Touring Alberta's UNESCO World Heritage Sites

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Story by Megan Kopp

There are countless special places in the world that are considered to have “outstanding universal value to humanity.” UNESCO World Heritage Sites are designated for their natural and/or cultural value. Think Egypt’s Pyramids, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Alberta’s Wood Buffalo National Park… what? Alberta? Yes. In fact, this Province in Western Canada is home to six UNESCO World Heritage sites – including Wood Buffalo.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites are special places to visit. So, come the next time your travels lead you through Wild Rose Country, perhaps set your GPS to one – or perhaps all – of these popular destinations.

Waterton Glacier International Peace Park

Tucked in the south west corner, Waterton National Park is known where mountains meet the prairies. The park is renowned for its incredible scenery and rich diversity of plant and animal life. In fact, 200 km (124 mi) of hiking trails criss-cross valley bottoms and mountain passes, although some remain closed as the park recovers from the 2017 Kenow wildfire. Bear’s Hump is a short, steep hike but the views overlooking the lake and surrounding peaks are worth the effort.

Non-hikers might enjoy a boat tour on Upper Waterton Lake, tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel, a round of golf on the historic, 18-hole Waterton Lakes Golf Course or driving the 15 km (9 mi) Red Rock Parkway up the Blakiston Valley for closeup views of the namesake red argillite rock. Or, simply stroll along the heart of Waterton’s townsite. The local Townsite Campground has 90 full-service sites and 45 electricity-only sites, plus accessible and unserviced sites. Reserve Waterton – or any national park campground – online (https://reservation.pc.gc.ca/Home.aspx) or by phone (1-877-RESERVE).

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

Heading north from Waterton is Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. For nearly 6,000 years, plains people established camps and hunters set up elaborate drive lanes to funnel herds of buffalo (American bison) over this cliff. The communal harvest left a mass of bison bones, artifacts, tipi rings, cairns (rock piles) and spiritual sites.

Today, a world-class interpretive centre offers insight into this special place. A variety of drop-in programs, ranging from hikes and tours to hands-on demonstrations – free with admission – run throughout the day. Half-day guided hikes run twice a month from May (Moon of the Flower/Crocus) to September (Moon of the Leaves Falling). Reserve in advance by email (education.bookings@gov.ab.ca) or phone (403-553-2731). There are 40 unserviced, non-reservable campsites at the nearby Oldman River Campground.

Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks

Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho National Parks, as well as Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine and Hamber Provincial Parks make up the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. It showcases outstanding physical mountain landscapes – from icefields and canyons to waterfalls. Banff National Park has it all – and more 1600 km (994 mi) of hiking trails. Plan your hike the right time in July or August and you’ll find yourself immersed among vibrant wildflowers in sprawling mountainous meadows.

A favourite is the 11.2 km (7 mi) return hike to the historic Plain-of-Six Glaciers Teahouse. During busy summer months and fall larch season, a free bus shuttle runs from a parking area east of Lake Louise up to the trailhead.

The 230 km (143 mi) drive along the Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper is one of the most scenic drives in the world with prime wildlife viewing opportunities. Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. Drive up to Maligne Lake and take a boat tour past Spirit Island. Hike Edith Cavell meadows for a little slice of heaven in wildflower season – and take the chance to view Angel Glacier. Rent a paddleboard on Pyramid Lake, raft the Athabasca River or soak in the Miette Hotsprings. There are also numerous camping options in both parks. The Tunnel Mountain Village Campground in Banff has more than 600 sites and Whistlers Campground is Jasper’s largest with more than 700 sites. However, it is currently closed for extensive renovations with plans to re-open 2021. Nonetheless, there are several other great choices in the immediate area.

Wood Buffalo National Park

It’s a long drive from Jasper to Wood Buffalo National Park, tucked in the northeast corner of the province. Access is from Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories. Another seasonal option is taking the ice road connecting Fort McMurray with Fort Chipewyan and on to Fort Smith in the winter months.

Wood Buffalo is Canada’s largest national park at close to 45,000 square kilometres (17,375 square miles). It’s also the largest Dark-Sky Preserve in the world (the second largest being Jasper National Park); home to North America’s largest population of the threatened wood bison; is a nesting site for whooping cranes; and contains the world’s largest inland delta at the mouth of the Peace and Athabasca rivers. Archaeological evidence also shows that Indigenous people have inhabited the area for more than 8000 years and continues to do so today. Wood Buffalo has a campground at Pine Lake, about 45 minutes from Fort Smith. No reservations necessary.

Dinosaur Provincial Park

Returning south, this beauty in the Alberta Badlands runs along the Red Deer River. More than 49 different species of dinosaurs have been uncovered in Dinosaur Provincial Park, dating from the Late Cretaceous Period (75 million years ago). The park’s visitor centre includes a fossil preparation lab, theatre and an exhibit gallery.

Stepping outside, you can hike, birdwatch – even float the silty Red Deer in a canoe. Regular interpretive events in the summer months include bus tours, guided hikes into the restricted access Natural Preserve and outdoor amphitheatre programs. There are also single or multi-day guided excavation programs. Visit www.disosaurpark.ca for tour/hike and program schedules and to make reservations. Service and unserviced campsites are available in the park. Reserve Dinosaur – or any Alberta provincial park campground – online (https://reserve.albertaparks.ca/) or by phone (1-877-537-2757).

Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park

Designated in 2019, Writing-on-Stone is Alberta’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site. It sits alongside the Milk River on the northern edge of the Great Plains. Erosion exposed sandstone columns called Hoodoos. It was here that the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) people left carved images and paintings between 4500 and 3500 years ago. Writing-on-Stone remains a sacred site for the Blackfoot people, and visitors come from around the world to appreciate its legacy. Guided tours can be booked online (https://atms.alberta.ca/wos), by phone (403-647-2364) or at the park visitor centre. Interpretive shows run regularly in the summer months and include cultural elements such as drumming and dancing as well natural history information. The park campground fills up fast so reservations are recommended.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites Across Canada

There are 20 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Canada. Beyond the six sites found in Alberta, these include:

  1. Historic District of Old Québec  – A fortified colonial city, Quebec.
  2. L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site  – An 11thcentury Viking settlement, Newfoundland.
  3. Landscape of Grand Pré  – Landscape and archaeological sites of the Acadians, Nova Scotia.
  4. Old Town Lunenburg  – Planned British Colonial settlement, Nova Scotia.
  5. Red Bay Basque Whaling Station –16th century European whaling station, Newfoundland.
  6. Rideau Canal  – The best-preserved example of a slackwater canal, Ontario.
  7. SGang Gwaay – Haida village, British Columbia.
  8. Gros Morne National Park – A geological wonder, Newfoundland.
  9. Joggins Fossil Cliffs  – A palaeontological site, Nova Scotia.
  10. Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek  – A spectacular landscape, wildlife and the largest non-polar icefield, Yukon.
  11. Miguasha National Park  – Fossil fish from the Devonian Period, Québec.
  12. Mistaken Point  – The oldest-known assemblages of large fossils, Newfoundland.
  13. Nahanni National Park – A spectacular wild river and landscape, Northwest Territories.
  14. Pimachiowin Aki  (‘The Land That Gives Life’) – An ancestral home and cultural sites of Anishinaabeg people, Manitoba.

*Please note: All regular 2020 program and schedules have been affected by Covid-19. Please confirm online or by phone before visiting.