Elk Lakes Park

• Trail Report [PDF] (November 8, 2022)

Snowmobile Use

• Snowmobiles are not permitted in any area of Elk Lakes Park. The previous special exemption to use snowmobiles to access Abruzzi Lake along the seismic corridor is no longer in effect. The entire park is closed to all motorized activities. Non-compliance of the motorized closure will result in enforcement actions.

Safety Notes

• Persons visiting Elk Lakes Park are reminded that the park is a wilderness area, without supplies or equipment of any kind. All arrangements for supplies and transportation must be made beforehand.
• Bring your own drinking water, as potable water is not available in the park.
• All park visitors should wear strong waterproofed, lug-soled boots and carry a daypack with raingear, extra warm clothing, and food. Weather conditions can change suddenly in this area and lightning storms with hail and snow are common in summer. For overnight trips a sleeping bag, ground pad, waterproof tent or bivouac bag and lightweight stove are essential. Only experienced climbers practiced in crevasse rescue and properly roped, should venture onto snowfields and glaciers.
• Loaded logging trucks and other industrial traffic may be encountered while accessing this park. Drive with extreme caution and for your safety, always yield to industrial traffic.
• Public communications are not available at this park. Visitors are reminded to use provided caches for food and garbage storage and to keep a clean camp.

National Topographic Series Map 82J/11 (Kananaskis Lakes) at a scale of 1:50,000 covers the Elk Lakes vicinity. Map 82J/6 (Mount Abruzzi) at a scale of 1:50,000 depicts most of the Cadorna Creek watershed. Map 82J/7 (Mount Head) depicts the southern park entrance and access points in the Elk Valley.

These maps are available from most map retailers in British Columbia and are very useful if traveling off trail. Topographic maps do not show park trails.

This park proudly operated by: 
Alpine Club of Canada 
info@alpineclubofcanada.ca 

Conservation

Much of the park is above treeline. At lower elevations alpine fir, Engleman spruce and lodgepole pine predominate, interspersed with juniper, twinberry, false azalea, white rhododendron, and buffalo berry. Yellow violets, foam flowers and bunchberries add a touch of colour. The meadows are alive with scrub birch, cinque foil, Saskatoon berry and gooseberry, while alpine flowers such as fireweed, castilleja, blue violet, elephant’s head and giant ragwort splash the area with vivid displays of colour. Flowers, trees, and shrubs are part of the park’s natural heritage, please do not damage or remove them. The area surrounding the Elk Lakes is a mature old growth forest and includes dead snags that provide excellent habitat for cavity dwelling birds and small mammals.

Wildlife

The wildlife at lower elevations includes scores of red squirrels and snowshoe hares. Beavers reside near the Elk Lakes and upper reaches of Cadorna Creek. Elk, white-tailed deer, and moose frequent the meadows throughout the park. Occasionally a mountain goat, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, grizzly bear or black bear may be seen by the observant visitor. Birdlife is common in the area. While hiking or sitting quietly, one might see spruce grouse, wrens, juncos, snipe, flickers, or the Clark’s nutcracker. A variety of waterfowl is transient in the lake areas, as are osprey and blue herons.

• General wildlife, marine & outdoor ethics information

BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.