![](https://kananaskis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/P1240344-copy-1024x684.jpg)
Kananaskis Country is often mistaken for a single park, similar to Banff National Park. But in actuality, it is 4,200+ square kilometres of mixed-use lands managed under one framework. It is comprised of a ‘patchwork quilt’ of parks & protected areas, plus public land use zones. These accommodate a variety of uses, such as preservation, heritage appreciation, outdoor recreation, tourism, and industry.
But K-Country has not always been even just ‘one thing’ (or, more correctly, ‘a lot of many things’). K-Country as a concept wasn’t even imagined until the 1970’s. But some of the elements of K-Country were in place long before that.
Where K-Country got its start
The first protected space in what is today Kananaskis Country was Bow Valley Provincial Park (BVPP). BVPP was first created in 1959. However, it took until 1961’s official Alberta road map (pictured at right) for BVPP to be marked, since the first campgrounds in the area were built in 1960. In those days, parks weren’t mapped, just campgrounds.
BVPP started off as the fairly small, kind of triangular space that today sits between the TransCanada Highway (TCH) and Bow River, west of the 1X. Today’s Bow Valley Campground was the only campground in the park when it was first created. The initial goal for creation of BVPP was protection of glacial landscape features. This included moraines and eskers, the sand dunes we talk about here, and the natural spring complexes we talk about here. In 1958, there was no TCH. The current TCH was under construction (it opened in the BVPP area 1959), and today’s 1A was Highway 1. Driving through the Park on the TCH today, you can clearly see the 1958-era borrow pit north of the TCH. It’s just west of the location of the wildlife overpass under construction. It is where glacial gravel was excavated to build the TCH.
Bigger than you think
BVPP has been expanded four times since it was created – in 1984, 1989, 1999 and 2002 – making it now far bigger than you think it is. It includes all lands in purple on the maps to the right. Today, BVPP includes not just that original triangle but:
- The land north of the TCH, east of the 1X and west of the Kananaskis River, where Willow Rock Campground is;
- All the lands south and east of the Kananaskis River, south of the Stoney Reserve, west of Hwy 40, down all the way to Mt. Lorette Ponds that are NOT otherwise part of Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park. The Kananaskis Visitor Info Centre, Barrier Lake and Dam DUAs, Mt. Lorette Ponds DUA, and the parking lot for Baldy Pass trailhead are all part of BVPP;
- All the lands on the west side of the Kananaskis River, south of the TCH, down all the way to Mt. Lorette Creek, that are NOT otherwise part of Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park. Both the YMCA’s Camp Chief Hector and the Star 6 Ranch are part of this section. However, there are small ‘holes’ of not-Park land for both; both holes are discussed below. This section of the Park is generally referred to as ‘Bow Valley South’;
- A bunch of land (with complicated boundaries) straddling the Bow River and bounded on the south by the TCH all the way to Lac Des Arcs & Exshaw
All of the campgrounds in the Bow Valley Corridor: Three Sisters Campground in Dead Man’s Flats, Bow River Campground in Canmore and Lac Des Arcs Campground. All three were formerly Provincial Recreation Areas. They were all created in 1959 at the same time as the original BVPP. They were made part of BVPP in 2002;
- Grotto Pond and Canyon. The Canyon’s BVPP segment is a narrow strip just 100’ wide centered on the middle of the creek, extending about 4.5 km up the canyon. Unlike Heart Creek PRA, which is surrounded by a Wildland Park, the Grotto Canyon segment of BVPP is surrounded by public land;
- Old Camp Day Use Area, on the 1A close to Canmore. This also used to be a separate PRA until 2002;
- Gap Lake Day Use area. Again, it was a separate PRA until 2002.
You can see an actual description of the land here in Order In Council 424/02 when the park was last expanded. Note that it takes 2 maps to show the entire park.
