# @cmcalgary on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DeK1aWagU7I
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/71405876-cmcalgary-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/a0b9b2be37.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-10-06T22:15:39.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** CMcalgary (@cmcalgary) — https://gondola.cc/cmcalgary

## Caption

Barrier Lake is nice.

• Less than a 1-hour drive from Calgary.
• You'll need a Kananaskis Conservation Pass.
• Don't forget the bear spray.

It was created in 1947 when Calgary Power (now TransAlta) built the Barrier hydroelectric plant and dammed the Kananaskis River. It was part of Alberta's big expansion of electricity generation after WWII as the economy and demand for power were growing.

The plant has a 13 MW capacity and currently generates an average of about 35,000 MWh of electricity per year.

It's also used as a "peaking" hydro plant. Basically, its output can be increased when electricity demand is high, and it can respond quickly when there's a shortage caused by something like an unexpected outage elsewhere on the grid. It's not simply running at full power all the time.

The day use area on the dam side is open all year. (right side)
The lake day use area is closed during the winter. (left side)

Things you can do around Barrier Lake:

• Walk around and take pictures
• Picnic
• Canoeing
• Fishing
• Kayaking
• Film obnoxious TikTok dances 
• Paddleboarding
• Motorized boating (in the summer)
• Mountain biking/fat biking
• Hiking
• Snowshoeing in winter

I've tried fishing it a few times but haven't had any success. Just from shore, I don't have a boat. They don't actually have any specific fishing regulations for the lake (as of 2026) but of course the general lake regulations still apply. Always check the regs. 

Fun fact: Barrier Lake/Kananaskis Country was used as a filming location for the 2003 movie X2: X-Men United, which featured the fictional Alkali Lake and the Weapon X facility.

The water is cold as hell all year, so be careful out there, especially on a paddleboard. And be extremely careful around shallow areas and mud along the shoreline. In 2024, a Calgary woman tragically passed away at Barrier Lake after becoming stuck in debris and mud while wading into the water and falling backward. So awful. Stay safe. 

#Alberta #Canada #BarrierLake #Kananaskis #ExploreAlberta

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## Tags

barrierlake, alberta, kananaskis, canada, explorealberta

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