The Ghost and the Front Ranges

Mostly public land rather than park, so this is the one region where the usual answer is random camping rather than a booked site. Access is by unpaved road, and the Ghost's are rough enough that a low car is a real limitation.

Public land — the Ghost and the Waiparous share a public land use zone; random camping is permitted under its rules, with no facilities and no booking. Read the zone's own conditions before going — camping is restricted in some areas and seasons, and a pass is required.

Ghost Reservoir — Alberta Parks

• Reservable — Ghost Reservoir, the nearest serviced campground, on the reservoir east of the Ghost River road.

Ya Ha Tinda — the Bighorn campground sits by the Red Deer River at the end of the Ya Ha Tinda road from Sundre, on the boundary of Banff National Park. It is first-come, first-served, and popular with horse parties; there is no online booking.

• Hostels and huts — none. Neither Hostelling International nor the Alpine Club of Canada has a property here, which fits a region where the usual bed is your own tent on public land.

For a serviced site with facilities, Bow Valley Provincial Park at Seebe is about forty minutes south, and the nearest hostel is HI Kananaskis down Highway 40.