Our mission, of this trip, is to explore some of the best camping spots on Abraham lake and bring them to you! Stay tuned as we share all the best spots to call home for the night and even a few extra areas to explore along the way.
Today, our journey begins in Calgary, Alberta – 310 kilometres from our end goal. We won’t just be shooting up the highway today but rather taking a network of backroads, trails, and forest service roads. After all, isn’t it about the journey rather than the destination?
We head north out of the city to catch up with highway 40 right outside of Sundre. Highway 40 is known for being extremely scenic with epic mountain views around many corners. Another bonus that I enjoy is the fact that most of this road is dirt. This forces you to be engaged with the road, always watching out for possible washouts, corrugations and potholes. Highway 40 is one of Alberta’s longest roads stretching from Coleman, in the Crowsnest pass, all the way up to Grande Prairie. That’s nearly 750 kilometres of epic mountains and winding dirt road!
As the asphalt turns to dirt, we stop to let the tire pressures down to 18 psi on all 4 corners. Having to let pressure out of the tires is always a good indication that adventure is about to begin!
Calm, blue skies and sunshine quickly turned to wind and rain shortly into our push through highway 40. Dirt rapidly turned to mud and things were getting slippery. Slowing down to engage 4WD, I notice off in the distance, in the direction we were headed, the sun was still shining. You definitely get a little taste of many different weather patterns on this road but for now, we were in the rain, sleet and mud.
80 kilometres later and we were back in the sunshine with a much dirtier vehicle! The turn off for Ram Falls was quickly approaching so I slow down to make the turn. Ram Falls is a provincial park in Clearwater County, Alberta and is located off of Highway 40 – 64 kilometres south of Nordegg. Here you will find amazing places to pitch a tent for the night and a walk way overlooking magnificent waterfall that cuts through an enormous canyon. There is plenty to do from kayaking, hiking and fishing as well as camping and stunning photography locations. Everything in this area is truly larger than life!
We had to pull ourselves away from the beauty of this place in order to make it to camp before dark. Hopping back on Highway 40, we headed north to Nordegg. We still had a few checkpoints to achieve before that though, and I had a trail in mind that I was wanting to explore.
The first checkpoint involves crossing the North Saskatchewan River. It is a magical place with impressive views of the cold, fast running river. The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows from the Canadian Rockies continental divide east to central Saskatchewan, where it then joins in with the South Saskatchewan River to make up the Saskatchewan River. Its water will eventually flow into the Hudson Bay.
The wooden bridge clanks beneath the tires of the 4Runner as we slow roll across, making sure to capture plenty of photos. Once you get to the other side you must stop. Get out, stretch your legs and enjoy all that surrounds you. Plus, there are plenty of camp sites along the river here that are very inviting. Unfortunately, we’re on a time crunch so this place will have to be saved for a later date.
We jumped back in the 4Runner and headed off to find the next section of the adventure. I had scouted out a telephone line trail off of highway 40 that would take us the rest of the way into town. The trail was narrow, winding and the occasional tree needed to be cleared in order to continue forward progress.
Around 7:30pm we finally rolled off the dirt and onto the paved roads of Nordegg. This small hamlet lies off the corner of the David Thompson Highway and Highway 40. It is a former coal mining town named after Martin Nordegg, a German settler in 1914.
The final objective for today is to drive from Nordegg to Abraham Lake, roughly 25 kilometres west of our current location. We will be exploring the lake for the next few days in search of the best camp spots. 20 minutes later and the northern tip of the lake comes into view. We take the first dirt trail turn off that is heading down to the bank of Abraham lake. On the way down, you may encounter a few areas of deep standing water and an off-cambered section that will flex the suspension of your vehicle… But that’s all part of the fun, right?
As the dirt trail nears the lake, it opens up into a wide area of quiet places to pull up, park, set up the tent and crack a cold one. This is definitely one of the most beautiful camp spots I’ve ever seen.
Depending on what time of year you decide to travel to Abraham lake, you will see the water line at different levels. This is because Abraham Lake is a reservoir that was created to help power the city of Calgary and the surrounding area with the Hydroelectric Big Horn Dam and Power Plant. The water levels will drop in the winter and rise in the summer. We’re here in early spring so the water level is relatively low, this means walking around on the lake bed is a must.
Early the next morning we awakened to the welcoming sound of… Silence. No highway noise to distract you from this beautiful area. A hearty meal of eggs and toast went down quickly before packing away the kitchen equipment and tent. Todays plan is to drive the entire length of the lake to scout out more camp possibilities. Now, we do realize that this is a long weekend here in Alberta and are familiar with just how busy things can get. That being said, we really do like to avoid the crowds as much as possible. Who doesn’t?
We pull back into the highway and before long, our eyes are met with incredible views of Abraham Lake and the surrounding mountain peaks. Usually the goal is to get off the highway, but in this part of the province some of the most spectacular scenery can be seen from the comfort of the drivers seat cruising along at 100/kph. Pullouts along the road are frequent and you should take the opportunity to put it in park and stare in awe for a few moments. Be warned however that this is no ordinary highway and different “rules” apply. People slow down and will even stop right on the road to snag a quick photo. Hikers along the side of the road are plentiful so be sure to watch for them. Also, to top it off, wild mountain goats and bighorn sheep like to graze along the shoulder. Quite the busy place!
We pull off the highway onto a dirt road leading down to the waters edge. It’s a bumpy ride over the large lake bed stones so tire pressures are further reduced. The trees clear, giving way to a vast open area that is ripe for camping; all that is missing is a couple of beers. This area is slightly closer to the highway than the last, but magnificent none the less.
We explore several pullouts and dirt roads all leading down to the crystal blue water. Even though it’s busy, there are still plenty of places to set up camp. It really all depends on the current water levels and how far you want to get from the highway. Due to the fact that the highway runs the entire length of the lake, it isn’t possible to get very remote – if that’s what you’re looking for. But the views you will experience make it all worth while.
After reaching the end of the lake, we decide to turn around and head back from the way we came. Such a simple task reveals all the scenery that was missed on the way out. It feels like we’re driving a completely different road.
We turn off onto the same road down to the camp area we were at this morning with the intention of checking out what’s on the other side. This is a big area and there are many different ares to explore within it. The wind had picked up so we were wanting shelter from trees if at all possible. This area is a part of the lake bed meaning it is very open and exposed. Hugging the shore line, we round the corner and to our delight are met with a nice, flat, grassy area surrounded by tall trees.
An easy dinner of tomato soup and grilled cheese is prepared and eaten hastily after a long day on the trails.
In my mind, we accomplished our goal of finding beautiful camp spots and scenic views to share with you. We will definitely be returning to Abraham Lake!
Thanks for following along through this journey. We hope it inspires the inner explorer in you! 🙂
Willy Steudel
Ali mom