Campgrounds Alberta

Savage99 · #1 06-09-2007, 12:09 PM

Hey! Looking for some advice on campgrounds in Alberta around the Edmonton area. We have been camping for a few years now but this year we bought an new trailer...it's a 27 foot Jayco and I purchased it to make the wife a little happier when we go out.

Because the investment was a little large for us we are planning on vacationing in it for the next while. What I would really like is to find a nice campground not too far from Edmonton (still nervous about towing the bigger unit) that would keep us happy for a week at a time. I like to fish (small aluminum with 10hp motor) and the kids like it as well....as long as they are catching.

What we would really like is to find somewhere with the following:

1. Nice, clean campground.
2. Hook ups...power at the least.
3. Close proximity to Edmonton...no farther than 3 hours.
4. Decent fishing for the kids....small trout or pike are OK...not looking for a trophy lake.
5. Playground or other activities for the kids.

If you ave any experiences for camping around here in places that don't fit the bill entirely that's cool too. We need to start a thread here reviewing campsites anyway!

I'll start......

Last year we went to Diamond Willow at Slave Lake and it was a little disappointing. The campground was not well kept and the bathrooms where not clean....the showers had NO hot water at all. There was no beach around and no activities or park for the kids. That being said the fishing was pretty good. Everyone caught some nice walleye when we could get out (some days were a little rough). Slave Lake area was really nice but I would not return to the campground.

thanks.

Mark.

#2 06-09-2007, 12:29 PM

fishin' friends at beaver lake in lac la biche comes to mind of a nice place

JohninAB · #3 06-09-2007, 03:23 PM

Young's Point at Sturgeon Lake is a very nice campground although it is a bit outside your 3 hour range. Good fishing for walleyes and pike, nice playground, showers etc seem to be clean as were the cans. Beautiful fish cleaning station there as well.

Wolf Lake by Edson. Road can be rough and dusty to get to it but a very nice campground. well looked after. No playground for kids though. Fishing decent for pike and the odd, very odd, big walleye. Get a site along the lake. Book through Tom at 780-723-0738.

Been to Fish'n'Friends by La Biche. Nice but book ahead or you may not get a very good site. Clean.

Carson Lake at Whitecourt. Definite book ahead and pricey for camping but very nice as well has a playground with real good trout fishing and lake is small enough should have no worries about waves etc in your boat.

Iosegun and Smoke near Fox Creek. Beach areas for kids. Decent walleye and pike fishing. Campgrounds are a bit more primitive as they are run by the town. Cheap camping. Some sites are a lot nicer than others, usually the ones along the lake are best. Road to Iosegun can be a bit bumpy but it is only for 11 kms. Smoke Lake has pavement till the last 3 or 4 miles then it is gravel.

Fickel Lake by Edson is supposed to be nice as well. Never been there but friends have. Book ahead. Book through Tom as well.

Shiningbank Lake near Edson. Not a bad place. Small so take your chances getting a site or reserve through Yellowhead County out of Edson. Decent pike fishing and did have good walleye but not sure as it was netted 2 winters ago. Has a playground and beach area at the day use area. Clean too.

Bear Lake near Edson. Nice spot. Busy book through yellowhead county. Playground, good paved road, concession, not sure on fishing and lake does get busy with skiers etc.

Long Lake North of Edson. Newer campground. Fishing for pike and perch. No playground etc. Run by the county as well.

Beta Lake north of Nojack. Not much of a campground. Lake weeds up bad. Fishing has really dropped off. Would not recommend for your type of trip.

About all I have.

bearbait · #4 06-09-2007, 04:54 PM

shining bank lake by whitecourt is nice..thats where i always go with the fam. no power though, but i use a generater got a 2500 for 500 bucks and it runs my 30' trailer very well..

FallAirFever · #5 06-09-2007, 07:19 PM

Try out old macdonalds on Buffalo lake near stettler. Only a couple of hours from Edmonton. Get a spot on the "old side" the new side is in a old pasture, no trees etc..

There are at least 4 playgrounds i can think of and there is a great beach. the people who run it keep it up and do not put up with much noise so it is nice for the family. They have bike rentals, wagon rides, a small petting zoo and a 'merry-go-round" the kids can ride for a quarter. They have other organized activities like treasure hunts too.

I am not too sure about the fishing, I bet the guys here would be happy to help once you decide. Last year we went one night to "the narrows" about a 15 minute drive to the provincial camp-ground and we caught a few small pike that evening, just enough to keep the kids interesred. but with a boat it might be a different story. There is a decent looking boat launch by the beach. We have 4 kids and were there for 5 days and we were not bored. Book ahead it is a pretty busy place we went mid-August.

Good Luck, let us know what you decide.

#6 06-09-2007, 07:45 PM

Hanmore lake has a nice campground, haven tbeen for many years, but it sure was enjoyable. great pike fishing anytime ive been there.

Duk Dog · #7 06-09-2007, 10:36 PM

x 2 for Old MacDonalds

wsmman · #8 06-10-2007, 12:06 AM

Try Either Battle Lake or Buck Lake the fishing is usally good.

