The Best Waterfront Campsites in Alberta

Reading time: 4 minutes


Despite being a landlocked province, there’s plenty of places to pitch your tent beside the water in Alberta. Sandy riverside beaches and secluded lake lots dotted with evergreens await.

  • Camp on an island in Lac la Biche, surrounded by an old-growth forest.
  • Float down the warm waters of Milk River while camping in a UNESCO World Heritage Site at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park.
  • Both RVs and tents are welcome to put up stakes near the shores of Two Jack Lake, just outside Banff townsite.
See related articles

Summer in Alberta means getting outdoors and camping. Enjoying gooey s'mores cooked over the fire and dipping your toes in a cool lake are simple pleasures that make special memories. With glamping options, you don’t even need expensive gear to enjoy a camping trip. Whether you're pitching a tent, parking an RV or booking a comfort-camping escape, these Alberta waterfront campsites offer unforgettable outdoor experiences.

Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park 

All seven campsites at this provincial park in southern Alberta are right off the beach and sport fantastic waterfront views. There's still plenty to do after exploring the ancient rock art and hoodoos in this newly designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Water lovers can relax on the sandy riverside beach or float down the Milk River. The campground has a mix of serviced RV sites, unserviced tent sites and comfort camping tents with beds, fridges and electric lights. There's also flush toilets, hot showers and playground facilities.

young girl draws in the sand in with a stick beside the Milk River in Cypress Hills Provincial Park
Hang out on the sandy beach or float the Milk River at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park.

Firerock Campground at Cypress Hills Provincial Park

Firerock Campground, on the shore of Elkwater Lake, is the campground you want to book into at Cypress Hills Provincial Park for lakefront camping. It's about 30 steps from your campsite to the shore and a two-minute walk leads to the sandy beach area. Various food trucks visit throughout the summer and you can rent boats, bicycles and watersport equipment right at the beach. Cypress Hills Provincial Park is a dark sky preserve, so plan on some stargazing.

Savour Alberta’s long summer nights and spectacular sunsets in Cypress Hills Provincial Park.

Kananaskis Interlakes Campground

Dock your canoe right in front of your lakeside campsite at this well-treed mountain campground in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. The lake is great for paddling and fishing and there are good trails for hiking and cycling nearby.

mountain range reflection upon a lake
There's a nice selection of lakefront campsites at Interlakes, with hiking and fishing right at your doorstep.

Two Jack Lakeside Campground

If you're looking for the best lakefront campground in Banff, this is it. On the shores of Two Jack Lake near Banff townsite, this shady Canadian Rockies campground has unserviced RV and tent sites. There's flush toilets and showers. The lake is great for paddling and is surrounded by mountains.

group of friends light sticks in a campfire at two jack lake banff national park
With close proximity to Banff townsite and camping right beside Two Jack Lake, you’ve got the best of both worlds in the Canadian Rockies.

Hidden Cove at Maligne Lake

Jasper's newest campground was designed with beginner canoeists and kayakers in mind. Getting to the campground requires a short 3.5km (2.2mi) paddle along the shore of stunning Maligne Lake. This backcountry Canadian Rockies campground has unserviced sites and a picnic shelter with a table and a wood stove. Fishing and paddling are the main activities here.

Man and boy fish beside maligne lake and canoe in the Canadian Rocky mountains
It's just a short paddle on Maligne Lake before you get to Hidden Cove, where you can get off the grid in the backcountry.

Carson-Pagusus Provincial Park Campground

Just north of Whitecourt, this lakefront campground has tons of amenities and is a great place for beginners to try fishing. You can fish for trout from a park bench or a lawn chair on the lake wall of McLeod Lake. There's a beach, playgrounds, trails, picnic shelters and a tackle shop. It's also an excellent birdwatching destination.

Cold Lake Provincial Park

There are 12 lakefront campsites at the Cold Lake M.D. Campground in the city of Cold Lake. More can be found at Lund's Point in the Cold Lake Provincial Park Campground. There's serviced and unserviced sites with amenities like picnic areas, playgrounds, beach volleyball, soccer, showers and laundry facilities. As the lake's name implies, it's a great place to cool off on a hot summer day.

couple pull kayaks into cold lake provincial park
Cold Lake is so vast and invigorating, you’ll feel like you’re in the ocean.

Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park Campground

A beachfront island escape in landlocked Alberta? Yep, it exists. Alberta's only island park is located on Big Island on beautiful Lac la Biche. A walking trail is the only thing between the closest campsites and the water. The park has lovely sandy beaches, trails through old-growth forests, playgrounds, and a camp store with boat and SUP rentals.

couple tap oars as they kayak on Lac la Biche in sir winston churchill provincial park
Step out of your campsite and into your kayak within moments of waking on Big Island in Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park.

Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park Campgrounds

At 1,160km2 (448mi2), Lesser Slave Lake is so big it can feel like an ocean while standing along its shores. It's home to some of Alberta's best beaches and beachfront campsites. You'll find waterfront sites at several private campgrounds and a few at Marten River Campground inside the provincial park. Relax on the beach, enjoy fishing, swimming, boating, hiking and birdwatching. Be sure to visit the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation to learn more about birds of the boreal region.

man stands with fishing rod in Lesser Slave Lake
The best part about camping at Lesser Slave Lake? You’re steps away from world class fishing and bird watching.