Calgary 
Winter adventures are easy to come by in Alberta’s parks. And no matter what the word adventure means to you, there are activities for all sorts of interests across the province’s Provincial Parks and Recreation Areas.
Credit: knnku/Flickr
There are a few winter activities available across dozens of parks in the province, like cross-country skiing, winter hiking, fat biking, or wildlife viewing. On top of this, there are many Alberta parks with several different winter adventures to enjoy.
A few activities, however, are exclusive to either a handful of Alberta parks or only one. Some of these available adventures may even surprise you.
Head to Alberta’s parks for true winter adventures like ice walks, dogsledding, snowmobiling, or comfort camping.
Frozen Waterfall Hikes
Alberta’s waterfalls are gorgeous over winter, with the rushing waters frozen in place over the cliffs and streams. They often really look as though they are frozen in time, and many of these beautiful views are still accessible during the winter.
- The Elbow Falls Provincial Recreation Area offers hikers and skiers many long trails to follow. But one of the shortest hikes from this parking lot offers the best reward. Park at the Elbow Falls day-use area and enjoy a riverside walk to the falls.
- Troll Falls is another beauty to spot in Kananaskis Country this winter, with a trail starting at Ribbon Creek Road in Evan-Thomas PRA.
- Sheep Falls is easy to access during the day and is named after Sheep River Provincial Park (at the south end of Kananaskis).
- The Lundbreck Falls, located in the namesake Provincial Recreation Area, transform into a stunning sight during winter. As temperatures fall, parts of the falls freeze, creating a captivating blend of flowing and frozen water.
Unique Winter Activities/Facilities
These are winter adventures you’ll only find in specific parks. Some of Alberta’s Provincial Parks are home to attractions aimed at making your stay more comfortable, relaxing, or both!
- The Grotto Canyon area in Bow Valley Provincial Park is open to hikers year-round. In winter, you can go on a guided Ice walk or explore on your own. The beautiful hike takes place partly within a canyon, which leads to taller rock walls and a frozen waterfall.
- Exploring the David Thompson Highway during the winter brings you to an incredible winter scene over Abraham Lake. On the highway, be cautious of the herds of big horn sheep who tend to hang out on the road (always stay in your car and give these guys the right of way). There are several roadside stops beside the lake with picnic areas, and the Kootenay Plains PRA on the south side of the lake. The lake is beautiful while completely frozen, thanks partly to the methane ice bubbles trapped below the surface.
- The Evan Thomas Provincial Recreation Area covers the Kananaskis Village, the hotels, and of course, the Kananaskis Nordic Spa, too! The area is a winter wonderland with dozens of activities to try before a soak in the spa.
- The William Watson Lodge in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is a year-round facility (with holiday closures) which caters to those with accessibility concerns for travelling.
- The Nest in Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park is a beautiful 10-person cabin operated by Alberta Parks from August to February. The comfort camping experience offers great opportunities for wildlife viewing and birding, with the cabin nestled in the trees, a short walk from the lakeshore.
Downhill sports
Downhill sports are not solely reserved for the National Parks in Alberta, and there are a great number of smaller hills scattered around the province. Choose between county hills, municipal hills, and these Provincial Park hills. Enjoy winter adventures like skiing, snowboarding, or snow tubing. Between these locations are a number of options for beautiful winter views during your day on the hills.
- Enjoy your skiing or snowboarding in the peace and quiet of Long Lake Provincial Park and the Long Lake Ski Area. The hill is outside of the park on the north side of the lake and operated by Thorhild County. The runs offer great views over the large lake.
- The Nakiska Ski Resort is in Kananaskis Village, which is also part of the Evan Thomas Provincial Recreation Area. The area offers hotels, shops, restaurants, and additional outdoor activities.
- Take advantage of the landscapes of Cypress Hills Provincial Park through Hidden Valley Ski Resort. The hill has an impressive number of runs for all skill levels.
- Edmonton’s Strathcona Science Provincial Park offers scenic skiing, snowboarding, or snow tubing over the city’s east side of the North Saskatchewan River.
- French Bay Provincial Recreation Area on Cold Lake is where skiers and snowboarders can find the Kinosoo Ridge Snow Resort. Ski, snowboard, or tube down the ridge.
