Camping near Lethbridge
Come to the heart of Southern Alberta for wide open spaces and a taste of the wild west.
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Camping near Lethbridge guide
Overview
Founded as a frontier town, you can still imagine cowboys riding over the arid hills and through the golden coulees in Lethbridge, where whiskey traders once plied their illegal trade at Fort Whoop-Up (you can visit a replica fort in its place). Now, it’s a fabulous place to get outside on a camping trip under endless skies. Paddle-board down the Oldman River under the iconic High Level Bridge, the longest and tallest steel trestle in North America, and visit the Helen Schuler Nature Centre, which preserves 200 acres of wild country right next to downtown. Then head to some of Canada’s premier parks, just nearby.
Where to go
Waterton Lakes National Park
One of the great national parks of the Canadian west, here the prairies rise to the snow-capped peaks of the Rockies. Directly connected with Montana’s Glacier National Park, you can actually take a boat cruise down there on Waterton Lake, the border marked by a wide blaze cut through the forest. Spot black bears, bighorn sheep, and elk, hike along 200 kilometres of trails, scramble to the top of Mount Blakiston, the park’s highest peak, and if you stay the night, this dark sky preserve has some of the best stargazing in the world.
Park Lake Provincial Park
Just northwest of town, this small park is set on a reservoir built in 1929. Swim at the sandy beach, or fish for walleye, whitefish and trout. And birdwatchers will love spotting migratory fowl—the wetlands here host American goldfinch, pelican, and red-winged blackbird.
Police Outpost Provincial Park
Set right on the border with Montana, this small park sits on the spot where the Northwest Mounted Police built an outpost in 1891 to stop illegal whiskey runners. Now, stroll a boardwalk through the wetlands to see sandhill cranes, swans and loons, with the first peaks of the Rockies rising, just beyond.
Woolford Provincial Park
Here in a sweeping valley, the St. Mary’s River is the centrepiece of this park, about an hour outside of town. Canoe and kayak, or drop your line for cutthroat trout and walleye. Then take a hike on the well-maintained trails, which cut through cottonwood forest.
When to go
Lethbridge experiences fewer seasonal extremes than other Alberta cities. One of the driest cities in North America, there’s less snow, and warm Chinook winds blow down from the Rockies, warming the city in the heart of winter (even in January, the average high is above zero). Sitting at an altitude of more than 900 metres, summers can be relatively cool, with night time temperatures dipping into the teens—meaning you should probably pack a jacket with your gear. Summer is the busiest time to visit, especially during Whoop-Up Days, the annual August rodeo.
Know before you go
- A place geared to outdoorsy pursuits, both downtown Lethbridge and its main mall have great stores to buy camping gear.
- While the city has a well-run transit system, you’ll need a car to navigate outside of town.
- Lethbridge has its own, small airport, but most international arrivals come through Calgary’s international airport, about 150 kilometres north.
- Most grocery and hardware stores are clustered in the southern end of the city, near the University of Lethbridge and College Centre Mall.