Facilities in the park
Just like Spray Valley Provincial Park and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, there are a LOT of facilities in the park:
- 10 Campgrounds: The ‘front country’ (car accessible) campgrounds are Bow River, Willow Rock, Lac Des Arcs, Three Sisters and Bow River. Some campsites in Bow River, Bow Valley and Willow Rock have water and power connections. There are showers at all three. There are Group Camps at Canoe Meadows, Elk Flats and three near Camp Chief Hector: Owl, Grouse, and Grey Jay. Plus, there is one backcountry campground in the Park at Jewell Bay, open mid-June to mid-September;
- 13 designated Day Use Areas: Old Camp, Gap Lake, Grotto Pond, Middle Lake, Whitefish, Many Springs, Canoe Meadows, Widowmaker, Kananaskis Info Centre, Barrier Dam, Barrier Lake, Baldy Pass Trailhead, & Mt. Lorette Ponds.
- Mt. Lorette Ponds is a special K-Country space. It was developed to allow mobility challenged people to enjoy nature – and even go fishing! The ponds are stocked several times a year, and managed to enhance fishing opportunities for all ages;
The Lower Kananaskis River’s many paddling areas are all within BVPP. The strategic management of the Lower Kan for paddling is a bit beyond the scope of this page. It won’t be discussed here;
- Grotto Canyon sees some limited rock and ice climbing. But more importantly, it also protects very old and sacred Indigenous pictographs;
- Old Camp is literally an old camp site that has seen significant historical use, including to build the railway;
- There are two sani-dumps for trailers in the park: at the Info Centre and near the Park administration buildings close to Willow Rock campground;
- There are boat launch/take outs in Three Sisters Campground, and hand launches at Barrier Lake DUA, Widowmaker and Canoe Meadows. Note that the concrete boat launch ramp at Barrier Lake is not for the public. It is for emergency and Park use only.
There used to be another group camp on the east bank of the Kananaskis River near the mouth of Porcupine Creek. It was accessed by a gated road near the Baldy Pass trailhead. However, it was damaged by the 2013 flood and not repaired. It has been abandoned.
Recent developments and improvements
In 2011, a major redevelopment was proposed for the Lower Kananaskis area. It would have included several new and expanded campgrounds, a disc golf course and numerous other facility additions. However, Public Consultation on this proposal in 2011 and 2017, coupled with results from wildlife movement monitoring, resulted in a final plan that was significantly scaled back from the above. That including removal of almost all the campgrounds and the disc golf course. Implementation of that plan commenced in 2019 with expansion and upgrade of Barrier Dam DUA’s parking and facilities.
In addition, as a result of that plan, Barrier Lake DUA got a complete make-over in 2020. That included substantially increased parking and vastly improved facilities, including the Connection Trail described below. Kananaskis Outfitters has run a boat rental business there in the summer months for several years, and continues to do so. The original 1999 Kananaskis Country Recreation Policy actually envisioned small-scale commercial facilities here with overnight accommodations and a restaurant. Such a development was investigated in 2007, and is not out of the question for the future. The challenges to development are primarily access to potable water and power, neither of which are nearby.
The Bow River Campground near Canmore was densified and upgraded with some improved services fairly recently as well, as was Bow Valley Campground.