Dogsledding
A handful of Alberta’s parks have trails permitted for dogsledding!
- Spray Valley Provincial Park has a large trail network for the sport, plus a handful of guided dogsledding tours available.
- Cooking Lake-Blackfoot PRA’s massive trail system includes space for almost all winter trail users, including dog sledders.
The following parks also have official dog sled trails:
- The Peace River Wildland Provincial Park
- Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area
- Chincage Wildland Provincial Park
- Hay-Zama Lakes Wildland Provincial Park
- Caribou Mountains Wildland Provincial Park
Hiking, Wildlife Viewing, or Birding
Consider that many parks which allow winter snowshoeing will also permit winter hiking. The snowshoes simply make the hike easier. But for a simple walk around the snow scenery or to take in the wildlife of Alberta’s parks, these areas offer all you need, plus room for a picnic or fire.
- Saskatoon Island Provincial Park, west of Grande Prairie, has multi-use winter trails, including those plowed for hikers, a set of cross-country ski trails, and a snowshoe area. The quiet park is busy with wildlife all year round.
- There are trails for hiking or multi-use along the Vermillion River, but be sure to avoid the set of groomed ski tracks if there is snow. Vermillion Provincial Park has trails for both hikers and skiers and is a great place to watch for prairie wildlife.
- The Elbow River PRA and McLean Creek PRA are opposite one another on Highway 66, southwest of Bragg Creek. Both parks offer winter hikers simple loops or the choice to go a little further. The foothill location is perfect for seeing birds and mammals, large or small.
- Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park is one of the best places for birding in Alberta. There are a number of year-round or winter trails here, too. The boreal forest areas north of the lake may also have several types of mammals such as deer, moose, or black bears. Plus, the park’s Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation is open year-round!
Snowshoeing
Exploring Alberta in the winter is made much easier with a pair of snowshoes. Most city and town rental shops or outfitters offer these as inexpensive rentals, too! With a pair of snowshoes, hikers can get to fields or forested areas that would otherwise be too difficult to reach.
- Pierre Grey’s Lakes Provincial Park provides a peaceful place to escape during the snowy months. The lakes are lined with trails for hikers or snowshoers. The day-use area is open year-round with a cook/warming shelter, fire pits, and washrooms.
- Northern Alberta’s Fort Assiniboine Sandhills Wildland Provincial Park offers winter trails for equestrian use, snowmobilers, and snowshoers. The majority of the trails here are for non-motorized use, so snowshoers can take advantage of over a dozen kilometres of snowshoe areas. The Klondike Trail Staging Area is open year-round.
- The Cooking Lake Blackfoot PRA, southeast of Edmonton, has over 170km worth of trails in total. These are separated for skiers and snowshoers. So, as long as you stick to snowshoe trails within the park, there won’t be groomed tracks to try to avoid.
- The Cypress Hills are a beautiful sight when covered in snow. Luckily, the Cypress Hills Provincial Park offers many areas where snowshoers can explore the scenery while watching for winter wildlife. This park offers several other fun winter activities, too, like skating and cross-country skiing.
Cross-country skiing
Many Alberta Parks offer trails exclusive to cross-country skiing with regular track setting. These trails are either park-maintained or they are groomed by counties or Nordic ski clubs.
- Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park is Alberta’s premier destination for cross-country skiing with a day lodge and café, dozens of km worth of trails, and other winter sports opportunities.
- Moonshine Lake Provincial Park has groomed ski trails that are divided into intermediate and easy trails. These wind around the lake and north into the forest. Plus, the park has several spots for a fire and winter picnic.
- Spray Valley Provincial Park’s Mt. Shark Ski Area is a dedicated cross-country ski trail system with routes that offer easy, intermediate, and difficult skiing.
- Eastern Alberta’s Cold Lake Provincial Park offers 10km of groomed cross-country ski trails, which range between easy and moderate. This is a great place to watch for birds and wildlife during a trek.
- Eagle Point Provincial Park, in central Alberta, has over 30km of groomed cross-country ski trails. Throughout the trail,s you’ll find excellent views overlooking the North Saskatchewan River.
Ice Skating
There are two official park skating rinks within Alberta: one is on the far southeast side of the province, while the other is right on the edge of the foothills and Rockies. Plus, a few community rinks operate within Alberta’s parks. Overall, there is skating available in the south, the mountains, central Alberta, and northern Alberta.
