Located near both the BC and Alberta border you will find these two beautiful sub-alpine lakes. They can be accessed from both the BC side, north of Elkford, as well as from Alberta’s adjoining Peter Lougheed Park. While it is a 10 km hike in from the Alberta side, it is just an easy 1 km hike in from the BC side.

• Trailhead: Elk Lakes Provincial Park – 70 kilometre, drive on gravel, north of Elkford
• Distance: 2 kilometre out and back, easy hike
• Amenities: Pit toilet, animal cache for food storage, 15 tent pads, fire pits

We drove to Elkford and then continued on the gravel road, passing a small wildfire (around the 20 km mark) on the mountainside.

We then pushed on for another 50 kms before reaching the trailhead parking lot. While we knew it was a very short, mainly flat trail, we started piling all sorts of luxuries into our packs. They grew to become quite heavy, but this would be the easiest and shortest backcountry hike in we’ve done to date and I feel we could handle it. We even brought our full size pillows along. Our girls strapped their pillows to the outside of their little packs, climbed onto their Strider bikes and away we went.

Not 50 metres from the parking lot was an ACC backcountry lodge (Elk Lake cabin), which can be booked online and looked incredibly complete with very tidy pit toilets. We continued on the flat and wide trail of dirt and rock meandering the rest of the kilometre and arriving at Lower Elk Lake.

Here we quickly selected the tent pad we wanted and started setting up. There are a total of 15 tent pads scattered throughout the thick forest with just a few close to the water. The rest are tucked back and nestled pleasantly in the trees. Just by chance we picked the one furthest away from the food cache and designated eating tables/area as well as the one and only pit toilet. Just a few hours later the first come first serve entire campsite was full, mostly with people crossing over from the Alberta side.

We relaxed by the water while the girls went for a dip in the lake. Then it was time to wander over to the eating area and prepare our dinner. With the evening meal complete we brush teeth and brainstormed a plan about what we would do the following day.

There are multiple hikes worth exploring in the area and this campsite is the hub for them all. With tomorrow being our only full day here we chose to do the Lower Viewpoint hike. This consisted of a 4.4 km out and back hike up to the rock outcrop viewpoint where we could look back down onto the Lower Elk lake. So, the following morning, with one small day pack, we headed up there and ate our packed lunch in very minimal shade. It was surprisingly warm and could feel our skin starting to turn red from the mid-day heat. The grey and rugged continental divide range lurked in the back drop as brilliant blue lakes and deep forest green trees stole our attention. Beautiful views of all the surrounding mountains were at every turn of our head.

We returned back down the way we climbed and decided to take a small detour over to Upper Elk Lake before making our way back to the campsite. This added an extra 2 kms, but very worth it. From this lake you could continue south to the Petain waterfall and glacier which would lead to much more strenuous hiking. And from there the options for summits were endless.

We chose to loop back to camp, blow up our floaties and relax on the water. Just as we returned a cooling and consistent wind came upon us. That sure didn’t stop us from jumping in to cool off from the 30C weather.

A few hours of taking it all in, we wondered back over to the designated eating tables and made an easy avocado ranch from a bag along with some precooked chicken. We met another family and swapped stories then retired to our tent for the night. I set my alarm for 1 am and we snuck out to gaze at the amazingly star-filled sky. It was so calm, peaceful and surprisingly warm.

Following morning we ate breakfast, visited another family with twins a bit younger than ours, then packed up and returned the easy 1 km back to our awaiting truck.

The smoke had really started to roll in by this time, and as we approached the fire area we had passed on the way in we were stopped by the wildfire team asking us how many others were still camping and letting us know they were closing the road access to Elk Lakes Provincial Park. The wildfires seem to be devastating more areas throughout BC, hopefully this gem of a location will remain untouched and in its natural and pristine condition.