More than just a camping ground, Onespot Camping Grounds is the perfect place to reconnect to land and to self
In the foothills of the Tsuut’ina Nation, Onespot Camping Grounds is an offering to your senses.
A light rain patters across the canvas covering of the tipi, melodic robins sing in nearby trees, the Elbow River rushes over its rocky bed, and thunder rumbles in the distance. The clean air brings the scents of pine, sage, and freshwater, complimenting the welcoming smell of smoke from campfires. The region is a verdant Eden of lush forest, colourful meadows, rolling hills, vibrant blue waters, and dramatic skies. All under the watchful gaze of the Rocky Mountains in the distance.
“This land is special.” David Onespot says of the area in which the campground that bears his name lives. It’s not hard to see why.
Only a 30-minute drive from the outskirts of Calgary, AB, and just minutes north of the popular mountain town of Bragg Creek, Onespot Crossing Campground is a nearby and accessible option for locals and visitors to experience Alberta’s world-class outdoors.
Onespot offers many options for visitors ranging from traditional camper and tent sites, Dome Camping in partnership with Elevated Escapes, or the opportunity to sleep in traditional teepee’s. Many of the sites are secluded from the other sites, giving a chance for solitude. Other locations can accommodate larger groups with multiple teepees that share a common area. Rustic charm and intimate connection with nature are hallmarks of a stay.
The Elbow River meanders next to the campground, with several locations for a chilly but refreshing dip in the mountain water. The sound of roads, vehicles, and settlements are replaced by sounds of the sky, water, and land.
Even as a summer storm that Alberta is known for rolled in from the mountains, the teepee provides warmth and comfort. As the sky opened up with thunder, lighting, and rain, the interior of the teepee remained dry, with the roaring fire in the middle bearing the brunt of the rain without much effort. As quickly as these storms arrive, so does the sunshine afterward.
As night falls the sounds of the forest grow silent leaving only the comforting constant flow of the river for company, lulling even the lightest sleepers to a restful night. There is so much more to the land than its natural beauty or the solitude it offers, but there is a deep history with the Indigenous people that is shared when visiting this location.
David Onespot walks through a meadow and places his hand on his heart. “I speak with my heart, and I cannot tell a lie. There’s no place like this,” he says as he gestures to a meadow of multicoloured flowers.
Everyone is welcome here. As David passes on the business to his children, he says he looks forward to reconnecting with the land and spending time in the mountains to commune with his culture. His passion and pride in what he has made comes through loud and clear, with his excitement for visitors to come see why he loves the land so much.
2882 Wintergreen Road, West Bragg Creek, Alberta, T0L 0K0 // 403-650-1126 // onespotcrossing@gmail.com // www.onespotcrossing.ca