- Sheep River Provincial Park has a winter day-use area, which is otherwise labelled the Sandy McNabb Campground and Day Use area. Along with skating, enjoy access to cross-country ski trails, a picnic area, and multi-use trails.
- Cypress Hills Provincial Park is a notable place for several winter activities, along with its official skating area. The rink is on the southeast side of the townsite, down the road from the Lake Lodge. Other winter activities include downhill sports, sledding/tobogganing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
- Miquelon Lake Provincial Park and Crimson Lake Provincial Park are two spots in central Alberta with community-operated rinks on park property. These aren’t official Alberta Parks facilities; however, both parks offer more to do, along with skating, like cross-country skiing and wildlife viewing.
- Young’s Point Provincial Park, east of Grande Prairie, has a community rink at the park’s beach every winter. The rink is also lit up for nighttime skates. Along with skating, the park offers over 8km of snowshoe trails, and additional forested areas or fields.
Winter Camping
This might be the true Alberta Park adventure. With a winter campsite, you get more time to enjoy any of these parks’ other winter activities. All park campsites come with a fire pit, and many winter campsites are first-come, first-served.
- William A. Switzer Provincial Park offers beautiful scenery any time of year, with the nearby foothills and Rockies. During a winter camping trip, enjoy ice fishing or exploring the park’s scenery and wildlife. Explore on cross-country skis, foot, or snowshoes.
- Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park near Whitecourt is made up of two peaceful lakes and the surrounding forest areas. During a camping trip, enjoy birding, ice fishing, or winter walks.
- Dinosaur Provincial Park is usually one of the warmer spots in Alberta for winter camping. It is also an amazing place for overnight stargazing, easily done from the comfort of your campfire and campsite.
- The year-round Beauvais Lake Provincial Park, near Pincher Creek, offers many things to do during a winter camping trip. Take to the cross-country ski and snowshoe trails, watch for birds and wildlife, or ice fish on the lake.
- Enjoy a weekend of rustic winter camping without the tent or RV. Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park has a set of winter cabins equipped with all you need for a warm night’s rest. The park is fun to explore in the winter via cross-country ski trails, snowshoe areas, or by a day of ice fishing.
Fat (Tire) Biking
As with snowshoeing, a fat tire bike makes traversing the snowy trails a bit easier. There are some notably longer fat biking trails around Alberta, while many other parks do still offer winter biking trails.
- The winter trails within the West Bragg Creek Provincial Park permit several different activities. Winter cycling is allowed on nearly all of the multi-use trails, but not on any of the cross-country ski trails.
- Central Alberta’s Big Knife Provincial Park has trails for fat tire biking, as well as cross-country skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing.
- The fat bike and hiking trail in Crimson Lake Provincial Park leads around the larger Crimson Lake or south to the smaller Twin Lakes.
- There are extensive fat biking and winter cycling trails which lead around the Bow Valley Provincial Park, including the 22.5km Stoney Trail. Bow Valley Provincial Park is located east of Canmore and beside Highway 1.
Snowmobiling
There are good reasons as to why Alberta is known for its snowmobiling. First, many county areas and local riding clubs operate extensive trails. Second, Alberta Parks permit the sport within several parks, wildland areas, or public land use zones (PLUZs).
Together, all of these trail efforts provide riders with many park locations. There are also parks which permit offloading and staging for off-site riding.
Each park’s trail map or brochure is located at the bottom of the park’s web page.
- Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area in east-central Alberta offers some amazing forest and scenery for a long day of riding. The park permits on-site OHV use with snowmobile trails that wind around the park’s many lakes. Use the park’s Backcountry Map to navigate the trails.
- Most of Castle Provincial Park and the neighbouring Castle Wildland PP are accessible by snowmobile. The southwest mountain park has snowmobile staging areas on the north and south sides of the park, and warming huts along the trails. Use the Castle Winter Brochure to navigate the trails.
- Hubert Lake Wildland Provincial Park borders the Athabasca and Pembina Rivers northwest of Edmonton. The areas between the rivers are open to snowmobilers with a staging area on the east side of the park. Use the Trail Plan Map to navigate the trails.
- View all Alberta Parks that permit on-site OHV use here.
