Banff's 'Lesser-Known Sister' Is An Alberta Park With Alpine Lakes And Scenic Hiking Trails

While most national park visitors have heard of Banff, its neighboring and considerably smaller Peter Lougheed Provincial Park may have passed you by. Located in Kananaskis Country in the heart of Alberta's Rocky Mountains, it too has its fair share of steep ridges, alpine lakes, and pine-covered slopes. But much like one of Banff's other neighbors with immaculate scenery, it has remained largely under the radar. 

The reason for this has little to do with visitor numbers; Kananaskis Country as a whole receives a surprisingly large number of visitors. But Banff has a much bigger tourist infrastructure centered on famous attractions, hotels, spas, and restaurants. Peter Lougheed, in comparison, is wilder and more focused on backcountry camping and wilderness hiking. Despite being a year-round mountain recreation area, there are no major landmarks drawing large concentrations of visitors. That said, the hiking trails in Peter Lougheed are every bit as picturesque as Banff, passing through alpine valleys and alongside the vibrant turquoise waters of the Kananaskis lakes.

Relatively new compared to Banff, which became Canada's first national park in 1885, Peter Lougheed was established in 1977 as Kananaskis Provincial Park, then renamed in 1986. Once home to many indigenous peoples, including the Stoney Nakoda, Kootenai, Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, and Tsuut'ina, conservation and preservation are top priorities within the park. Unlike some of the other remote national parks in Canada, such as Nááts'įhch'oh, the little-visited mountain gem for outdoor fun, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is straightforward to get to. South of Banff, it's roughly 80 miles from Calgary, which has the nearest international airport, and you can reach it via Highway 40, just south of the Trans-Canada Highway.

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is ideal for hiking and biking, and has several wheelchair-friendly trails, including the Rockwall Interpretive Trail near the Discovery Center. Horse riders can enjoy the Elbow Lake Trail, and winter is a time for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. It might not quite match Banff for size, but at 117 square miles, it's still one of the largest provincial parks in Alberta.

Within this area, it's mountains galore – 87 named peaks, to be precise — the highest being Mount Joffre at 11,263 feet. To see the mountains and lakes in all their glory, take the High Rockies Trail. As part of the Trans Canada Trail, the longest multi-use trail system in the world, it winds through dense conifer forest, hugging the lower mountain slopes, and crossing over the impressive 239-foot-long Blackshale Suspension Bridge, built to avoid detouring the steep creek bed below.

For some of the most impressive lake views, the 9.9-mile Upper Kananaskis Lake Trail will not disappoint. Following the shoreline, with forests of spruce and golden larch to one side and tranquil waters to the other, look out for waterfalls and the Palliser rockslide, as well as plenty of wildlife. Grizzlies, black bears, elk, and moose are just a few of the animals often seen. As a bonus, take the short detour from here onto the Rawson Lake Trail, which climbs up through the forest with a beautiful alpine lake as the reward at the end. Because many of the trails are only open in summer, it's always worth checking the website for the current status of the trails, as weather conditions and wildlife activity can often cause closures.

The park's main entrance is via Highway 40, and gives you access to the more developed section of the park, including the Discovery Center and some campgrounds. There are also multiple trailheads and parking areas, depending on which trail you're heading out on. Wherever you choose to park, you'll need a Kananaskis Conservation Pass, which costs around $15 per vehicle per day, or $90 for an annual pass. Even better, go on one of the designated free days, which includes the first Wednesday of each month. Passes are best bought in advance through the website rather than waiting until you get there, as reception is patchy. If you're entering by the Discovery Center, it's worth a look around the interactive displays and First Nations artwork, and to stock up on supplies, the Boulton Creek Trading Post has basic groceries and camping gear.

Camping is a big part of the park experience, with 13 campgrounds, some frontcountry, some backcountry, some reservable, and some first-come, first-served. There are several day-use areas, two group camping areas, and two special facilities. The William Watson Lodge caters to people with disabilities and seniors, also providing accommodation, while Pocaterra is used as a warming hut among the network of cross-country skiing trails, making Peter Lougheed an extremely versatile recreation area appealing to a wide range of visitors.

If you can't wait to get out onto the picture-perfect lakes, Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes are the main ones for boating, kayaking and canoeing. Anglers should check the Alberta website, as there are different fishing rules for different lakes. If you're taking your own craft, it must be thoroughly cleaned following the Alberta government's guidance on the prevention of aquatic invasive species. But if you need to hire equipment, Kananaskis Outfitters should be able to sort you out.