Favourite Campgrounds Near Calgary for Families
If your family loves camping, you’re probably itching to get out once better weather is finally upon us in Alberta! Whether you’re fans of tenting or prefer the comfort of a trailer or glamping experience, there are tons of great spots within a few hours of Calgary to enjoy the great outdoors. Here are a few of our favourite campgrounds for families near YYC…
Family Campgrounds Near Calgary:
Calaway Park Campground (25 km from Calgary) | calawaypark.com
Camping Season: Weekends Only: May & June | Daily: mid-June to September
Reservation Required: Yes
Best Camping For: Tents, or RVs
Serviced sites available: Yes, starting at $48 + GST
Not many people can say that they’re camping next door to a rollercoaster, but that’s the experience you get when you spend a night at the Calaway Park Campground! The campground has 104 sites for your tent or RV and includes access to amenities such as showers, laundry and Wi-Fi. Calaway Park Season Pass holders get 10% off their stay, but if you don’t have a pass and want to score a deal, check out their three tiers of Stay and Play packages that get you access to the campground and the amusement park, starting at $117!
Bow RiversEdge Campground (40 km from Calgary) | bowriversedge.com
Camping Season: Regular camping: April 1 to Oct 31st. Long-Term Winter Sites Available Nov 1 through March 31
Reservation Required: Yes
Best Camping For: RVs
Serviced sites available: Yes
Bow RiversEdge Campground is just a stone’s throw away from YYC in and located along the Bow River. There are 144 sites with power, water, sewer, and even WiFi. The lots are large and paved. Pets are welcome and long term stays are encouraged. You can even set up camp over the winter!
Spring Hill RV Park (47 km from Calgary) | springhillrvpark.ca
Camping Season: Open year round
Reservation Required: Yes
Best Camping For: RVs
Serviced sites available: Yes, starting from $70/night
Spring Hill RV Park is the perfect spot to enjoy the beauty that lies between Calgary, Kananaskis Country, and Banff. There are tons of handy amenities on site including a convenience store, gas station, restaurant, and liquor store. There’s even a fishing pond free to all guests to try their luck at catching some trout! If needed, a heated hall complete with a full kitchen can be booked ahead of time for large functions. All sizes of trailers can find a spot at Spring Hill RV Park (even the biggest ones out there!)
Nature’s Hideaway Family Campground (49 km from Calgary) | naturesfamilycampground.ca
Camping Season: Services offered as of the May Long weekend
Reservation Required: Strongly recommended
Best Camping For: Tents and RVs
Serviced sites available: Yes
Park your trailer or set up your tent under the banks of the Highwood River, at Nature’s Hideaway Family Campground, just 15 minutes southeast of Calgary. This small creek runs through the Okotoks area and is the perfect place to dip your toes or go for a float during the dog days of summer. Families will love having access to amenities like flush toilets, showers, coin laundry and a store, as well as a private beach, playground, and a horseshoe pit. If you come on a long weekend, keep your eyes and ears peeled for their special events!
Riverbend Campground (52 km from Calgary) | riverbendcampground.ca
Camping Season: Open year ’round
Reservation Required: Yes
Best Camping For: Tents and RVs
Serviced sites available: Yes, starting at $50 + GST
In addition to gorgeous scenery and wildlife, Riverbend Campground has clean washrooms, laundry, and an onsite store, as well as awesome activities like mini-golf, paddle boating, playgrounds, and horse shoe pitches, all just a 15 minute drive from Calgary!
Beaver Flats Campground (68 km from Calgary) | albertaparks.ca
Camping Season: May – September
Reservation Required: First come, first served
Best Camping For: Tents
Serviced sites available: No
If you’re looking for a chance to get away from it all, Beaver Flats Campground is less than one hour away from Calgary and will help you get in touch with nature. Set up your tent at one of their private walk-in sites and enjoy hiking and swimming in the river during the day while listening to the sound of the water and enjoying the stars scattered across the sky at night.
Dinosaur Campground (128 km from Calgary) | albertaparks.ca
Camping Season: Year ’round
Reservation Required: Yes
Best Camping For: Tents and RVs
Serviced sites available: Yes, starting at $39 + GST
For a camping trip with views unlike any other, head to Dinosaur Provincial Park and sleep where the dinos once roamed! But don’t worry – the amenities are anything but prehistoric. There’s a food concession, gift shop, laundry facilities, visitor centre, and firewood sold on site, as well as activities to take part in like guided hiking, bus tours, and amphitheatre shows. There are 120 sites available for tents and RVs, many of which back onto a creek.
