Cochrane, Alberta : Ghost Reservoir Lake
Canada travel, tourism guide

( fishing, sailing, water skiing, jet boating, canoeing, kayaking, wind surfing, camping, picnicking ) ( ice fishing, ice sailing )

Ghost Reservoir Lake is an activity destination popular for water sports located west of the community of Cochrane, Alberta in the Southern Alberta region of Canada.

The Ghost Lake Reservoir is a man-made, glacial fed lake located on the Bow River. The man-made lake was created after the construction of the Ghost Dam in 1929.

The Ghost Dam is a hydro-electric dam providing power to the province of Alberta. The construction of the giant dam altered the flow of water from the Bow River (west) and Ghost River (north). The result of the damming created the elongated Ghost Reservoir Lake. The dam is easily seen while exploring Ghost Lake.

The lake has not always been called Ghost Lake. At one time the lake was referred to as Dead Man's Lake because it was believed that the lake was haunted.

Today, Ghost Lake is a recreation destination for many who like to play on the water. There is a recreational campground, day use picnic area, marina, boat rentals and a chandlery.

Ghost Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area is the best public access point for playing on the lake. The recreation area is located on the north side of Ghost Lake. It is not hard to miss. There is a campground, boat launch, washrooms, picnic tables and some fire pits.

The mere size of the lake and the strong winds attract many to the area for boating, sailing, wind surfing, water skiing, jet boating and fishing for trout, burbot, sucker and whitefish. Fishing is a year round activity.

Some of the other activities and adventures enjoyed on Ghost Lake include sightseeing, birdwatching, canoeing, kayaking and picnicking.

And during the winter months, after the lake freezes over, ice sailing is another activity enjoyed on the frozen waterway fields.

How to Get to Ghost Reservoir

Travel to the community of Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. From the corner of Highway #1a and 1st Street in downtown Cochrane travel west on Highway #1a. You are close when the highway begins to follow the northern shores of the lake. At about the 16 kilometre mark from Cochrane there is an entrance to the Ghost Lake Recreation Area.

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