Photo: Alberta Parks Dawson Provincial Recreation Area
ab parks Alberta
what to expect
30 km east of Canmore on Hwy. 1, 6 km south on Hwy. 40, 11 km east on Hwy. 68 & 2 km south on Powderface Trail
Description: Alberta Parks
the basics
fire pitraw:Campingraw:Fire Pitsdrinking waterraw:Equestrianraw:Geocachingraw:Water Pumpraw:Loading Rampraw:Vault Toiletsraw:Hitching Railsraw:Mt.Biking/Cyclingraw:Hiking - Front Countryraw:Snowmobiling (Off-site)
The campsites
Total sites
10
Things to do nearby
Within 5 km — trails, viewpoints, beaches, boat launches you can reach without packing up camp.
Plus 2 user-tagged viewpoints on OpenStreetMap — visible as pins on the map below.
Water + services
- Nearest dump station
- Nearest potable water
what to know
Updated each morning from provincial parks and Environment Canada.
First-come, first-served
No reservations taken or needed — show up, pick a vacant site, and self-register at the kiosk. Arrive early on summer weekends. See all first-come, first-served camping in Alberta →
what to bring
This list adapts to Dawson Provincial Recreation Area. no showers means a travel towel;
If Dawson Provincial Recreation Area is full
Other places to stay within 25 km — ones with openings in the next 14 days listed first.
- Sibbald Lake Provincial Recreation Area openings
- Sibbald Lake Provincial Campground
- Sibbald Lake Campground
- Sibbald Viewpoint Provincial Recreation Area
- Crane Meadow Provincial Recreation Area
- Sibbald Meadows Pond Provincial Recreation Area
- Lusk Pass Camp
- Lusk Pass Camp
Plus 5 user-tagged dispersed sites on OpenStreetMap — often genuine wild-pitches; check access rights before relying on one.