Take a camping adventure in the Canadian Rockies at any time of year while visiting Hinton.
Hinton, Alberta sits in the Athabasca River Valley, which provides a climate of comfortable summers and snowy winters for year-round camping enjoyment. From primitive lakeside walk-ins reserved at the site to RV resorts and glamping huts reserved ahead of time, camping accommodations are plentiful in the area. After setting up camp, explore William A. Switzer Provincial Park. It contains a chain of five lakes for water sport recreation. Anglers love fishing in Wildhorse Lake Provincial Recreation Area—in summer or winter conditions. Jasper National Park is also a popular destination for campers, sporting world-famous landmarks among the Canadian Rockies. RV campgrounds are available on-site with full hookups and direct access to the dark sky preserve at night.
In the foothills of the northern Rockies is William A. Switzer Provincial Park. It surrounds a chain of five lakes—Gregg Lake, Graveyard Lake, Cache Lake, Blue Lake, and Jarvis Lake. Year-round recreational activities from canoeing and water skiing to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing entertain campers in any season. Spend the day on the lakes fishing for whitefish and northern pike, and retire to a tent or RV campsite with potable water, hot showers, and full hookups. For more intrepid campers, primitive campsites are available with self-registration among pine, spruce, and aspen forests. Many provide access to pit toilets and wood stoves for winter camping, as well.
Wildhorse Lake offers fishing opportunities from non-motorized or electric boats. It’s also a popular site for winter ice fishing. The lake water is extremely cold, so swimming isn’t advisable, but summer campers can hike, cycle, or geocache in the forest and grasslands of the area. Wildhorse Lake’s walk-in and drive-up tent and RV campsites all have fire pits, fish-cleaning stations, pit toilets, and a pier for non-stop exploration. In winter, campers skate on the lake and snowmobile across trails. Winter campsites are also available, starting in February.
Jasper National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as the second largest dark sky preserve. Set in the Canadian Rockies, the park hosts camping accommodations year-round. Summer is most popular, when it’s advisable to make an advance campsite reservation. Winter camping is available in tent and RV campgrounds with full hookups and hot showers. Furnished glamping options from oTENTik provide beds and heaters. Backcountry, primitive and dispersed campsites allow campers to sleep next to famous landmarks like Mount Edith Cavell, Athabasca Falls, and Miette Hot Springs. Then wake up and hike multi-use trails across the park to see natural wildlife. Or rent a bike from a bike shop to see it all on wheels.
Hinton’s comfortable summers see highs of 21°C and lows of 5°C. This time of year is great for fishing and outdoor recreation. Freezing, snowy winters with temperatures ranging from -13°C to 3°C create perfect conditions for ice fishing, snow shoeing, and cross-country skiing. Most campgrounds offer year-round camping accommodations that provide amenities for each season.