Explore Alberta Parks Guide Explore Alberta Parks EXPLORE Alberta Parks explore.albertaparks.ca 1 2015/16 Provincial parks guide to year-round activities and experiences 2 Explore With Us EXPLORE WITH US Explore Alberta Parks Guide Explore Alberta Parks Alberta’s provincial parks inspire people to There are stories that highlight many parks in discover, value, protect and enjoy the outdoors. all parts of Alberta, and describe activities and Ranging from active recreation sites, to remote adventures that you and your family can enjoy. wilderness areas, you can connect with nature in Maps throughout these pages will help you to many ways, and in almost 500 locations across locate the places and experiences you will read explore.albertaparks.ca the province. Take a hike, through an old growth about. forest, through the badlands, or along a mountain trail in the Canadian Rockies. Immerse yourself Tell us about your favourite park, adventures and in heritage and adventure through discovery experiences on Twitter (twitter.com/albertaparks) centres, interactive educational and environmental and Facebook (facebook.com/albertaparks) and programming or a guided exploration for dinosaur sign up for our e-newsletter online to keep-up-to- bones! Toss your hook into a small mountain date on all our events and promotions. pond, a rushing stream, or a vast northern lake. The activities and experiences vary with the Find out about reserving your campsites and get seasons; read through this guide to find ones that all the details about our Midweek Promotion. pique your interest. Much more information is available at explore.albertaparks.ca. In this guide you will find valuable information about etiquette in the campground and on the trails. Learn about upcoming events, including Canada’s Parks Day and see how you can camp in comfort in fully furnished tents, yurts or cabins. Fishing at Lesser Slave Lake 3 4 CONTENTS Contents Guide Explore Alberta Parks 3 Explore With Us 72 Writing-on-Stone 5 Contents 73 Alberta’s Crown Jewels 6 Premier’s Message 74 Explore Southern Alberta explore.albertaparks.ca 7 Minister’s Message 76 Need More Information? 10 Scavenger Hunt 76 Regulations 11 Parks Day 77 Camping Season 12 Kananaskis 78 Etiquette and Safety in Camp and on the Trail 13 Wildlife Viewing in Kananaskis Country 14 Removing Barriers to Exploring Parks 15 Explore Roads Less Travelled 16 Eco-Tours at Fish Creek & Glenbow Ranch 16 Events in Fish Creek & Glenbow Ranch 17 Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park Alberta Parks Information 18 Water Adventures in Kananaskis Country! 19 Everyone Belongs Outside explore.albertaparks.ca 21 The Importance of Fire 1–866–427–3582 21 Beware of Aquatic Hitchhikers! 23 Comfort Camping 25 3 for 2 Midweek Offer Camping Reservations 26 Central – West 27 David Thompson Corridor reserve.albertaparks.ca 29 Lois Hole Centennial 1–877–537–2757 30 Thunder Lake 30 Fort Assiniboine Sandhills Wildland About Explore Alberta Parks Guide 31 Alberta Northern Rockies 36 Wishing I Was Fishing This publication has been funded by the 40 Northwest Government of Alberta. We acknowledge 41 Northwestern Alberta the support of our advertisers who helped 42 Birding Festivals make this 2015 edition possible. 43 Grande Prairie Area 44 Peace River West 45 West and East of Lesser Slave Lake The Explore Alberta Parks Guide is 46 Central – East published once a year by Alberta 47 Miquelon Lake Environment and Sustainable Resource 48 Dry Island Buffalo Jump Development. 250,000 copies are 50 Jarvis Bay and Aspen Beach distributed throughout Alberta and Western 54 Explore More Canada. 56 Northeast 57 Sir Winston Churchill Cover Photo: Kananaskis Country 60 Gregoire Lake 62 Explore Northwest Alberta ISBN: 978–1–4601–1361–5 64 Programs and Activities 66 South 67 Discover Southern Alberta 68 Cypress Hills 70 Dinosaur 71 Kinbrook Island 5 Premier’s Message PREMIER’S MESSAGE On behalf of the Government of Alberta, it is my pleasure to welcome you to some of the most majestic and breathtaking sites in the world— Alberta’s parks. Our provincial parks are filled with awe-inspiring landscapes where visitors enjoy unique and exciting activities, and create enduring memories. Nearly nine million visitors each year discover the many recreational opportunities Alberta’s parks have to offer. Honourable Jim Prentice Come play in the summer sun, then return in the Premier of Alberta fall to experience a completely different side of your favourite parks. Some parks are open year round for you to enjoy in all four seasons. This guide is an excellent source of ideas for your next adventure, showcasing parks in every region of Alberta and featuring many of the popular activities our visitors enjoy. Thank you for visiting Alberta parks. Enjoy your stay! Jim Prentice 6 Minister’s Message MINISTER’S MESSAGE Explore Alberta Parks Guide Explore Alberta Parks One of the greatest things about Alberta is our provincial parks. Our diverse landscapes inspire and reinvigorate us. You can go horseback explore.albertaparks.ca riding on the Crown of the Continent in the southwest, swimming and boating with surrounding parkland at Aspen Beach Provincial Park, or hiking at Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park, where thousands of song birds fill the boreal forest every spring. Alberta’s protected areas are playgrounds where families and friends meet for outdoor adventures and to Honourable Kyle Fawcett connect with nature. Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Fishing is one of the province’s most popular outdoor activities. This guide highlights some of the best spots. You can cast a line from your boat in Police Outpost Provincial Park, fly-fish on the Bow River in Kananaskis or enjoy the quiet of backcountry fishing in Lakeland. I encourage you to use this guide to explore the hidden gems and old favourites that Albertans are proud and honoured to call their own. Don’t forget to come and help us celebrate our parks on Canada’s Parks Day – the third Saturday in July. Sincerely, Kyle Fawcett 7 8 NWT High Level 58 Fort Vermilion 35 Northwest Northeast Page 40 Page 56 88 Twin Lakes Notikewin Sulphur Lake Fort McMurray Stoney Lake Grand Gregoire Rapids Lake Wildland Figure Eight Queen Elizabeth Peace River Fairview Twelve Foot Davis 49 Dunvegan Moonshine Winagami Lake 49 Lake 2 63 Otter-Orloff Saskatoon Kleskun Hill 49 Hilliard’s Natural Area Bay Lesser Lakes Wildland Island Slave Lake SK High 2 43 Young’s Point Grande Prairie Slave Calling Prairie Lake Lake Sir Winston O’Brien Williamson Churchill Lakeland 40 Athabasca North Cold Cross Lake Buck Lake Lake Musreau Lake 55 Two Lakes Kakwa River Long Lake Cold Lake 43 Moose Lake Southview Carson-Pegasus Garner Lake Whitecourt Thunder 2 28 Pierre Grey’s Lake Sulphur Lakes Gates Whitney Grande Central − West Lakes Cache Page 26 Lois Hole Willmore Sundance Centennial 41 William A. Wilderness Obed 16 Switzer Strathcona Science Vermilion Rock Lake Lake Edson Wabamun Cooking Hinton 22 Edmonton Wildhorse Fickle Lake Lake-Blackfoot 16 Lake Lake Eagle Miquelon Lloydminster Drayton Lake 40 Valley Point 2 Pigeon 14 Wainwright Whitehorse Buck 36 Jasper Wildland Lake Lake 13 BC 21 Central − EastDillberry Crimson Page 46 Lake Lake Nordegg Aspen 93 11 12 Sylvan Big Knife Lake Beach Rochon Rocky Red Deer Sands Fish Mountain 11 12 Gooseberry Thompson Lake House Jarvis Bay Lake Creek 56 Ram Falls Red Lodge Kootenay 22 587 Dry Island Plains Buffalo Jump Sundre 21 93 Red Deer River 2 9 Midland Waiparous Drumheller Alberta Northern Rockies Creek 9 Kananaskis 40 Big Hill Little Fish Lake Page 12 41 David Thompson Corridor 1 Banff Glenbow Springs CanmoreRanch Calgary 56 Kananaskis Country Canmore Bow Fish 1 Nordic South West Corridor Valley Creek Wyndham- 36 Centre Spray Carseland Valley Dinosaur National Park Boundary 1 Peter Lougheed 24 Lake Brooks Sheep River 23 McGregor Highway 40 Tillebrook 541 Kinbrook Secondary Highway Island 2 Medicine Hat Camping Available Little Bow Chain 23 South Willow Page 66 Day Use Only Lakes Creek Park Lake 22 3 Cypress Town/City 887 Hills Chinook Oldman Red Rock Coulee Provincial Park Dam Lethbridge Natural Area Lundbreck 3 St. Mary 61 Provincial Recreation Area Falls Reservoir 41 4 879 Syncline Beauvais 2 Lake 501 6 5 Woolford Writing-on-Stone Milk River Police Outpost 501 Natural Area USA NWT High Level 58 Fort Vermilion 35 Northwest Northeast Page 40 Page 56 88 Twin Lakes Notikewin Sulphur Lake Fort McMurray Stoney Lake Grand Gregoire Rapids Lake Wildland Figure Eight Queen Elizabeth Peace River Fairview Twelve Foot Davis 49 Dunvegan Moonshine Winagami Lake 49 Lake 2 63 Otter-Orloff Saskatoon Kleskun Hill 49 Hilliard’s Natural Area Bay Lesser Lakes Wildland Island Slave Lake SK High 2 43 Young’s Point Grande Prairie Slave Calling Prairie Lake Lake Sir Winston O’Brien Williamson Churchill Lakeland 40 Athabasca North Cold Cross Lake Buck Lake Lake Musreau Lake 55 Two Lakes Kakwa River Long Lake Cold Lake 43 Moose Lake Southview Carson-Pegasus Garner Lake Whitecourt Thunder 2 28 Pierre Grey’s Lake Sulphur Lakes Gates Whitney Grande Central − West Lakes Cache Page 26 Lois Hole Willmore Sundance Centennial 41 William A. Wilderness Obed 16 Switzer Strathcona Science Vermilion Rock Lake Lake Edson Wabamun Cooking Hinton 22 Edmonton Wildhorse Fickle Lake Lake-Blackfoot 16 Lake Lake Eagle Miquelon Lloydminster Drayton Lake 40 Valley Point 2 Pigeon 14 Wainwright Whitehorse Buck 36 Jasper Wildland Lake Lake 13 BC 21 Central − EastDillberry Crimson Page 46 Lake Lake Nordegg Aspen Big Knife 93 11 12 Sylvan Lake