Hiking In The Park
There aren’t actually that many trails in BVPP. Many are designated interpretive trails, or at least have interpretive signage on them. Accordingly, the trails that are in the Park tend to be short, with one exception:
Likely the most popular hike in the Park is Grotto Canyon. Technically, the full trail is almost 5 km long. This is about 2.5 km farther up the canyon beyond the big dirt ‘hole’ that can be seen above the valley bottom on the left side as you hike up the canyon. The hole itself is not interesting. It’s just a 10’ deep, 6’ high hole. It is not particularly safe to explore, being on a steep unstable gravel slope. In addition, the hole is not actually in BVPP, being more than 50’ from the creek’s centre. Not a lot of people go up the canyon past the hole. Since the 2013 flood, it’s just a not-particularly-interesting rocky creek bed walk;
- Middle Lake Interpretive;
- Many Springs Interpretive;
Moraine Interpretive;
- Elk Flats;
- Flowing Waters Interpretive;
- The Bow Valley Paved Trail;
- The Bow River Trail;
- The Montane Interpretive trail;
- Portions of Stoney Trail, which runs from the TCH in BVPP, through BVWPP, and ends at the Troll Falls parking lot in Evan-Thomas Public Recreation Area. The northern trailhead is just off the TCH at the 1X intersection. South of Jewell Bay, this trail generally forms the boundary between BVPP and BVWPP, so is often in two Parks at once. As noted below, the section of trail south of Jewel Bay is closed from April 15 to June 15 annually to protect elk migrations;
- Widowmaker to Canoe Meadows;
K-Country’s only (and Alberta’s first) Connection Trail at Barrier Lake. A Connection Trail is a short trail that enables people to literally connect with natural experiences in a quiet, contemplative setting. The need for such a trail was identified in the Public Consultation process noted above;
- Mt. Lorette Ponds Interpretive, which is wheelchair accessible;
- A small part of the Razor’s Edge trail is in the corner of the park.
There aren’t a lot of unofficial routes in the park simply because of the park’s size and location. Most are in the Bow Valley South section, and leave from the YMCA Camp Chief Hector area, or are around the Star 6 area. Those areas have disposition leases, which we’ll discuss below. Generally, as a result of that, use of these routes is discouraged; to use some even require permission of the leaseholders.
Biking and Horseback Riding
Biking in BVPP is far more limited. Remember, in a Provincial Park pursuant to the Parks Act, bikes are only permitted on trails designated for biking. In BVPP, there are just four:
- The Bow Valley Paved Trail;
- Stoney Trail and
- the Prairie View Trail from Barrier Dam to Stoney;
- the recently designated Razor’s Edge trail (it’s partially in BVWPP).
You can ride Prairie View, Jewell Pass and others, but they are in BVWPP, not BVPP. Stoney Trail remains approved for e-Bike use. It and the Paved Trail are only trails in the Park where you can legally ride e-Bikes.
In a Provincial Park, horses are only allowed on trails designated for riding, just as for biking. The only trail so designated in BVPP is Stoney Trail. As noted below, there are other trails where horses are ridden by commercial outfitters.
Holes and Dispositions
Like BVWPP, ESWPP and others, BVPP has a few ‘holes’ of non-Park land in it. Those holes represent lands that have been privately owned for a LONG time – far longer than the Park has been in existence. You can read more about holes in K-Country generally here.
In addition to the holes, Section 8 of the Parks Act permits the Minister to grant dispositions in Parks. Generally, these are for commercial activities such as campgrounds or stores or rental activities, or for industrial things like powerline right of ways. BVPP has several important commercial lease dispositions, some of which are associated with the holes. There are three that are notable, two of which are in the Bow Valley South section.
Camp Chief Hector
As mentioned, the YMCA’s Camp Chief Hector is entirely within BVPP. They own eight acres of land that is not part of BVPP, but is entirely surrounded by the Park. That’s because Camp Chief Hector was established in 1930, 25 years before BVPP was ever imagined. It was initially obtained through negotiations with the Stoney band, and was leased from them for an initial fee of $100 per year for 15 years (about $1,730 per year in 2022 dollars). It was named after one of the Stoney Chiefs who supported the idea of the YMCA establishing a camp there. A memorial plaque was erected in 1990 commemorating the 60th anniversary of the camp, pictured at right. You can read more about the history of the creation of the camp here.
According to Rick Guinn, there also used to be another guest ranch that shared the space currently managed by the YMCA. It closed long before BVPP was created.
Today, the YMCA owns the 8-acre parcel of land, and has lease dispositions on several other sections of land in the Bow Valley South section of the Park. On the land they own, they have horse barns and staff housing. On their lease are other camp facilities including cook and bunk houses, teepees, yurts and boating facilities at Chilver Lake. They have a trail system on their lease, including a back access to the Prairie View Trail and Barrier Lookout, that you need their permission to use. Getting permission is often difficult, as they have campers almost year-round.
