Calgary has some incredible public land right on our doorstep yet many Calgarians don’t even know of its existence. Of Alberta’s 19 Public Land Use Zones, 8 of them are within a 2 hour drive from Calgary with 2 of those being 45 minutes or less. We have gone through the PLUZ near Calgary and selected the best ones for camping, hiking, and off-road fun!
1. Ghost Crown Land
| Public Lands Camping Pass Required As of June 1, 2021 – The Alberta government charges PLUZ users to random camp along many of the PLUZ in the Rocky Mountains. This is to help cover expenses associated with maintaining the land and providing services. You can purchase a Public Lands Camping Pass here (~$20/3 days or ~$30/year) |
Recommended for OHV Usage – Roads are generally accessible with 2WD, but 4WD recommended (especially deeper into the PLUZ).
The Ghost Public Land Use Zone is my personal favourite place to camp in Alberta because it is large, allowed activities are flexible, and the landscapes near the eastern faces of the Rocky Mountains are just absolutely gorgeous! Campers can enjoy camping and exploring hundreds of logging and oilfield roads throughout the PLUZ and there no shortage of rivers and creeks to wade into on a hot summer day!
2. Kananaskis Crown Land
| Kananaskis Conservation Pass Required for Parking in Kananaskis As of June 1, 2021 – The Alberta government charges PLUZ and Park users for parking in Kananaskis country in order to recover some of the costs associated with maintaining the land. You can purchase a conservation pass here (~$15/day or ~$90/year) |
Recommended for hiking and backcountry camping. Roads are quite accessible for 2WD (many of them are paved). 4WD strongly recommended in the wintertime as Kananaskis receives a lot of snowfall.
The entire Kananaskis region has long been a favourite for Calgary’s hikers, campers, and backcountry enthusiasts. Kananaskis exists as both its own PLUZ and also as “Kananaskis Country” which is the collection of 4 different PLUZ – Kananaskis PLUZ, Sibbald Snow Vehicle PLUZ, McLean Creek OHV PLUZ, Cataract Creek Snow Vehicle PLUZ (similar to Bighorn Country in central Alberta). Kananaskis is an excellent option for anyone who isn’t intending to use off-highway vehicles or snowmobiles because these aren’t allowed in the Kananaskis PLUZ. It is however, perfect for backcountry hiking, day trips, and camping. Kananaskis offers similar landscapes as Ghost PLUZ, but it does contain more mountainous terrain.
3. McLean Creek
| Public Lands Camping Pass Required As of June 1, 2021 – The Alberta government charges PLUZ users to random camp along many of the PLUZ in the Rocky Mountains. This is to help cover expenses associated with maintaining the land and providing services. You can purchase a Public Lands Camping Pass here (~$20/3 days or ~$30/year) |
Recommended for Off-Highway Vehicles & Crown Land Camping. Some parts of McLean Creek are accessible with 2WD, however for the deeper areas of the PLUZ, 4WD is strongly recommended.
McLean Creek is the second OHV permissible PLUZ near Calgary other than Ghost. It allows all vehicle types to be used and there are good backcountry hikes and camping opportunities throughout McLean Creek PLUZ. McLean Creek is the closest PLUZ to south Calgary – making it a popular place for people to recreate.