#9 06-10-2007, 10:01 AM

Old McD's is a GREAT campsite...but I only live 10 minutes from the lake and I haven't felt it was worth fishing in about 15 years. IMO

But is is a BIG lake great for other water sports. If the weeds are near the shore there is a high hive alert. We did most of our swimming out in the middle of the lake off a boat. Old MacD's doesn't get the weeds like the Provincial Campground there does.

#10 06-11-2007, 10:19 AM

We went to Sir Winston Churchill up in Lac La Biche a few weeks ago, and it was quite nice. Good beach access, biking/hiking trails, some playgrounds, and the bathrooms were reasonably clean. Looks like they recently upgraded some of the sites (new gravel etc.)

We tried out Pembina (up by Entwistle) a week ago, and had a great time there. Gets crowded, though.

#11 06-11-2007, 02:58 PM

Check out this link. www.gateway.cd.gov.ab.ca

buckmaster · #12 06-11-2007, 10:58 PM

long lake by boyle is very nice,book ahead,nice playground/beach for the kids and decent fishing;

buckmaster · #13 06-11-2007, 11:01 PM

x3 for hanmore lake.There is no hook-ups at this lake but very nice.

mae · #14 07-10-2008, 10:19 AM

Where is good camping at Buck Lake? We're tenters & love to fish!

travisj · #15 07-15-2008, 09:24 PM

I've been to lots of campgrounds but a couple that stand out are Pembina River (Entwhistle) and Carson Pegasus (Whitecourt), both have already been mentioned. I would suggest reservations at either. Pembina is about 45 mins - an hour and Carson is around 2.5 hours. Both are nice campgrounds with lots to do. The provincial park at Pigeon Lake isn't bad either and is only an hour a way from Edm.

BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES · #16 07-15-2008, 09:29 PM

Nicest camp grounds ive been to is David thompson resort just outside of nordegg. As well as long lake is beautiful .

travisj · #17 07-15-2008, 11:35 PM

If you head to Nordegg, head to Fish Lake. I consider the David Thompson Resort a "parking lot campground", very nice scenery though.

-JR- · #18 07-16-2008, 05:58 PM

If you want to stay close ,try Rainbow valley campground !:

travisj · #19 07-16-2008, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mae

Where is good camping at Buck Lake? We're tenters & love to fish!

Just noticed the previous posts are from over a year ago. Sorry Mae, never camped at Buck Lake. I drove through the village on the south west corner of the lake which had a campground on the side of the highway but I would not recommend it. It was basically just a bunch of rvs parked in a row with some outhouses. Probably 30-40 sites.

sunnyvalesmostwanted · #20 02-21-2009, 11:39 PM

This is a great thread........we just bought our first trailer and are looking for great places within 3 hours from edmonton that have full services and a decent beach for the kids.

Lets see some more suggestions!

buckmaster · #21 02-22-2009, 12:30 AM

pembina river is my favourite but if you want a decent spot you have to call and reserve early in the year!

bearclawman · #22 03-20-2009, 09:35 AM

Ya book a year in advance for this campsite but is worht it for the kids we go every year for the last 5 years

Justagirl · #23 03-20-2009, 11:50 AM

I haven't done a lot of camping in that area. But we meet my Dad at Ziner Park at pigeon lake in the summer almost every year and go fishing with him. Some of the sites are like lined up trailer parky. But The ones right beside the lake that he gets all the time are awesome. There's trees and little paths from your camp right to the beach, so we can sit and cook at camp while the kids play on the beach, pretty much 15 feet away (you'd have to book way ahead, and specifically ask for the sites on the beach) But the beach is nice, no rocks, there's a huge playground for the kiddies, bicycle trails, and good fishing. (more then a few times all of us on the boat had walleye, one on every line at the same time) Which is great for us non patient fisherpeoples. lol Anyways we always have fun there.

vamperio · #24 03-20-2009, 02:34 PM

Hi , Just got a used trailer for the family and am looking forward to the summer. Just wondering if anyone can recommend any campgrounds where the sites are a little bit isolated from one another? We were at Dinosaur Provincial Park last year, it was nice enough but there were very little seperation between the sites and not alot trees. Thanks.

Justagirl · #25 03-20-2009, 06:52 PM

The campground at Wizard Lake was decent with lots of trees in between stalls and you don't have to look at your neighbors. However the beach sucks its pretty much just rocks, on a boat launch area. I don't know about the fishing there. We just went out there back in high school for may long weekends every year. Were part of the reason that campground is dry now for long weekends.. Sry =(

The Rog Man · #26 03-20-2009, 07:11 PM

I always drive past it as I like too camp in the bush but Anchor Inn Resort on the west Fawcette lake road out by Smith Alberta has good fishing. I don't know what size trailers they can accomodate but i have their number if you want too phone them?
780-829-2211
It's about 3 hours from the south side of Edmonton when I drive up there loaded with the quad and tent trailer.

el sparko · #27 03-20-2009, 10:02 PM

open creek campground west of rimby on hwy #53 is a very nice campground. it is quiet and clean and reasonably priced. they don't have power and sewer though. good rainbow fishing.