Last updated on April 23rd, 2025 at 01:05 am
McLean Creek Campground is a year round treasure, and outside of summer it is rarely full and always peaceful, making a perfect base to explore the trails in the area year round! It is rare to find a sunny spring in Alberta, after a week of dry, warm(ish) weather we decided it was time to crack out the tent! McLean Creek Campground seemed like a perfect option, close to home and just far enough away from a town to be a peaceful break, while still being close enough to civilization to escape if the weather got bad!
When it came to choosing a site, we really struggled! McLean Creek Campground is one of the few year round front country camping options in Alberta Parks and specifically in the mountain region and Kananaskis. If you are looking for other options, Alberta Parks has a full list of winter campsites in Kananaskis here.
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What You Need To Know About McLean Creek Campground
McLean Creek Campground is on the larger side, boasting 170 sites for winter camping, 96 powered sites and 74 unserviced sites. There are no water services in the winter, so make sure to pack plenty! The shower block is also closed in the winter months as is the store, so come to the site prepared.
We had no issues with only two other groups camping in our whole loop the night we were there, however we spoke to some people there who said over the weekend the site was almost completely full! Note as of 2023 all campsites at Mclean Creek are by reservation only. Luckily there is cell reception a five minute drive from the campground, so if you don’t make one before you arrive, you still can!
Even though we were tent camping, we ended up staying in the A loop which, along with the B loop are the two loops for serviced sites. We found most of the sites here to offer a little more privacy being well treed, with some double sites. The unserviced sites are in loop C and D, comprising many smaller loops with sites around the middle of the loop. Great for getting sun in the winter and really quiet when it came to the number of campers set up in the middle of the week in March!
Our site was well equipped with a fire ring and two picnic benches. All the sites seem to be well maintained throughout winter, seemingly all plowed out for easy access. Some sites which were not as open still had a lot of snow around the back, perfect for a trailer but a little snowy for our tent!
The McLean Creek Campground also accesses a large area of land where OHVs and sleds are allowed to access, with a large trail system which can be accessed right from the campground. For those wishing to partake in these activities campground loops C and D offer easy access to the staging area.
McLean Creek Pond offers fishing opportunities in the summer and is a short drive from the campground, or a short walk spurring off the interpretive trail. The interpretive trails, winds through the trees and out into the open with a bench. At least during our visit, the interpretive signs had all been removed, I assume for the winter season to prevent excess weather wear and tear.
Along with the interpretive trail there are playgrounds for smaller children and a large day use area for people coming to enjoy the trail system for the day. Including fire pits and picnic benches, as well as lots of parking.
Making A Reservation For McLean Creek Campground
All sites at the McLean Creek campground can be reserved via the Alberta Parks reservation website. Sites can be reserved 90 days in advance of your desired arrival date, on a rolling window. In summer there is a camp store where you can check in, they’ve also helped us to make a booking when it first switched from a first come first serve site. To guarantee your spot though, I’d recommend booking as far in advance as you can.
Where Is The McLean Creek Campground
The McLean Creek Campground can be found just off of Highway 66, 12km from Bragg Creek. It is clearly signposted. Once you turn off the highway it is just over 1km until you reach the campground entrance. From here the loops are well signposted and there is also a campground map at the entrance.
What We Took For A Camping Trip At McLean Creek Campground
Tent – For warm weather camping we love to use our larger tent, it gives up plenty of space for storage and offers more headroom than our two man tent.
Stove – A double burner stove is an ideal option for all your food needs. It also makes boiling water for hot drinks a breeze.
Camp chair – The perfect item for sitting round the fire, especially in the spring when it is colder and being close to the fire is where you want to be.
Bear Spray – When camping in bear country, make sure you have bear spray on you and you know how to use it.
Spring Camping Tips
Bring a tarp, even if the ground is snow free its probably wet and muddy…you don’t want to be dragging that into your tent!
Firewood is a must to keep warm!
If temperatures head into the negatives, your normal summer stove may not work at it’s best. Isobutane for instance struggles to hold it’s pressure in the cold.
Most important don’t be afraid! This camping trip was perfect to test our gear while knowing we were never too far from comfort if the going got too tough!
Remember, camping season is short in Alberta, we have found it fairly easy to upgrade our summer gear to help us stretch out our camping season.
Check out my cold weather camping essentials for a lift of items which will make any chilly spring days more bearable in camp.
