Hey everybody! Have you been boating in Alberta? As one of Canada’s most diverse provincial landscapes, Alberta offers a wide variety of lakes to enjoy with stunning views of mountainscapes, forests, or even prairies. Keep in mind, not all of Alberta’s gorgeous lakes allow powerboat access, so here’s my list of my favorite powerboat-friendly lakes for you to enjoy this summer!
Click on the header for a handy map so you know exactly where you're going!
One of Alberta's largest and warmest man-made lakes, lake Newell is located 14km south of the City of Brooks. This lake might be one of Alberta’s best kept secrets and hosts a large campground, a marina, and more. The water quality at this lake is excellent, so feel free to enjoy swimming, tubing, and fishing while you’re there!
Alberta’s second best kept secret is Buffalo Lake, located approximately 2 hours south east of Edmonton. Flanked by 3 campgrounds, Buffalo Lake is great for fishing, swimming, and large enough to enjoy activities like water skiing and windsurfing. Stick around for the beautiful sunrise or sunset views over the horizon.
Located conveniently just off the 1A highway, just west of Cochrane and Calgary, Ghost Lake offers marina facilities suitable for the many types of recreational water sports and activities including sailboats, yachts, powerboats and fishing boats. Public boat launches are free to use and the lake is also well known for its wonderful campgrounds, amazing mountain views, and excellent fresh water fishing.
Speaking of mountains, have you been to lake Minnewanka? Lake Minnewanka is a large glacial lake five kilometers (three miles) from the town of Banff, and is popular for fishing, diving, hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, and boating. As the only lake in Banff National Park that allows powerboats, this is a must-visit location that is absolutely spectacular. Arrive early as capacity is limited!
An Alberta classic, Sylvan Lake is located 18km west of Red Deer and is a very popular resort destination in Alberta. Sylvan Lake is a great destination for families as it offers a ton of activities beyond boating, including outdoor waterslides, a marina with water sport rentals, swimming, golfing, hockey, fishing, and even an indoor BMX park! If you’re looking to spend the night outdoors, make sure to book a camping spot well in advance.
As always, thanks for reading!
Your friend,
Fred