Have enjoyed moyie lake, arrow lake, crimson lake and lots of others.
What's your favourite swimming lake for kids within about 1 days drive drive Cowtown? Reviews of nearby camping also appreciated.
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Have enjoyed moyie lake, arrow lake, crimson lake and lots of others.
What's your favourite swimming lake for kids within about 1 days drive drive Cowtown? Reviews of nearby camping also appreciated.
Little Bow (Travers) comes to mind
But I have read enough of your camping thread to know you know of it.
A friend of mine has a place at Gull, but it’s cold and weedy.
buffalo lake, it's not really a swimming lake because it's shallow for hundreds of meters, more of a play in the water lake, we normally stay at ol' macdonalds resort, nice beach there (although VERY busy on nice days)... rachon sands is a PP right close, never been there though, hear the beach isnt as nice because it's a PP so limited funding.
Maybe not a popular opinion, but leaving Alberta would open a lot more possibilities. "Lakes" are in Saskatchewan and BC.
For the most part, Alberta has lakes*.
*Giant sloughs
how big does a lake need to be for swimming or playing within 50 feet of shore... nobody (especially kids) actually swims lakes.Quote:
Originally Posted by ThePenIsMightier
I think the biggest issue is finding a lake that isn’t glacial cold. But maybe I’m a sap about that.
No, it's not about the size. It's about water quality, beach, drop-off and weeds.Quote:
Originally Posted by Thaco
The lakes in the adjacent provinces are better.
Lakes don’t start until 2-2.5 hrs north of here. Hundreds of great fishing and recreation lakes in the upper half of Alberta.Quote:
Originally Posted by ThePenIsMightier
I liked swimming in Wabamun as a kid but a lot of people don't like it. Classic Alberta lake.
we go to lesser slave lake (nw side, hilliard's bay) (typically) once a year, the kids go in the water there, but not me, i prefer my nuggets on the outside of my body, even in august it's too damn cold.Quote:
Originally Posted by Darell_n
Pretty much have to go to BC for warmer waters.Quote:
Originally Posted by killramos
Wasa is great in June-ish. Did a triathlon there a few years ago and lake and campground next door was great
Have driven through wasa campground. Heard good things. Moyie just down the road is good.
Kikomun Creek prov park in BC is great (must go for a few days at least to make it worthwhile, it's basically between Fernie and Cranbrook). Has a great little lake (Surveyor's lake) in the campground for swimming in, no boats on it. There's also a second smaller lake in the campground that's not really swimmer friendly, but good to find turtles and go for a hike around as well. Also can access Koocanusa from within the park if you are the kokanee-fishing, boating type.
I forget when booking opens there, but we used to go there annually and my dad would have to book our 2 week block like the minute booking opened for the year because it books up for the season very quickly. The campground itself has huge sites, spaced far apart, and very well maintained bathrooms/showers, etc. Sites have power but not sewer IIRC. Not to be confused with the 'overflow' camping in the same park, which is basically a parking lot in comparison. There's a diner/ice cream shop/general store about a 3 min drive outside the campground; it's at a marina on Koocanusa and has a little beach. Disclaimer: I haven't been there in over a decade. I would be surprised if it's much different thouhg, as it didn't change for the decade prior.
Wasa is probably 1/10th the depth of Moyie so Is actually warm. I remember moyie being painful as a kidQuote:
Originally Posted by ExtraSlow
Blanket Creek Provincial Park just south of Revelstoke is good for swimming. There's a manmade lagoon that's fed from the creek with a nice Sandy beach. Enough flow through it that the water stays clean. Water warms up a little. Arrow lake right there for boating.
Have you tried Sikome Lake?
I know it goes against the rules, but shuswap, kalamalka, skaha, okanagan, mara, are the best swiming lakes. Just requires a longer drive
Wasa is nice, but its always busy and lots of douches out there on their boats. Same for Moyie.
I'm trying to plan some vacations around here with flights still being a mess, gonna definitely check out Blanket Creek - Looks like a nice spot.
McDonald Creek is a little further south on Arrow Lake. No separate swimming lagoon, but a decent beach on arrow lake. Cold lake, but when it's +30c, who cares? Hard to get reservations though, books up immediately.
Lake Osoyoos is nice, clean, and gets very warm mid summer. Also very close to the border (if it even matters this year) and it gets HOT.
Osoyoos is full of weeds. But I agree is best of all worlds.
I really miss it, but frankly it was too far away for anyone with a day job to ever get any use out of.
Day jobs are stupid.
I found the south side of the bridge to be quite good. North side might be a little weedy.
Wasa is really good. I would highly recommend it. Been there for the triathlon in June as well (full disclosure, me and the kids watched my wife do it...). Cool at that time of the year though. lolQuote:
Originally Posted by Brent.ff
Christina Lake is my favorite and same with my kids now. We spend at least two weeks there every summer. Awesome weather, clean warm water, and relaxing location.
you got PM
For a bit of travel I recommend Crystal Lake, especially for the teenagers.
Have you guys ever got that swimmers itch at any of those Okanogan lakes before?
You mostly get that where the lakes have been used substantially for logging.
@ExtraSlow You bring the beer. I'll supply the burgers and hot dogs.
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^^ Goals.
That is awesome. Way less need to go away for the weekend when you have that in the back yard. :thumbsup:
How many trailer parking spaces you got @Buster and what's the nightly rate? 30A hookups? Can I hook my poop trailer to my truck and drag it around the block?
Edit: serious though, nicely done.
What part of Aspen is that? How many minutes drive is it to Airdrie?Quote:
Originally Posted by Buster
thanks. We don't get away on vacations as much as we would like, and all of my Toronto friends seem to hate the city and their homes so much they just want to leave every weekend. We decided we wanted a home we wanted to hang out in, rather than always trying to escape.Quote:
Originally Posted by blownz
genius move. Wish I could have convinced my better half ahead of us embarking on an inner city build. Saving 8hr round trip to/fro the lake cabin sounds amazing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buster
edit: serious question (also serious threadjack) - do you find there are any downsides to lakefront? Chestermere? Schools?
Genius move indeed.
This didn't go unnoticed by me @JRSC00LUDE lolQuote:
Originally Posted by JRSC00LUDE
@cjblair perfect recommendation. I grew up going there and I absolutely loved that lake. Always walked around the trails and found painted turtles and shit.
I miss that place, it is seriously hard to get a reservation there nowadays. I havent been there in almost 20 years because of it.
St Mary Reservoir. Warm, real sand, no weeds.
He’s not poor, you know.Quote:
Originally Posted by prae
Crystal Lake Grande Prairie?
No real downsides to the lake that I can see. A whole other set of household items to maintain though. And your backyard now becomes your frontyard so to speak, so you need to keep it looking nice.Quote:
Originally Posted by prae
I know someone backing on to Auburn Bay Lake and justified it the same way. Good choice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buster