boondocking
  • Blog
    • Become a Full-Time Traveling RVer
      • Video Course -- Just Released!
        • Book - The New American Dream
          • "I want to travel too!"
          • Campground/Boondock Reviews
            • What the reviews mean
              • CANADA - ALBERTA
                • Bear Ridge Campground
                  • Bow Valley Campground
                    • Lake Louise / Banff
                      • Snaring Campground
                        • Snaring River Overflow / Jasper
                          • Whistler Campground / Jasper
                            • CANADA - SASKATCHEWAN
                              • Buffalo Pound Campground
                                • CANADA - MANITOBA
                                  • Grand Beach Campground | Toys Trails Tai
                                    • Rainbow Beach Campground
                                      • CANADA - ONTARIO
                                        • Aaron Provincial Park
                                          • Chutes Provincial Park
                                            • Manitoulin Island Boondocking
                                              • Pancake Bay Provincial Park
                                                • Rainbow Falls - Rossport
                                                  • CANADA - QUEBEC
                                                    • Fitzroy Provincial Park
                                                      • Glen Rouge Campground - Toronto
                                                        • KOA Montreal South
                                                          • Mont Sainte Anne Campground
                                                            • CANADA - NEW BRUNSWICK
                                                              • De La Republique Provincial Park
                                                                • Kiwanis Oceanfront Campground
                                                                  • Murray Beach Provincial Park
                                                                    • CANADA - NOVA SCOTIA
                                                                      • Little Rissers Campground
                                                                        • Old Shipyard Campground
                                                                          • ARIZONA
                                                                            • Dogtown Lake Campground
                                                                              • Dogtown Road Boondocking
                                                                                • Kartchner Cavern State Park
                                                                                  • Las Cienegas Conservation Boondocking
                                                                                    • Lazy Days Tucson KOA
                                                                                      • Lo Lo Mai Springs Campground
                                                                                        • Lone Rock Boondocking
                                                                                          • Lyman Lake State Park
                                                                                            • Voyager RV Park (Encore)
                                                                                              • Wahweap Marina and Campground
                                                                                                • ARKANSAS
                                                                                                  • Lake Ouachita State Park
                                                                                                    • CALIFORNIA
                                                                                                      • Black Rock Campground
                                                                                                        • Joshua Tree Boondocking | Toys, Trails,
                                                                                                          • Salton Sea SRA HQ
                                                                                                            • Sky Valley RV Resort
                                                                                                              • COLORADO
                                                                                                                • Boyd Lake State Park
                                                                                                                  • North Sterling State Park
                                                                                                                    • Prewitt Reservoir SWA Boondocking
                                                                                                                      • St. Vrain State Park
                                                                                                                        • IDAHO
                                                                                                                          • Blackwell Island RV Park
                                                                                                                            • Island Park Dam Boondocking
                                                                                                                              • Miracle Hot Springs
                                                                                                                                • Osprey Campground
                                                                                                                                  • Palisades Reservoir Boondocking
                                                                                                                                    • LOUISIANA
                                                                                                                                      • Cypress Black Bayou
                                                                                                                                        • MAINE
                                                                                                                                          • Schoodic Campground, Acadia NP
                                                                                                                                            • MASSACHUSETTS
                                                                                                                                              • Coastal Acres Camping, Provincetown
                                                                                                                                                • Normandy Farms, Foxboro
                                                                                                                                                  • MICHIGAN
                                                                                                                                                    • Shamrock Campground
                                                                                                                                                      • MONTANA
                                                                                                                                                        • Baker's Hole Campground
                                                                                                                                                          • Big Arm Campground
                                                                                                                                                            • Charles Waters Campground
                                                                                                                                                              • Dailey Lake Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                • Doris Creek Campground
                                                                                                                                                                  • Otter Creek Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                    • Taylor Fork Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                      • NEVADA
                                                                                                                                                                        • Boulder Beach Campground
                                                                                                                                                                          • Lake Mead RV Village
                                                                                                                                                                            • Valley of Fire Campgrounds
                                                                                                                                                                              • NEW HAMPSHIRE
                                                                                                                                                                                • The Beach Camping Area
                                                                                                                                                                                  • NEW MEXICO
                                                                                                                                                                                    • Brantley Lake State Park
                                                                                                                                                                                      • Elephant Butte Beach Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Elephant Butte Lake State Park
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Sierra Vista Trail Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                                            • NEW YORK
                                                                                                                                                                                              • Red's Twilight on the Erie
                                                                                                                                                                                                • NORTH CAROLINA
                                                                                                                                                                                                  • Lake Powhatan Rec Area
                                                                                                                                                                                                    • OREGON
                                                                                                                                                                                                      • Armitage (Lane) County Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Beachside Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                          • Champoeg Heritage Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Farewell Bend State Recreation Area
                                                                                                                                                                                                              • Fort Stevens State Rec Area
                                                                                                                                                                                                                • L L Stub Stewart
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • PENNSYLVANIA
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • French Creek
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • TENNESSEE
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Cedars of Lebanon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • Raccoon Valley (Escapees)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • T.O. Fuller State Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • TEXAS
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • Bastrop State Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • Lake Bryan Camping
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • Quartzsite Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • Van Horn RV Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • UTAH
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • Antelope Island | Toys, Trails and Tails
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Beaver Mountain
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • Big Bend in Moab
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • North Campground - Bryce Canyon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • Sand Hollow State Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • Sand Island in Bluff
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Tom Best Springs Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • VERMONT
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Elmore SP Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • Grand Isle SP Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • Woodbury Meadows Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • VIRGINIA
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • Elizabeth Furnace
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • Little Fort Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Shenandoah River State Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • Smith Mountain Lake
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • South Fork Shenandoah Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • Stony Fork Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • WASHINGTON
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • Fort Casey Historical SP
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • Ellensburg KOA Journey
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • Evergreen Coho (Escapees) RV Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Plymouth Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • Port Townsend General Area
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • WISCONSIN
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • Wisconsin State Fair RV Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • WYOMING
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • Absaroka Bay RV Park
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • Boysen State Park -- Tough Creek CG
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • Hogan Luce BLM Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Lake Hattie Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Tips
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • General Tips
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Boondocking Tips
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • Tech Tips
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • Pet Tips
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • App Tips
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • Canada tips
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • Misc Tips
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • US & Canada AMAZON Links
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Maps of Our Travels
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • Our First Year of Travels - Map
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Our Second Year of Travels - Map
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • Our Third Year of Travels - Map
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • On the Road Doggy Day Care
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • State Signs On Our Journey
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • Animal Antics
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • Talk to Us!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • **NEW NEW NEW Forum Page**
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bow Valley Campground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Show More