Star 6 Ranch
![](https://kananaskis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/DSCF0468-300x225.jpg)
The full description and history of the Star 6 Ranch area is long and complicated, and beyond the scope of this page. In summary, the first European ‘development’ in the area started in the 1870s with a whiskey trading post. It later became a remand center for the RCMP when the Mounties pushed out the whiskey traders. When the RCMP moved their base closer to Calgary in 1926, the facility became a guest ranch. It was eventually acquired and developed by the Guinn family. In the 30’s and 40’s, it saw commercial hunting and trail riding. Along the way, a few sections of land close to the Kananaskis River were purchased by the Guinn’s. Rick Guinn, who currently owns Boundary Ranch near Kananaskis Village, was born and raised at this ranch. Guinn’s Pass is named after Rick’s dad.
In 1976, the property was sold by the Guinns, and renamed Rafter 6 Ranch. It grew substantially to a commercial horse riding and camping operation. A problematic real estate deal in 2010 saw Rafter 6 go into bankruptcy. In 2015, the assets were purchased by Star 6 Ranch. The ranch was established to enable connecting people with the land and the surrounding environment, primarily through horseback riding. The former Rafter 6 operation emerged from bankruptcy in 2015, and continues to offer commercial trail riding experiences in the area today.
In addition to the parcels of land Star 6 and Rafter 6 own surrounded by the Park, Star 6 has a horse-grazing permit on 135 acres of lands in Bow Valley south. They also hold a recreational lease for equestrian activity on Park lands. Within BVPP boundaries, they also have a lease for 4 summer cottages. As noted, Rafter 6 continues to offer commercial horseback riding and rustic camping on their land. It is worthy to note that Rafter 6 and Star 6 can ride horses on those recreational leases, but the general public cannot – except on Stoney Trail. The map to the right shows the current land ownership according to the MD Bighorn, with the owned land in yellow. The primary recreational and grazing leased areas are shown in purple, though they hold other non-geographic based dispositions as well.
As a result of these two dispositions, general public use of the Bow Valley South lands down to Barrier Dam is generally discouraged, with the exception of the designated Stoney Trail. That having been said, the local climbing community makes use of a bouldering area known as the Bonsai Boulders in that space.
Other Dispositions
Finally, there’s a disposition for the Park Maintenance facility compound, which sits near Middle Lake. It’s a big complex with Parks staff residences, housing and offices for the Kananaskis Campgrounds Staff. There are also offices and equipment storage for the various programs in the Parks in the Kananaskis Region. Within the Compound, some former parks buildings are now used by the Canadian Rockies Outdoor Learning Centre. This facility is operated by the Canadian Rockies Public School System and offers outdoor education opportunities including paddling, wilderness skills and leadership training.
Park management zones
Being a Provincial Park means BVPP has the some of the highest levels of protection in the Parks system. Pursuant to the Parks Act, Provincial Parks are managed for ecological integrity first, and human use second. This includes no random camping, limiting designated trails, no hunting, no grazing, and no fires except in designated fire pits.
Like Spray Valley Provincial Park, BVPP’s Management Plan defines spaces in the park for Preservation, Facility, Natural Environment and Cultural zones, mapped at right. The Management Plan includes management strategies for all of the protected spaces in the Bow Valley, not just BVPP. It was last updated in 2002.
There are two Preservation zones in BVPP:
- Almost the entire Bow Valley South area. In the area south of Jewell Bay, human use is restricted from April 15 to June 15 annually by closing the Stoney Trail and Jewell Bay campground. This is to reduce disturbance to migrating elk;
- The area straddling the Bow River west of the ‘rock cut’ on the TCH all the way to Lac Des Arcs. This is to protect the riparian habitat.
While the majority of the park is zoned Natural Environment, there are numerous Facility zones in the park. This includes all the campgrounds, the YMCA and Star 6 areas, Widowmaker, Canoe Meadows and the Info Center, Mt. Lorette Ponds, Barrier Dam and importantly, Barrier Lake Day Use Area.
