Sunset over Elkwater Lake, SE Alberta

This is where two friends and I stayed for three nights this past week - Elkwater, Cypress Hills, SE Alberta. Elkwater Lake is a beautiful lake, and we went for an evening walk along the Soggy Bottom Trail that follows the edge of the lake. The three of us had such a great time travelling all over SE Alberta for four days, from early in the morning on Friday, 20 September to Monday evening, 23 September 2013, when we arrived back in Calgary. This was all new territory for me, but my friends had been there before, searching for Lichens and hoping to find something new or rare to add to their lists for Alberta, which is why they wanted to go back again. Elkwater is a lovely little hamlet and we stayed three nights in one of their small, rustic cabins. The Lodge served absolutely delicious food and we ate there on two of the evenings.

"Elkwater is an unincorporated community at the western edge of the Cypress Hills in southeastern Alberta, Canada, 65 kilometres (40 mi) southeast of Medicine Hat. The main access route is via Alberta Highway 41 (Buffalo Trail), which leads south from the Trans Canada Highway.

During the last ice age the Cypress Hills were not covered with ice because they were high enough to rise above the surrounding flatlands. As a result it has rare soils found on the upper plateau area which is the highest point between the Rocky Mountains and Labrador. The Elkwater townsite is elevated at 1234m, the same altitude as Banff, resulting in much similar flora and fauna. Thick pine and spruce forests cover the hills. Animals found there include white-tailed deer, coyote, elk, wild turkey, cougar and moose. Moose and wild turkeys are not native to the Cypress Hills, but were introduced.

Since the Elkwater townsite is in a provincial park, it is administered by the provincial government. Residents can never own the land on which their cottages or homes are built. Leases must be negotiated with the provincial government." From Wikipedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elkwater,_Alberta