Easily Book Campgrounds and RV Parks in Okotoks, AB

Okotoks is a town in southern Alberta, Canada. The Town of Okotoks is located in the southwest corner of the Calgary Region (formerly known as the Municipal District of Rocky View No. 44) and at the foothills of Little Elbow Coulee and Saddle Hills County Park. It is nestled against the southwest edge of a prairie that was once part of an ancient glacier's terminal moraine. The City's newspaper, "The Okotoks Western Wheel", takes its name from these hills which include one large rock outcrop that juts prominently up above its surroundings for many miles around, "Old Baldy".

Okotoks is the third-largest town in the County of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. The first European settlers arrived in 1894 and named their community "Okotoks" after an Indian name meaning "stony hill" or "rocky knoll". A post office was established at Okotoks in 1898. Nearby schools were called Okotoks Central School and Okotoks Provincial School, which later became Okotoks High School. William Buckland founded Okotoks Agricultural College in 1921.

In 1955, the federal government passed The Department of National Development Act which provided for a new type of municipal government with greater powers over local affairs, including control over water and power supply, planning, sewage treatment, and flood control.

RV Park and Campground in Okotoks, Alberta

Okotoks RV Park and Campground were established in 2009. RV travelers are able to park their RVs, trailers, buses, or tent in their own space available in a fully serviced campground.

Okotoks's current role in the regional economy is as a center for recreation, cultural and educational activities. The Town of Okotoks owns and operates a local ski hill, Okotoks Alpine Ski Club, which is located at the base of Old Baldy.

In addition to its recreational facilities, the County of Calgary has designated an area around Old Baldy as county-owned land for public use. This area includes hiking trails, picnic areas, and parking lots for cottagers, campers, farmers, and hunters. These lands are managed by the County of Calgary Parks department with help from local volunteers who manage lighting on the trails at night.

Art and culture in Okotoks

The Town of Okotoks has an active art community.

The Glamorgan Art Gallery is located in the basement of the Glamorgan Community Association and is operated by the Okotoks Arts Council. The gallery exhibits visual arts in a variety of media including painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. The gallery also features small concerts from local bands every month as well as a weekly open mic event.

There are two clubhouses available for rent within our town that is used for art exhibitions and events including "Art Rental" at 44th Avenue & 19th Street in Okotoks and a clubhouse called "Picasso's Corner".

At the Okotoks Arts Council and Okotoks Museum, the town has a monthly art exhibition held in our gallery located in the basement of the Glamorgan Building Community Association.

Okotoks Public School, also known as "Okotoks High School", was built in 1956 at 16th Street & 17 Avenue. The school serves approximately one thousand students, who come from as far away as Cochrane and Calgary but base their lives around the town.

Okotoks is a member of a group of towns collectively called South East Alberta Communities – Brilliant Corners to promote tourism and arts at Okotoks, Cochrane, Fairview, Stirling, High River, Chestermere, and Ponoka.

Food in Okotoks

Okotoks is home to twelve restaurants, ten of which have the highest rating possible on the Trip Advisor website. These include The Keg Steakhouse & Bar, SideDoor Pub & Grill, Thai Garden Restaurant and Sushi Lounge, Churchill's Fine Food & Wine Bar, Meat & Bait Restaurant, and Elixr Restaurant & Urban Lounge.

Okotoks has several grocery stores including Canada Safeway, Co-op Food Market, and No Frills that provide many local products to the town.

For those who are into baking and cooking, Okotoks has a locally owned bakery called The Bread Shop that provides all types of bread and pastries for the town.

In the tourism industry Okotoks has two Bed and Breakfast establishments; Misty Mountain B&B, and Prairie Lodge & Bed and Breakfast.

Pet friendly

Okotoks hosts a variety of restaurants that are pet-friendly including SideDoor Pub & Grill, Gigi's Restaurant, and Churchill's Fine Food & Wine Bar. Okotoks also has a grocery store called No Frills that allows pets to be in certain areas of their establishment as long as they are on a leash.

Shopping in Okotoks

Downtown Okotoks features three retailers including the No Frills Co-op, Woolworth's, and an outlet mall called Southern Ridge.

There are numerous housing options in Okotoks including suburbs, townhomes, and condos. Rentals can be found through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), or through real estate agents specializing in rentals. While there is no dedicated rental market, finding a rental through a showing agent or direct contact with a landlord who is also renting to someone can be more convenient.

Okotoks is located north of the Trans-Canada Highway, between Calgary and the Rocky Mountains. Several major transportation routes intersect in Okotoks, linking it to major destinations throughout the Province (as well as British Columbia and Saskatchewan). These include:

Several other major transportation routes pass near Okotoks, including:

A variety of transportation modes serves Okotoks. As a vibrant town that has city status, it has its own public transit system called Town of Okotoks Transit (TOOT), which is managed by Kintrex Transportation. The service area consists mainly of the Town itself but also includes other municipalities in its area. Some routes also service neighboring communities, with the total length of the route reaching approximately 52 kilometers. Routes 54A, 54B, and 55 serve Okotoks only, while routes 52X and 53X service both Okotoks and other neighboring communities. All routes just described are operated by Kintrex Transportation Services.

 

Okotoks is a city of about 14,000 residents that covers an area of. The population density is approximately 4 per square kilometer (11 per sq mi). 

 

The Town's census metropolitan area was officially designated as "Okotoks CMA" in the 2011 Canadian census (CMA stands for "Census Metropolitan Area").

Transportation in Okotoks

Okotoks is a major hub for transportation with a rail line through town, two major highways, two airports, and the Provincial Highway 1A (Highway 1) that links it to Calgary. With easy access at either end to Calgary and Fort McMurray by air, airport, or highway/transit/rail, Okotoks makes connections excellent for sustainable travel.

Okotoks is home to two airports.

The Okotoks airport serves as the base for the Okotoks Flying Club, established in 1979. The club has 4 private planes (3 single-engine and 1 multi-engine), as well as a charter plane (also multi-engine) that can fly to any destination that is allowed by Transport Canada. The club also provides training for pilots at all levels.

The Calgary International Airport provides airfare connections to many destinations in Canada, the United States, and Europe. It is approximately 45 minutes away from Okotoks; a trip of about.

Natural attractions in Okotoks

Okotoks is known throughout Alberta as a community that supports a wide variety of animals and birds. The Okotoks Wildlife Habitat is home to bison, elk, and deer as well as many other animals. In the early days the people hunted them for meat but now they try to keep an eye on the habits of different animals that have been domesticated.

Okotoks is home to many different festivals, including the Okotoks Air Show, Bison & Boats, the Okotoks Steamboat Festival, and the Okotoks Farmers Market. The town has a population of 14,000 residents and between 600 and 800 businesses.

Churches in Okotoks

Okotoks has two Catholic Churches. Sts Peter & Paul Parish is located at Bagdash Street and 17 Avenue in the heart of downtown. The Irish church located at 13th Street and 11 Avenue is currently under construction, and expected to be finished before Christmas 2016. 

St James Anglican Church was built in 1884 by the people from Stirling, Saskatchewan.