About Elkwater

Your mountain escape
in the prairies.

This tiny community sits at over 1,200 meters elevation on the northwest slope of the Cypress Hills, creating a forested oasis unlike anywhere else on the prairies. Located within Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park on the southern shore of Elkwater Lake, this is cottage country with a mountain feel.

Summer activities include hiking, water sports, mountain biking, golfing, and fishing, while winter brings downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. As Alberta's first designated Dark Sky Preserve, the park offers incredible stargazing opportunities.

Life here centres around the lake and the outdoors. Elkwater offers a convenience store, gas station, cafe, restaurant, visitor centre, ski hill, nine-hole golf course, and marina. Since the townsite is within a provincial park, residents lease their land from the provincial government rather than owning it. But it gives you the chance to live in one of Alberta's most beautiful and unexpected natural settings.