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        STARS: 4 out of 5

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        BOW VALLEY CAMPGROUND, ALBERTA, CANADA, NEAR CANMORE: GPS 51.0849° N, 115.0915° W

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        I rated this a 4 because of it’s convenient location, prettiness, and privacy. However, there were downsides, too, that will be described in this review.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        This campsite is near the town of Canmore (cute and largish town about 20 mins away) and not too far from Calgary (about an hour). It was a good launching spot for us to take care of some errands and get acquainted with those two towns. It was very hot while we were there, though, and the river was flowing too hard to take advantage of the water. We googled to find somewhere to swim, and all that came up were Quarry Lake and one who's name I can't remember; the former being very crowded with locals, but having a separate swimming area for dogs, and the latter being less crowded, but with steep rocky and dirt embankments and clay like soil in the water that our water shoes got stuck in. The water (to me) was unappealing because of the clay bottom, but it didn’t seem to bother many people. We discovered (and aren’t sure why it didn’t show up in searches) Spray Lake, which is an amazing secret! Go enjoy it! The surrounding are beautiful, the water is clear as can be, the bottom is gentle rocks and sand. It is certainly cold, but I waded in and even dunked under, and I’m a bit of a wimp. Even if the weather is not swimming weather, you should check this lake out. It is about an hour drive (only because part of it is on dirt roads), but well worth it. We also did the drive down the 17 (??) and looped up the dirt road back to the town of Canmore, which is how we discovered Spray Lake.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The campground itself was challenging to navigate and really challenging to park (back in to). There was a sharp turn to get down to the water sights, which we nearly didn’t make. Instead of following the signs, you could follow the map and take the turn prior to the turn to the water sights, but it was still a tad narrow and sharp in that direction too. But I do think it may have been more doable. We had a site down by the water (A33), which was beautiful once we got in, but we actually had to enlist the assistance of a professional truck driver to get us in. It was beyond tight, with trees straddling each side of the site. The site opened up around the picnic table, but getting in was a true squeeze. In fact, opening our slide was a questionable decision due to low branches.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The campground was packed, but never felt noisy. The sites had a lot of greenery between them, so they also felt pretty private. There was a path along the river that cut through our “backyard,” which decreased the privacy, but it was worth it to have the pretty setting.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Luckily, getting out of the spot was not nearly as tough as we thought it would be. We followed the trucker’s directions and hugged the driver’s side and turned to the passenger side, once we were as clear of trees as possible. Luckily, in this area, the road was fairly wide and the turn was manageable.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        We did have both AT&T and Verizon service there.



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Black Facebook Icon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Black Instagram Icon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Toys, Trails, and Tails
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        #TAGS
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #antelopecanyon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #antelopeisland
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #arches
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #bigbendcampground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #canyonlands
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #coronaarch
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #deadhorsestatepark
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #hooverdam
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #hovenweep
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #mesaverde
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #moab
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #monumentvalley
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #naturalbridges
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #negrobillcanyon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #petroglyphs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #sandislandcampground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • #toystrailsandtails
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • aaronprovincialpark
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • amazonproduct
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • americathebeautiful
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • armycorpsofengineers
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • BearMountain
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • bears
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • bestwesternloganutah
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Boondocking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • BoondockingatWalmart
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • boondockparadise
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • brycecanyon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • bumpingknot
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • campingalone
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • campingproducts
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Canadagames
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • carlsbadcaverns
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • cave
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • cavern
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • centeroftheuniverse
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • DavidHobbs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • deathmarch
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • drankriverwater
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • EclipseAttitude
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • enterpriseoregon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • FirehousePizza
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • fortstevens
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • ghosttownsUSA
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • grandcanyon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • hoodrivercamping
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • howtochooseyourRV
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • hummerridesedona
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • iftodaywasyourlastday
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • imnaha
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • josephoregon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • kartchnercaverns
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • KeithCranPlaneCrash1953
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • killmeonahike
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • lakewalk
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • liveeachmomentlikeyourlast
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • LivinLarge
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • LoganCanyonPlaneCrash
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • LoganCayon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • lostine
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • lostlake
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • lowerantelopecanyon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • mainecoon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • minam
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Minamcampground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • MiracleandBanbury
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • MiracleHotSprings
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • MontezumaCastle
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • moose
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • mountainsheepcanyon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • mounthood
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • mounthoodcamping
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • mounthoodhike
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • mounthowardtram

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        © 2016 by the Shawtrees