Last updated on February 26th, 2023 at 03:39 am
Short on time but desperate to get out on our first camp of the season, we decided to stay close to home and spend a night at the Bow Valley Campground in early May and we were beyond happy. What a gem of a spot. Shame the weather didn’t play ball though!
After all, it’s May…that should mean summer is on the horizon and the first camping trips of the year are starting for many. Don’t be fooled though! It might be plus 18 and sunny one day and then boom….the next day the temperatures dive right into the negative and it snows like it’s the middle of winter. Pack for any eventuality though and camping in May in the Rockies can be some of the best times!
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Where Is The Bow Valley Campground?
The Bow Valley Campground is fairly straightforward to find, just 30km East of Canmore on Highway. When travelling on Highway 1, the Bow Valley Campground is signed from the highway as the Seebe, Highway 1X junction.
Once off of the highway the Bow Valley Provincial Park is on the left and the Willowrock Campground is on the right. Once in the Bow Valley Provincial Park, the campground is signed, it’s a little bit of a drive down a windy road before you reach the registration point.
The Bow Valley Campground
I’ll be the first one to admit, the Bow Valley Campground is huge, way bigger than I expected but because it is split into well distributed loops, it is hard to tell, unless, like us, you walk the river length of the campground.
The Bow Valley Campground has a whopping 173 sites, of which 131 are full service sites with power and water at $47 per night, 36 are un-serviced sites and 6 are walk-in sites, the latter costing $31 per night for the summer of 2022. All sites are reservable via the Alberta Parks online reservation service.
When you arrive at the Bow Valley Campground, you have to check in at the small shop, so it may be possible to reserve your spot on the day with them but the campground gets busy, so to avoid disappointment, I would definitely recommend booking!
The campground is split into 6 loops, lettered A through F. With A being the unserviced loop and the rest being serviced. Each loop has ample drop toilet washrooms and in loop F, where you enter the campground there is a shower block! When we visited the showr block wasn’t open for the season but the toilets were incredibly clean, as was the whole campground, considering it had just been a busy weekend.
Each campsite has a bench and a fire ring, most are surrounded by trees and offer a good level of privacy. Many sites are located along the river with incredible views of the mountains on the other side.
Other facilities at the Bow Valley Campground include children’s play areas and an amphitheatre for programming during the busy months, making this a great family campground. There are also lots of easy trails from the campground which are well signed, from the riverside trail to the Middle Lake trail.
Activities Near The Bow Valley Campground
Surrounded by mountains the Bow Valley Campground is a perfect base for hiking adventures. There are lots in the area just a short drive from the campground to suit all abilities.
A short drive along Highway 1 will bring you to Heart Creek, the Heart Creek trail and Heart Creek bunker make amazing family-friendly hiking options. For those who enjoy a more rigorous hike, the Heart Mountain scramble is a moderate scramble which can be completed as a loop, don’t attempt this trail unless you are comfortable with scrambling.
On the opposite side of the river to the Bow Valley Campground you can see Mount Yamnuska, a favourite locals climbing spot, with a short approach hike to the eye-catching rock face which forms the top of the mountain. There is a scramble circuit which takes avid hikers to the summit of the mountain. Be careful, this scramble involves some hard steps and a scree descent.
There are also lots of bodies of water close to the Bow Valley Campground, for those looking to paddle, Barrier Lake is a fantastic option, with sandy beach areas and a great day-use space. It is a reservoir though and can get mighty windy. If fishing is more your thing, Grotto Pond is a nice spot, with benches and a trail around the small pond, make sure you have your Alberta fishing licence.
The Bow Valley Campground is also a 20 minute drive from the town of Canmore, which plays home to a whole host of activities as well as shopping and dining choices for those who want a night off from camp cooking or to enjoy a post-hike beer on a patio.
Other Front Country Camping Spots To Check Out
Mclean Creek Campground, Kananaskis
Waterfowl Lakes Campground, Banff National Park