The Ghost and the Front Ranges

Working out where to go? Browse the trip reports by objective for this area, and check the forecast before you commit.

Mostly public land rather than park, so this is a 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 camping

See how it works for the pass and the province-wide rules; what is specific to here:

• Ghost PLUZ — the Ghost and the Waiparous share one zone. Random camping is permitted, but along Stud Creek Road it is confined to designated camping nodes, which run from the zone entrance for the next 16 km. The nodes are free and first-come, have an outhouse and a fire ring, and still need the pass; camping between them in that stretch is not allowed. There are also eight established campgrounds in Provincial Recreation Areas inside the zone, and the province would rather you used them.
• Dormer/Sheep and Panther Corners cover the country behind Ya Ha Tinda. Random camping is permitted in both, 100 m back from any lakeshore, with no permanent structures.

Check the Interactive Recreation Map for the node and zone boundaries, and public land closures before driving out.

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.