It probably won’t surprise you that I, like many, relate most often to the girl-next-door character in TV shows. Winnie Cooper from “The Wonder Years. Julia Salinger from “Party of Five”. Pam Beasley from “The Office”. “Gilmore Girl” character Rory Gilmore. They’re never the popular bombshells being chased in the romantic comedy. They’re the cute, funny, wholesome, unassuming best friends that each of these guys finally figures out they need in their life. Well, hang with me on this one…it’s a bit like Kananaskis Country and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.
There is no denying that Banff National Park is Alberta’s bombshell, but Kananaskis Country has a lot to offer and you may find that after you’ve seen Banff once or twice that you’re more interested in the girl-next-door trails, lakes, and drives in the off-the-beaten Kananaskis Country!
Kananaskis Country contains a cluster of provincial parks including Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. We were here about a week in early July 2023. Sadly, I came down with something that had me laid up for about 5 days. I did, however, enjoy the drives, one great hike, and seeing Doug’s amazing pictures from his many other activities. He fell in love with the area and I’m hoping this means we’ll go back so I can enjoy more of it up close.
DAY 1 – A stunning drive along Alberta Hwy 40 to Peter Lougheed Campground.
When I say stunning, I mean Halle Berry stunning. I’m not bragging about my pictures, but the scenery between Okotoks and Peter Lougheed. I took 84 pictures from the passenger seat during this drive! 84! Do you know how hard it is to narrow down 84? Ugh! Well, I did my best to capture our awe as we wound our way through these glacier-carved, limestone and dolomite giants. Here you go.
DAY 2 – Upper Kananaskis Lake to Lower Falls
This moderate day hike is pretty popular but didn’t feel crowded once out on the trail. It has great lake views and a nice turn round spot at a stream and waterfall about 3 miles in. In total, we hiked 6 of the happiest miles of my life.
DAY 3 – Galatea Creek and Lakes
Day 3, I wasn’t feeling well so thought I’d just take a down day before attempting Ptarmigan Cirque Trail, which was on my bucket list and planned for Day 4. Hard-core Doug though hiked 9.4 miles on a trail to Galatea Lakes. This out-and-back trail near Pigeon Mountain, Alberta is a challenging hike that climbs right out of the gate. Doug said the wildflowers, pretty water cascades, and views of Lillian Lake from the top were well worth the effort.
I was sad to miss those views but happy that we saw some big horn sheep on the ride back to the campground.
DAY 4 – Ptarmigan Cirque Trail 3.3 miles
This may be the most popular trail in the area. It’s short, but starts with some pretty steep switchbacks until reaching rocky terrain with fantastic views of lovely meadows and wildflowers. It follows along a narrow ridge before heading back down. Doug hiked 3.3 miles on the perfect summer day and I started in on the cold medications.
Day 5 – Elbow Trail
Although I slept most of the day before, I was still tired and the forecast was predicting rain. Doug had decided to take his bike out and ride Elbow Trail. He rode most of the way up and then continued on foot to Elbow Lake. A proper rain storm that included thunder and lightening caught him at the top and continued all the way back down. All-in-all, he clocked 8.2 miles and the inclement weather didn’t bother him a bit!
DAY 6 – Upper Kananaskis Lake
Doug rode from the campground to an Upper Kananaskis parking lot on a scouting trip and saw a bear on the way back. A short, but eventful 4.6 miles round trip bike ride.
DAY 7 – Kananaskis Lake Paddle
Doug’s scouting trip pays off as we were able to park the RV and launch the raft for a 3-mile lake paddle. I was finally just starting to feel better so when Doug returned from the paddle, I asked if we could just find a pretty spot so that I could get outside for some fresh air.
We moved the RV and Doug and Bailey walked the 1.3 mile Mt. Everest Interpretive Trail while I soaked up some much needed vitamin D. It felt good to just feel fresh air in my lungs and hear the sounds of birds and insects! Sadly, I’d missed the vast majority of our time in the Kananaskis area as we had reservations in Banff campgrounds that could not be moved.
Doug hiked, biked and paddled. He was able to see a lot of this area and despite this, I know that he’d go back in an instant to do it all over again with me. Kananaskis Country has an untouched air about it, especially compared to the well-trodden streets and highly-maintained trails of Banff. It’s less busy, arguably has equally spectacular surroundings, and we saw most more wildlife in this area, likely as a result. If you’re looking for a less crowded alternative to Banff, I think it’ll be easy to fall in love with Kananaskis.
