This park is within Alberta's Rocky Mountains. The park was originally named Kananaskis Provincial Park, but was renamed after Peter Lougheed, premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985, when he retired in 1986.[1]
Some of the most popular backpacking trips in Kananaskis Country are in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. The Northover Ridge is a two-to-four-day backpacking trip,[2] as is the North and South Kananaskis Pass.[3]
Much of the land currently within the park was previously part of Rocky Mountains National Park, but was removed in 1911, and eventually turned over to the Government of Alberta. The land was developed in numerous ways, with hydroelectric dams[4][5] being constructed in the modern park boundaries.
By the 1970s, the eastern slopes of the rockies faced more pressure as people from Calgary searched for recreation outside of the city. Key people in creating the park were Bill Milne, a Calgary architect and environmentalist and Alberta Highways Minister and area MLA Clarence Copithorne. Clarence Copithorne was a rancher and planned to upgrade the road access into the Kananaskis Valley to direct people away from ranchlands. Bill Milne challenged the provincial government to consult the public about the highway upgrade, and a resulting survey showed public support for a large protected area. Legend says Premier Lougheed created the park after a single helicopter flight over the area arranged by Milne and Copithorne.[6] The park was dedicated on September 22, 1978.
Facilities
The park has seven automobile accessible campgrounds, totaling 546 campsites,[7] as well as six backcountry campgrounds, with a total of 83 sites.[8] There are over 12km of paved bike paths connecting the auto access campgrounds,[9] and many more hiking trails. Boulton Creek Trading Post is the main source for supplies in the park, as well as Fortress Junction, just north of the park.
Activities
The following activities are available in the park:
Camping and backcountry camping (May to August, permit required)
Front country hiking (trails include Black Prince Cirque, Boulton Creek, Burstall Pass, "Canadian Mt. Everest Expedition", Chester Lake, Elbow Lake, Elk Pass, Hydroline, Kananaskis Canyon, Lodgepole, Lookout, Lower Kananaskis Lake, Marl Lake, Maude-Lawson Lakes, Pocaterra, Ptarmigan Cirque, Rawson Lake, Rock Glacier, Rolly Road, Smith-Dorien, Three Isle Lake and Upper Kananaskis Lake trails)
Mountain biking (on Burstall Pass, Chester Lake, Elbow Lake trail, Elk Pass, Hydroline, Lookout, Pocaterra, Rolly Road, Smith-Dorien, Three Isle Lake, Wheeler and Whiskeyjack trails)