BVPP also has a small area with a Cultural designation. In keeping with the Management Plan, “known archeological sites within the park will not be identified to the general public”, and we won’t describe them here. But it must be acknowledged that this is the traditional and ancestorial territory of the Treaty Seven Nations — the Îyârhe Nakoda (Wesley, Bearspaw and Chiniki),
the Blackfoot Confederacy (Kainai, Piikani and the Siksika), and the Tsuutʼina as well as the Metis Nation Region 3, and the K’tunaxs Nation. There are indigenous rock paintings in the Park (in Grotto Canyon) that are protected.
Realizing that the YMCA first negotiated a lease for the land from the Nakoda (and not the Crown) in the 1920’s should also make it clear that Indigenous people were using the BVPP area long before European settlers. Finding evidence of that use literally across the river from a reserve should not be surprising. If you’re in the Park and find something of ‘interest’, leave it alone.
Park Flora and Fauna
The Park used to be home to more Elk than today. The herds in the area have been decimated by collisions on the TCH over the years. Once home to several herds numbering over 300, there are as few as 30 animals left in one of the herds. This was one of the major drivers for the construction of the Wildlife Overpass and fencing of the TCH in the Park. That structure should be completed in 2024. It is hoped the Elk population can recover with increased and safe connectivity. As noted, the Stoney Trail section south of Jewell Bay is closed from April 15 to June 15 annually to protect Elk migrations.
Research cameras (the photo to the right is from one in the Park) show that many animals use the Park and the Kananaskis River to move north and south. This includes Wolves, Grizzly Bears, Cougars, Bobcat, migrating Elk as noted above, and even Bighorn Sheep. Monitoring cameras show animals frequently cross under the TCH using the Kananaskis River Bridge. It is anticipated that these crossings will increase with the new fencing and wildlife overpass.
Black Bears are common in the park. They often come into conflict with visitors when they wander into the various park campgrounds (don’t forget to keep a clean campsite). Grizzly Bears often pass through the park. BVPP is also home to Long-Toed and Tiger salamanders, which should not be surprising given the number of lakes and springs in the Park. Park Staff are also constantly managing the impacts of the beaver population in the Park. In particular, beavers like to flood areas around Many Springs and Flowing Waters trails with their construction activities!
As many people know, the Many Springs area is home to a great number of fairly rare plants (including numerous Orchids) that thrive in the unique, damp conditions. In fact, the 2002 Management Plan noted that the impact of ongoing visitor activity on vegetation was a growing concern throughout the park. The Park also has numerous endangered Limber Pine trees. And Harlequin Ducks are Park residents, especially upstream of Barrier Lake.
Fishing is very popular in the Park. Lots of people fish Grotto Pond, Gap Lake, the Bow River (by floating the river, as well as from the shore in all the Park’s segments), Barrier Lake and Mt. Lorette Ponds. Because of fluctuating water levels and flows, the Kananaskis River downstream of Barrier Dam is not great fish habitat.
In summary
As the Management Plan notes: “Located at the main gateway to the Canadian Rockies, the Park has high scenic, environmental and recreational values”. Whether it is paddlers on the Lower Kan, beachgoers on the shores of Barrier Lake on a hot summer day, campers in the many Park campgrounds, or the many hikers and bikers setting off from Barrier Dam, BVPP is an absolute magnet for recreational activity in K-Country.
Bow Valley Provincial Park
Camping: 5 vehicle accessible (3 with power and water services), 5 group camps, 1 back-country summer only. Random camping not permitted.
Fires: Permitted in designated fire pits only.
Hiking: 14 designated official trails, including the Province’s first Connection Trail.
Mountain biking: On 3 permitted trails only (soon to be 4). E-bikes are only permitted on the Stoney Trail and Bow Valley Paved Trail.
Horseback Riding: By the general public, on 1 permitted trail only.
Hunting: Not allowed.
Services: 13 day-use areas, boat launch ramps, Info centre, white-water paddling race courses and much more!
Learn more about the elements of Kananaskis Country here!