Alberta Parks: A Guide to Chain Lakes Provincial Park (for 2024)

Compiled by the Road Trip Alberta team

Last updated on April 24, 2024

Chain Lakes Provincial Park is a beautiful “chain of lakes” (duh) located off of the infamous Cowboy Trail, aka Highway 22. It’s a gem in southern Alberta. just southwest of the town of Nanton. Nestled snugly against the Rocky Mountains, it is often confused with Chain Lakes Provincial Recreation Area, which is located near Athabasca in northern Alberta. Seeing there are quite a few kilometres between the two (608 km, actually), it’s good to get the distinction correct before you start driving!

Chain Lakes Provincial Park is one of the small but mighty Alberta parks that is ideal for those looking for a quiet lakeside getaway with gorgeous surrounding foothills.

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About Chain Lakes Provincial Park

Chain Lakes Provincial Park is located in the beautiful foothills region between the Porcupine Hills and the Rocky Mountains. Only 90 minutes away by car from Calgary, it provides an idyllic refuge for those seeking a dose of nature without being too crowded. Marvel at the clear night skies and relish in the silence of being outside the city.

Called an oasis on the prairie, visitors enjoy the campground along the Chain Lakes Reservoir, which features over 90 sites with willow bushes for privacy. Popular activities at this lakeside getaway include fishing, wildlife and bird watching, canoeing, windsurfing and sailing.

The Best Time To Visit

This provincial park is open year-round! However, the best times to view wildlife, enjoy summer camping, and go boating are May – September. Camping and ice fishing (when ice conditions are safe) are both available in the winter months, but amenities are limited.

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Getting to Chain Lakes Provincial Park

From Calgary

The route from Calgary to the park includes hitting up the Cowboy Trail! Head southwest on Crowchild Trail out of the city. From Crowchild, take the exit toward Glenmore Tr West/AB-1/TC and then merge onto AB-8 W. After a 3 km exit to the right, follow signs for Tsuut’ina Trl. Stay on Tsuut’ina Trail/AB-201 for 12.5 km, then exit onto AB-22X W until reaching Priddis, Alberta. Once in Priddis, turn left onto AB-22 (signs for Turner Valley/Black Diamond/Millarville).

After nearly 30 km and going through the town of Turner Valley, turn right onto AB-22 and follow that for 53 km. Follow the signs for the park and turn right onto Township Rd 144A to enter. Depending on traffic, this route takes approximately 90 minutes.

Click here for directions from Calgary

From Lethbridge

The fastest way to get to the provincial park from Lethbridge is to take AB-3 west out of the city, then take a slight right onto AB-23 N/AB-3A W. Once you hit the roundabout in Nobleford, take the 3rd exit onto AB-519 W. After driving 32 km, turn right onto AB-2 N with signs for Claresholm/Calgary. Upon reaching Nanton, follow the signs and turn left onto AB-533 W. There will be a fork in the road after nearly 10 km, and you will need to turn left to stay on AB-533 W. The road will turn into a range road, and continue straight onto Township Rd 144A to enter Chain Lakes Provincial Park. This route takes approximately 1 hour 36 minutes.

Click here for directions from Lethbridge

Chain Lakes Provincial Park Campground

The campground at Chain Lakes Provincial Park has 123 campsites; 31 are unserviced, and 60 have power options of either 15 or 30-amp with willow bushes for privacy throughout. The campground is open year-round, with the summer season typically opening in early May until the end of September, and 32 campsites are reserved for winter camping during the winter months.

Amenities at the campground include picnic tables, group camping, a picnic shelter for cooking, a pier and boat launch, a public payphone, pit/vault toilets, and sewage disposal for a fee of $6. Additionally, there is a fast food concession and ice cream shop that is open from May to August, as well as a playground for the kids.

For safety reasons, only communal fire pits are available for campers. A limited daily supply of firewood is supplied at no extra cost. The four communal pits are located in the centre of each camping loop. 

NOTE: Propane fire pits as substitutes for campfires are not permitted in the campsites.

Campsites are 100% reservable through the Alberta Parks website for $28 – $36 per night.

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Things To Do At Chain Lakes Provincial Park

Canoeing and Kayaking

The beach at Chain Lakes Provincial Park is more of a wading beach than a swimming beach, and there is no marked swimming area, so water activities like canoeing and kayaking are a great option! The Chain Lakes Reservoir is also primed for awesome bird-watching opportunities and a large expanse of undisturbed foothills landscape to view while out on the water.

Boating

Various boating activities are allowed on the Chain Lakes Reservoir, including power boating, windsurfing, and sailing! Remember that there is a 12 km/h speed limit for power boats and no towing allowed, so activities like water skiing, tubing, and wakeboarding on the lake are prohibited. There is a small craft boat launch available at the campground.

Fishing

In the summer, this provincial park lake is full of rainbow trout. Bull trout can also be seen; however, since they are at risk in the area, they must be released in good condition. Ice fishing is popular in the wintertime, and we recommend checking the Canadian Red Cross and My Wild Alberta for safety tips before setting up.

Always remember that a valid Alberta Fishing License is required for any fishing. Information regarding licenses can be found here.

Wildlife Viewing

The park’s lakes and proximity to the mountains provide ample opportunities for bird watching as the area is a favoured migration stop-over for eagles, osprey, and trumpeter swans. With scenic views of the Livingstone Mountain Range and the appeal of the lake, many wildlife species can be spotted in the landscape, including pelicans, moose, cougars, lynx, wolves, and both grizzly and black bears. This spot is quite rustic and surrounded by wilderness, so appropriate precautions are necessary, such as having bear spray and ensuring the proper disposal of garbage.

Geocaching

There is a two-stage multi-cache geocaching opportunity in Chain Lakes Provincial Park. The route starts and ends inside the park and requires a series of questions to be answered properly with different stages to get the coordinates for the next step. Please note that Alberta Parks has specific geocache guidelines that must be followed.