Between Edmonton And Banff National Park Is Canada's Underrated Escape For Lake Fun, Camping, And Hiking

Although the Canadian province of Alberta is home to undoubtedly beautiful scenery, including the waterfront landscapes of Lake Louise, some folks may prefer a less crowded destination for their getaway in nature. Luckily, tucked between Edmonton and Banff National Park is an underrated escape where you can enjoy lakeside fun, camping, hiking, and, of course, wow-worthy views. Crimson Lake Provincial Park is tucked just two hours from Banff and just under 2.5 hours from Edmonton. In contrast to Banff's plethora of accolades, Crimson Lake Provincial Park has fewer than 1,000 Google Maps reviews, although many of them rave about the park's idyllic surroundings. One reviewer even commented that the park was, "Absolutely beautiful. Went on a Monday and it was practically empty."

The park's boundaries are home to several bodies of water. Crimson Lake is the largest, but the smaller Twin Lakes has its own appeal, too. One Tripadvisor reviewer stated that, "This quiet quaint lake is meticulously kept clean and its "No Powered Watercraft" policy keeps this the cleanest lake in Alberta..." Visitors will find plenty of secluded camping sites near the water at the park's two campgrounds and enough outdoor activities to keep everyone busy for days. In fact, camping at Crimson Lake is frequently mentioned by Google reviewers. When you've had your fill of waterskiing, swimming, and kayaking, the trails in Crimson Lake Provincial Park are excellent for hiking and biking with mostly flat terrain. Several are even open in winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. 

While there are countless Alberta lakes to enjoy in the summer, like Maligne Lake, the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies, Crimson Lake Provincial Park offers more off-the-beaten-path watering holes. The swimming beach at the lake's day use area has a large sandy section and a life jacket loaner station where you can borrow life jackets for the day. Pick up a fishing license from a local sporting goods or convenience store on your way to the park and drop a line for perch. Winter months bring opportunities for ice fishing, and a maintained ice skating rink provides fun for visitors of all ages. 

The boat launch up the road from the campground is the perfect spot for jetting off in power boats and smaller watercraft, with one Tripadvisor reviewer also mentioning "...you can enjoy a really good view of [the] sunset by the boat launch..." It takes about 1.5 hours to get around the perimeter of the small lake in a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard traveling at a casual pace. Water skiing is another fun lake activity for thrill-seekers with a power boat.

The Twin Lakes are the park's two smaller bodies of water, but this doesn't mean they're any less fun to visit. One of the lakes has a boat launch at the day-use area, making it easy for anglers to get out on the water to fish for trout or perch. A fishing pier is available too for those who prefer to fish from shore. When you catch your limit, there are fish cleaning stations nearby to make things simple. 

As mentioned, Crimson Lakes Provincial Park has two different campgrounds to choose from: Crimson Lake Campground and Twin Lakes Campground. Crimson Lake Campground is larger and more developed than Twin Lakes Campground, giving you options when selecting the perfect campsite. A year-round camp, Crimson Lake Campground has 156 campsites, 15 of which have 15-amp power. A restroom with flush toilets and showers, as well as coin laundry, makes cleaning up after a day of exploring a breeze. The convenient on-site campground store sells firewood, snacks, and other camping essentials you may have forgotten. 

Twin Lakes Campground has just 37 campsites, none of which have power. Vault toilets and a non-potable water pump are in both camping loops, and there's a playground for the kids. The Twin Lakes Group Use Camp offers space for 30 units. It has a private waterfront with a dock, a covered cooking area with a wood stove, and a water pump with non-potable water, making the spot ideal for a camping trip with friends and family.

Unlike Hinton, Alberta, where you'll find the world's longest freshwater boardwalk, most of the trails in Crimson Lake Provincial Park are fairly short. Of course, if you're up for a longer trek, the 6.2-mile Amerada Trail takes you along the shoreline of Crimson Lake and offers a wide variety of landscapes, including forest and wetlands. At Twin Lakes, a 1.2-mile trail, called Twin Lakes Lakeside Trail, takes you a short distance along the shoreline before meeting up with a longer path that goes from Crimson Lake Provincial Park to nearby Rocky Mountain House. The 4-mile Twin Lakes/Crimson Lake Connector Trail lets you hike or mountain bike between Crimson Lake and Twin Lakes and is very well-suited to mountain biking, thanks to its varied terrain. If you haven't had your fill of Alberta trails, head to Crescent Falls Provincial Recreation Area, which offers ethereal waterfalls and Rocky Mountain hiking, and is just over an hour's drive west.