Kananaskis Interlakes Campground (138 km from Calgary) | albertaparks.ca
Camping Season: May – October
Reservation Required: No
Best Camping For: Tents and RVS
Serviced sites available: No
Set up your tent or park your RV along the banks of Lower Kananaskis Lake, located in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. The 45 well-treed campsites are within walking distance to the lake where you can canoe, fish or go boating. There are also many hiking, mountain biking and paved trails nearby.
Castle Provincial Park (230 km from Calgary) | albertaparks.ca
Camping Season: May – October (varies depending on the site)
Reservation Required: Depends on the campsite
Best Camping For: Tents, RVs, Cabins
Serviced sites available: Yes, depending on the campsite
If you’re looking for a Provincial Park that provides a range of options in terms of your camping experience, look no further than Castle Provincial Park. Pitch a tent or drive up your RV in to one of the 7 different off-grid sites for access to natural areas, river swimming and fishing that most people don’t even know about. All you have to do is print a permit (at no charge) before heading out and cross your fingers that you get there first! There are also two sets of cabins in Castle Provincial Parks (the Castle River Bridge cabins, which are heated, and the Beaver Mines Lake cabins, which are not).
Great Campgrounds for Glamping Near Calgary
Tunnel Mountain Campground (129 km from Calgary) | parks.canada.ca
Camping Season: Tunnel Mountain Village I, Tunnel Mountain Village II oTENTik, and Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court: May – October. Tunnel Mountain Village II: Open Year Round
Reservation Required: Yes
Best Camping For: Tents or RVs
Serviced sites available: Yes
Tunnel Mountain has 4 different options for setting up camp, so whether you’re looking to pitch a tent, curl up in an RV, or would rather let someone else take care of the accommodations, Tunnel Mountain Campground has you covered. oTENTik is a cross between an A-frame cabin and a prospector tent mounted on a raised wooden floor. It comes complete with lighting, heating and electric outlets, a spacious living area, with a table, bench and chairs and two queen-sized and one double-sized bunk bed with high density foam mattresses to sleep up to 5-6 people. Outside, you can enjoy a fire with the included firewood, or barbecue up dinner on the propane barbecue. Access to amenities like showers and cooking shelters is also included. All you need to bring is some bedding, cooking gear and camping clothes and you’re all set!
Aspen Crossing (235 km from Calgary) | aspencrossing.com
Camping Season: Year round
Reservation Required: Yes – they sell out quickly, so book soon!
Sure, Aspen Crossing has a full service campground for your tent or RV, but what could be more fun than spending the night in a Caboose Cabin parked on authentic railway tracks?! Take in all the beauty of the campground while relaxing in the comfort of your train car. If you’re in the mood to go for an actual train ride, Aspen Crossing Train Excursions are 20% off while camping at Aspen Crossing and can be booked by calling 403-534-2129.
Good Knights Medieval Encampment (299 km from Calgary) | goodknights.ca
Camping Season: May through September
Reservation Required: Yes – reserve your stay early as they book up quickly!
You really won’t have a glamping experience like this anywhere else! Head to the Good Knights Medieval Encampment in Three Hills where you’ll take a step back in time and camp like royalty! Guests will be welcomed with a period costume to get in the spirit and can enjoy in-tent breakfasts, and get front row seats to sword-fighting demonstrations, archery lessons, and medieval feasts. There are seven lavish medieval tents to choose from, including a yurt for larger families to stay in.
Sundance by Basecamp (385 km from Calgary) | basecampresorts.com
Camping Season:June – September (tipis); May – September (all other sites)
Reservation Required: Yes
Located in the heart of Kananaskis country, at Sundance by Basecamp you’ll find beautiful canvas tipis, comfortable trapper’s tents as well as unserviced campsites. The tents and tipis all contain beds or cots and can accommodate different numbers of people. Bring your own supplies, or rent when you arrive, but prepared to enjoy the beauty of the mountains and crystal clear lakes that surround you either way! where you can enjoy mountain or foothill hikes, peaceful and scenic views, and crystal-clear lakes.
What are your family’s favourite places to go camping near Calgary? Did we miss any great ones on our list? Be sure to let us know where we should visit this summer in the comments!
