
The three lakes are all worth a try, as they all provide different types of fish. Ice fishing on Elkwater allows you to catch pike and perch; Reesor offers rainbow trout, and the reservoir contains brook trout. A fishing license is required, and you can obtain FREE fishing licenses in Alberta for ice fishing on the Family Day long weekend.
Planning your Trip – Cypress Hills Provincial Park
About Cypress Hills Provincial Park: The Cypress Hills stretch across southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, making it an Interprovincial Park. The hills reach the highest point in Canada between Labrador and the Rockies. And they are a geological formation you cannot find anywhere else in Canada!
On the Alberta side of the park, Elkwater is at the centre of all activities and is where you can find the Visitor Centre. Elkwater is on the shores of a small lake, which offers summer beach activities and boating. The park is year-round and offers winter accommodations through campgrounds and cabin rentals.
How to get there: south on Highway 41, the Buffalo Trail, from Medicine Hat
Best time to go:
Park Open Year Round.
Camping available year-round
Remaining campgrounds open May-September
For more information:
