Strung like beads on the chain of Willow Creek and resting between the foothills of the Livingstone Mountain range in the Rocky Mountains, the small series of lakes known as Chain Lakes is an excellent stopping place for the RVer. Because of its scenic beauty, Chain Lakes Provincial Park is a favorite camping spot for many Albertans, summer and winter.
The provincial park lies on the east shores of the largest and southernmost lake, about an hour's drive south of Calgary, Alberta at the intersection of highways 22 and 533, with year-round paved access.
"For thousands of years, native people used a series of small lakes that were strung along [the] Rocky Mountain foothills," starts a brochure published by the Municipal District of Ranchland (ISBN 0-7795-3321-2, 2007). In later years, for immigrant settlers the lakes and Willow Creek served as a frozen highway in the winter. Today, the lakes are in the center of Alberta's ranchlands district, storing water to meet "the growing agricultural and urban needs of Southern Alberta" thanks to a series of dams built starting in 1965.
Originally operated by the province, Chain Lakes Provincial Park was privatized around 1990, but was taken over by the Municipal District of Ranchland in 2000, according to information provided by the MD. The park is operated from the adjacent municipal offices, built in 1993 and located by the park because Ranchland has no significant municipalities and a central site was needed for district administration.
RV and Camping Facilities at Chain Lakes Provincial Park
There are 125 campsites, each with picnic tables, in three loops. The sites are self-registered, but the park is patrolled and well-maintained. Call the park office, 403-646-5887, for information on availability and rates, or 403-646-3131 for reservations.
- Loop A is closest to the park office, while loop C is the furthest and perhaps the quietest with lowest traffic.
- Each loop has guest parking, water (two taps per loop), pit toilets, a central fire pit (no fires are permitted in campsites), and a horseshoe pit.
- 27 powered sites are in Loop A, all back-ins.
- There are plans for an additional 33 powered sites in Loop B with two pull-through sites and two double sites. Loop B has a serviced (gas stove, non-potable water) cookhouse.
- Loop C has three pull-through sites and two doubles; the rest are single-rig back-ins. Loop C also has a serviced cookhouse.
- A spacious group campsite with serviced cookhouse is available for rent. The group site is in a scenic spot below the dam on Willow Creek.
- A large day use area is down by the lake, while a smaller very nice day use area and pergola built beside the office in 1995 serve both the administration staff and the public on request.
A concession open May to September offers the usual snacks, along with a patio to "soak in the scenic view of Chain Lakes & the Livingstone Range."
Hiking, Wildlife Watching, and Nature Appreciation at Chain Lakes Provincial Park
The montane habitat around the park is a "mosaic of open forests and grasslands" that supports a diversity of life. Trails through the park and boat trips around the shores provide opportunities for seeing some of that diversity.
- Numerous trails connect the camping loops to the lakefront, the main day use area and the boat launches. A particularly nice walk or bike ride is across the dam past the spillway to the group area then back up the road to the park office. A boardwalk leads from loop B through a boggy area of willows, and the rest of the trails may be squishy in wet weather.
- Birders have a chance to spot "white pelicans, eagles, ospreys, warblers, long-eared owls, loons, great blue herons, and a variety of waterfowl and shore birds," according to park information.
- Among mammals, moose, elk, deer (white-tail and mule), coyote, bear (black and grizzly), and the occasional cougar inhabit the willow shrub and grassland that form the park habitat.
- Botanists have classified over 200 species of plants in the park area, including Jacob's ladder, native orchids, and a splendor of foothills wildflowers (in season).
Chain Lakes Boating and Fishing
There is a boat launch near the campground and another further along at the day use area.
- Speed limit is 12 km/h
- Towing of people on any device is prohibited
- A trip around the lake, especially in evening or early morning, is a good chance to watch for wildlife on the shores
- The park is open for ice-fishing in the winter
Chain Lakes Reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout, and native bull trout of up to 25 lb may also be found in the lakes. The bull trout are catch-and-release only.
Day Trips from Chain Lakes Provincial Park
The park can serve as a base for day trips to other nearby parks or tourist attractions, including
- Beauvais Lake Provincial Park
- Bob Creek Wildland
- Frank Slide Interpretive Center
- Bar-U National Historic Site
- Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.
The historic Cowboy Trail following Highway 22 passes through many country spots of historic and present interest, offering treats such as the beef jerky made in Longview (arguably the best beef jerky in Canada).
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Thomas Alan Gray - Tom has been writing for over 30 years; curiosity leads him to dig into a wide variety of topics.
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