Canada's Underrated Provincial Park In Alberta Has Uncrowded Lakes, Mountain Views, And Abundant Wildlife

The province of Alberta has over 460 provincial parks and protected areas to explore, offering a wide range of outdoor adventures in Canada. You can avoid the crowds at Banff and Jasper National Parks, and instead discover hidden gems in Alberta's lesser-known corners. One of the best off-the-beaten-path destinations to visit is William A. Switzer Provincial Park, which Alberta Parks calls a "lovely, uncrowded alternative" to the popular national parks.

William A. Switzer Provincial Park covers 24 square miles, and is surrounded by forest with a chain of five lakes to explore. Curiocity highlighted the park as a "quieter retreat" compared to the busy Rocky Mountain national parks, with plenty to see and do here. Visitors can discover 40 miles of trails. Hiking, lake activities, mountain views, wildlife spotting, and camping are all popular activities. In winter, there's skiing on groomed trails, a toboggan hill, snowshoeing, ice skating, and ice fishing, making this a truly year-round destination. 

The five lakes in William A. Switzer Provincial Park are Jarvis, Gregg, Graveyard, Cache, and Blue — all of them are connected by Jarvis Creek. It's a blissfully uncrowded spot, with boat launches at Jarvis Lake and Gregg Lake. You can paddle, fish for northern pike, rainbow trout, and whitefish, or go swimming at the beaches at Kelly's Bathtub, Jarvis Lake, and Gregg Lake. One Tripadvisor reviewer summed up the park nicely, saying, "Less known than the others, this park is nevertheless very interesting: very beautiful views, various hiking trails, and water activities."

One of the best things to do at this park is to soak up the incredible mountain views. For a low-effort panorama, the visitor center at Kelly's Bathtub has a balcony with views over the Solomon Mountain range. Hikers will also want to head to Athabasca Lookout, where you'll enjoy spectacular scenery across Joachim Valley and the Rocky Mountains. There are two trails to reach the viewpoint — the Fire Tower Trail is the shorter option, with a total distance of 1.1 miles and 450 feet of elevation gain. One AllTrails user praised the route, saying, "[The] trail was super easy to follow the whole way to the top! Absolutely insane view at the top. Couldn't ask for a better hike!" There's also the option to take the longer, more moderate Athabasca Lookout Trail, which is 6.8 miles and 1,827 feet of elevation gain. 

If you want to see Alberta's wildlife in their natural habitat, William A. Switzer provides plenty of opportunities. Animals that live in the area include bears, elk, deer, moose, wolves, lynx, beavers, cougars, coyotes, river otters, and pine martens. There are also some 150 species of birds, including loons, and 13 raptor species such as osprey and bald eagles. You may see moose, beavers, or black bears at Kelly's Bathtub Trail, while you can often spot loons, grebes, and kingfishers while canoeing on the lakes. If you hike to Athabasca Lookout, keep your eyes peeled for eagles and hawks. You'll also want to keep these bear safety hiking tips in mind when out on the trail, as both black and grizzly bears are found in the park.

There are five campgrounds at the park, with Gregg Lake being the biggest with 163 campsites. The other campgrounds are Jarvis Lake, Cache, Halfway, and Graveyard. Campground facilities range from electric hookups with flush toilets and showers to rustic sites with vault toilets. Reservations are usually required from May to September, besides Graveyard and Halfway, which are first-come, first-served.

William A. Switzer Provincial Park is just over a 15-minute drive northwest of Hinton, and a 1-hour drive from Jasper, where you can continue on your adventure with a trip to Jasper National Park, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. The closest major airport is Edmonton International Airport, in the youthful Canadian city of Edmonton, which is about a 3.5-hour drive away.