Elk Lakes Provincial Park

Last updated
Elk Lakes Provincial Park
Canada British Columbia location map 2.svg
Red pog.svg
Location in British Columbia
Elk Lakes Provincial Park
Interactive map of Elk Lakes Provincial Park
Location East Kootenay, British Columbia, Canada
Coordinates 50°31′38″N115°05′34″W / 50.52722°N 115.09278°W / 50.52722; -115.09278
Area17,245 ha (66.58 sq mi)
Designation Provincial Park and Natural Area
EstablishedMay 18, 1973 (1973-05-18)
Governing body BC Parks
Website Elk Lakes Provincial Park

Elk Lakes Provincial Park is a provincial park in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located west of the continental divide (the British Columbia/Alberta border). [2] It is located adjacent to Height of the Rockies Provincial Park and is about 104 kilometers north of Sparwood. The park features sub-alpine landscapes, remnant glaciers, rugged peaks and productive lakes. [3]

Contents

Access

Elk Lakes Park is about a two hours drive away from Sparwood, Canada. It is easily accessible, and has camping opportunities. [2] The park shares a boundary with Peter Lougheed Park, with connecting trail routes. The old road linking the two parks is not open to motorized traffic. [4]

Activities

There is a wide variety of hiking trails that are available, and not all trails located in the park are maintained. [4] The park also has a wide variety of camping options, as there is a main camping area with two more rugged campsites further into the parkland. [5]

Geology

Much of the park is above the treeline, and features several prominent mountains including Mount Fox, Mount Aosta, Mount McCuaig, and Mount Elkan. The Petain, Castelnau, Nivelle, and Elk Glaciers lie on the northeastern edge of the park. The following lakes are also present inside park boundaries: Upper and Lower Elk Lake, Frozen Lake, Fox Lake, Cadorna Lake, and Abruzzi Lake.

Below the treeline, the park features mature growth forests of alpine fir, Engelmann spruce, and lodgepole pine. These trees are also intermingled with juniper, twinberry, false azalea, white rhododendron, and buffalo berry. The wildlife of the area includes Beaver, Snowshoe Hare, Red Squirrel, white-tailed deer, moose, and many varieties of birds. [2]

See also

References

  1. "Protected Planet | Elk Lakes Park". Protected Planet. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  2. 1 2 3 "Elk Lakes Provincial Park". BC Parks, Government of British Columbia.
  3. "Elk Lake Provincial Park". Tourism Fernie. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  4. 1 2 "Elk Lakes Park: Hiking". BC Parks. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  5. "Elk Lakes Provincial Park | Go BC Travel". www.gobc.ca. Retrieved 2026-01-30.