5 Million Visitors Made Kananaskis Alberta’s Busiest Park Region in 2025

Alberta’s most popular mountain parks saw another year of heavy foot traffic as millions of visitors poured into the province’s protected areas, pushing campground bookings to their highest levels since 2021 and reinforcing the Bow Valley’s role as a central hub for outdoor tourism.

According to new provincial figures released this week, Bow Valley Provincial Park and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Kananaskis Country were the most visited destinations in Alberta this summer, outpacing every other park in the province. Visitor numbers remained strong throughout 2025, with the region drawing roughly five million people to camp, hike, paddle, and explore.

The spike in demand mirrors a broader trend across Alberta Parks, which operates 305 provincial parks and recreation areas. Officials say the entire system experienced a strong season, driven by both domestic visitors and a growing number of international travelers.

Campground bookings rise across the province

Data from the province shows that all types of campgrounds including backcountry, front country, comfort camping, group sites, and equestrian facilities recorded an increase in bookings this year. More than 280,000 summer camping reservations were made, a 7% rise over last year and the highest volume since 2021.

"It’s been a fantastic year for Alberta Parks," said Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen. He added that the numbers underscore the rising demand for accessible outdoor recreation. "From families enjoying weekend getaways to seniors using our new discount program, we know how important it is for Albertans to have high quality outdoor experiences."

While 81% of campers were Alberta residents, the system drew visitors from 59 different countries, further highlighting its global appeal.

New tools and discounts helped shape the season

Officials say part of the uptick can be attributed to new booking tools and affordability programs.

A new free notification feature on the provincial reservation platform, Shop.AlbertaParks.ca, launched earlier this year, allowing users to receive alerts for high demand campsites. The feature was used more than 54,000 times and led to 13,000 additional reservations, according to the province.

Alberta also introduced a 25% camping discount for seniors at more than 140 campgrounds. Roughly 6,400 discounted sites were available, and seniors booked more than 34,000 camper nights using the program. Miquelon Lake Provincial Park, about 45 minutes south east of Edmonton, was the top destination for discounted bookings, attracting more than 1,100 reservations.

Staff logged more than half a million visitor interactions

Behind the scenes, Alberta Parks staff delivered more than 3,000 interpretive programs, connected with over half a million visitors, and maintained a visitor satisfaction rate of nearly 97%. Officials say the province’s busiest period was the August long weekend, with August itself marking the peak month for all park activity.

For local communities, the rising visitation brought economic benefits. The province estimates that a typical park visitor spends around $600 in nearby towns on goods and services.

Looking ahead to winter

With winter approaching, the province says the transition to cold season recreation is already underway. Alberta Parks offers 530 year round campsites across 13 campgrounds, with activities ranging from downhill skiing at Hidden Valley Ski Resort in Cypress Hills Provincial Park to 65 kilometres of cross country trails at the Canmore Nordic Centre, along with skating and other winter experiences.