Cataract Creek Campground — Hotel in Alberta

I camped here with some friends over the summer. We put our bets on this place to be good, as we had never camped together before, and most of us hadn't ever camped out, but we all wanted to take a break from university and this looked to be the place. We were also looking for a place where six twenty-somethings could go and not be seen as a bother. What we found was a fantastic campsite in a great location, far enough from the city to be quiet, and close enough to be convenient. The site is massive (~100 spots) but only around six were actually occupied when we arrived on a summer weekend. Maybe it was a stroke of luck, but this place seems really quiet because of how far out of the way it is. I hope it really is like this and it stays like it. Each campsite was well-maintained and had a fire pit and a table, though they varied in their privacy and size. We had one of the larger ones, and it was able to accommodate 2 small vehicles and 2 tents, but most sites look like they can easily fit a large vehicle and 1-2 tents. In terms of amenities this place is pretty barren: no electricity, no potable water, really only trash bins and pit toilets are present. Great for an unserviced site, though if you have kids or aren't super experienced, I'd go to a place like Etherington Creek or somewhere in Kananaskis instead, this place just isn't as family-friendly as some others. Privacy and noise is a concern here, the trees are pretty barren on the lower end, meaning there isn't much brush to block noise or sight lines. We almost always kept our voices down to a talking level, played music/guitar quietly if at all, and didn't even bring a generator or turn our car one even once, but could still be heard from a fair ways away. Just something to keep in mind for people who value absolute silence or privacy, Cataract Creek may not be for you. The staff is friendly and informative, and were happy to give us the inside scoop on things we need to know. They also delivered firewood twice a day, and ran a nice little store at the highway junction. I get the vibe that they won't be a bother to you if you aren't one to the site or other campers. Great all in all, they even got change when I initially overpaid for our site. Keep in mind, though, the pricing is strange. We were charged for 2 sites even though we were only taking up one. This isn't an issue with the staff themselves, more with Alberta Parks and not having a clear pricing system (at least to us), but it is a problem a few other people have had. Remember to prepare for the worst and bring some extra coins, just in case! All in all, I'd camp here again if my friends didn't want to try something new every time. Great place, would...

We have been camping here quite a few times. Typically a very quiet campsite, but NOT on the long weekends. I would HIGHLY AVOID. We camped here this past long weekend. Beside us was a group of mid-aged adults. They blasted music from the inside and outside of the trailer from 3pm-11pm. We finally were able to go to sleep, until woken up again from loud music and chatter from 1am-4:30am. We told the campground manager in the morning, and he basically said he cannot do anything unless a "generator" is running or if it is "campfire talk". This was NOT campfire talk. The rules clearly stay quiet time from 11pm-7am. Camp manager doesn't seem to care, so if you do have rowdy neighbors, do not count on him actually...

Big campground that is well forested. The camp manager keeps the grounds clean and delivers wood directly to the sites. There are lots of kids herself if you have a young family they will be sure to meet friends. Everyone here seems to understand camping ettiquate by respecting everyone's space and shutting things down around 10 so as not to disturb others. I was there 2 days and saw both RCMP and fish and wildlife officers patrolling the campground. Unfortunately there is no lake and we had no luck fishing the Greeks/rivers...