Outdoor Adventures! Camping, Hiking & More
Nothing is so synonymous with Scouting than adventures in the great outdoors. This page provides a collection of links to Hiking trails, Campgrounds and Outdoor resources suitable for Scouting activities in the Calgary, Alberta area.
WARNING: Unless otherwise indicated on the link pages, these pages and the people posting thereon do not belong to or necessarily follow the Code of Conduct of Scouts Canada. Please practice safe browsing and do not reveal personal information or agree to meet individuals met through webpages without adult supervision and due care. These links are provided for informational purposes only.
Planning & Packing:
Safety:
Campgrounds:
Camp Impeesa Overview and website (Scouts Canada, Chinook Council)
Camp Woods (2 hours north of Calgary, just west of Sylvan Lake)
Year round camping. Site of the 2013 Canadian Jamboree, 105 acres of lakefront treed land with multiple lodges, RV and tent sites as well as activity amenities including challenge course, low ropes course, orienteering, pioneering, archery, nature study, and waterfront activities such as sailboats, canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boards, and swimming. Winter cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. All activities include the necessary equipment. Overview and Information page including location map. Website with facilities/activities map. Driving Directions
Winchell Coulee Camp (45 minutes north of Cochrane)
29.7 acres of treed land with a 2560 sq ft bunkhouse with full cooking facilities (sleeps up to 58 people, includes separate sleeping quarters for women (4 bunks), and separate sleeping quarters for cooks/volunteers (4 bunks). Running water in Winchell Lodge and hydrant for tenting area. 48' washroom facility with flush toilets and showers. Telephone line, 7 gravel 12'x14' tent pads, outhouse, running well water, tested by CHRA every 2-3 weeks. Commercial playground system. 2km west is Winchell Lake which has good fishing and can be used for canoeing. GPS Coordinates: N 51 26.777 W 114 36.020 Rental and contact info on website.
Lost Lake Scout Camp (80 kms NW of Calgary, just west of Winchell Coulee camp) Lost Lake camp is a 79 acre camp on a 16 ha lake suitable for canoeing. The camp is in mixed forests. The Log Lodge cabin has a sleeping loft for 30. The Leaders' cabin has bunks for 10 (under construction), a kitchen with propane stove, and a dining area which seats 50. There is running water in the summer. Bring your own life jackets and paddles for canoes and paddle boat. During the summer, the area is grazed by free range cattle. Hiking trails, formal campfire circle, compass course, mountain bike trail, sports field, lake frontage, canoeable water, canoes available. Swimming at Provincial park 10 kms away.
Silverland Camp, High River (10 minutes west of High River). More Info Map
~18 acres of mixed meadow/forest adjacent to an oxbow of the Highwood river. Buildings include the Main Hall (heated for meetings, activities, & sleeping) The Servus Cookhouse (for cooking, eating, wood burning fireplace), Latrine building & woodshed. Outdoor activities include canoeing or skating on the oxbow, orienteering, snowshoeing*, pioneering (lashing)*, wide games, climbing on the web, wildlife tracking / learning, native plant identification, campfires, archery*, star gazing, camping, survival skills, and much more. (*gear not supplied by camp) These activities are available but may not be suitable for all groups depending on age, experience, training and program restrictions. Click the name link above for photos of the camp. The Silverland Camp Society manages the camp on behalf of High River Scouting and Guiding. The facility is available for rental to other groups depending on availability and suitability at the discretion of the board. As of Feb 2017, the weekend camp fee was $280 (minimum fee) for up to 20 campers and $14 pp for each additional camper over 20. For more information or rental opportunities and rates please contact the camp coordinator at booksilverland@gmail.com
See also the unofficial Camp Silverland Facebook page.
YMCA Camp Riveredge (within Calgary in Sandy Beach Park on the Elbow River) YMCA's Camp Riveredge offers traditional camp facilities for day or overnight (self-tentng or supplied tipis) and camp activities such as forest play, low ropes, challenge course, bouldering cube and an archery range. Booking Form (Prices) Gallery
YMCA Camp Chief Hector (75km west of Calgary via Hwy 1, near Exshaw) YMCA's Camp Chief Hector offers multiple lodging rental options and seasonal outdoor activities such as canoeing, horseback riding, high ropes course, climbing towers, challenge courses, hiking trails, archery, bouldering and campfires. Email: cchy@ymcacalgary.org or Booking/Quote form Directions/Map
Camp Kasota West (Sylvan Lake)
Owned and operated by the United Church of Canada and Calgary Presbytery, Camp Kasota West consist of 42 acres on the south side of Sylvan Lake. It has a large dining hall, commercial grade kitchen, professionally finished washroom facilities, large indoor meeting places, 16 heated cabins (sleep 7 – 9), and 2 large playing fields all situated on a beautiful lake front property. For information about renting the facility, rates and avaliability, phone (403) 275-3636 or email ckw.rentals@gmail.com.
Camp Evergreen (14 km south of Sundre)
Camp Evergreen is situated on 480 acres of gorgeous forest terrain and is open for group rentals in fall, winter and spring. Archery, Bouldering, Climbing wall, canoeing, High Ropes course, low ropes course, zipline, horseback riding, orienteering, survival skills, nature activities, campfire circle, frisbee golf course, volleyball, activity centre with board games and more.
Camp Wenman (28 km east of Golden, BC) is near the west gate of Yoho National Park on the Kicking Horse River. It is a great jumping-off place for hiking, white water rafting, mountain climbing, and many wilderness activities. The camp is named for the first Scouter in the area.There is a log cabin with alpine bunks, wood stove and propane cook stove and lighting. There are areas for tenting and a dining shelter with large propane cook stove. An emergency phone is 1 km from the site. Mobile phone coverage is also available.
Camp Gardner was purcahsed by Hope Mission and is now Camp Hope. .
Hiking Trails:
Southern Alberta Trail Mapping Project (downloadable GPS maps)
Trailpeak Calgary Area maps (downloadable GPS maps)
Geocaching: What's geocaching you ask? Start here: Geocaching 101
Geocaching.com Everything you wanted to know about Geocaching, including online logging of caches & cache finds, event information, and shopping links. (Please contact the Webmaster for info on our group's usernames)
Calgary Area Cachers A local discussion board for Calgary area with some good information and tips for Geocaching in and around Calgary, Alberta.
A Guide to Geocaching Road Trips - A short article giving a great Geocaching overview & useful links for those new to the sport.