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Alberta Parks
Alberta Parks
Hiking in Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park
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Alberta Parks
Alberta Parks
The beach at Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park
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Alberta Parks
Alberta Parks
Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park
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Alberta Parks
Alberta Parks
Elkwater Lake's beach in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
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Alberta Parks
Alberta Parks
Pelican at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park
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Alberta Parks
Alberta Parks
Hiking in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
By Mary Fitl, photos courtesy Alberta Parks
Looking for new places to play? You don't have to go far. There is at least one of Alberta's provincial parks or protected areas within 100km of every household in the province.
Spread Your Wings…
Northeast Alberta is a great place for birdwatchers and June is when the songbirds are migrating to their northern nesting grounds. Birders can easily observe songbirds, waterfowl and raptors along forest trails, grassy meadows and wetlands.
With Lesser Slave Lake to the west and Marten Mountain to the east, migrating birds are funneled into a flight path right over Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park; the perfect place for Canada's northernmost bird observatory. Throughout the park you will see and hear songbirds rarely seen in other parts of Alberta. Or head to Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park near Lac La Biche, where an old growth forest provides the perfect habitat for songbirds, and the lake that surrounds this island park is home to pelicans and other waterfowl.
If you are heading south, bird watching at Cypress Hills, Dinosaur or Writing-On-Stone provincial parks is an entirely different experience. With constant prairie "breezes" and big blue sky, what appears to be an empty land is teeming with diverse bird life. Species run the gamut from prairie falcon and partridge, to western meadowlark and ferruginous hawk.
Sand and Surf
Location, location, location. If you require a freshwater ocean for the doorstep of your sandcastle, Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park is an obvious choice. Or try one of these comparable castle construction sites.
Aspen Beach Provincial Park’s sandy beaches and cool waters have been a summer oasis for Albertans for more than 80 years. Go for a day - or stay for several and play on the beach from sunup till sundown.
Sylvan Lake Provincial Park is a great beach for summer fun in central Alberta. Its location right in the town of Sylvan Lake ensures easy access to necessities. Camp at nearby Jarvis Bay Provincial Park a few kilometers north on the eastern shores of the lake.
At Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Elkwater Lake boasts a busy beach and marina for the sand and surf crowd! The town of Elkwater offers many amenities to make your stay comfortable and memorable.
Happy Trails To You …
Our protected areas, representing six different natural regions, can offer just about any kind of terrain a hiker could want. At Cypress Hills, hike a challenging trail for a view that goes on forever. Wind your way into a cool green forest filled with songbirds - or stroll a wide path through grasslands and coulees.
Just minutes from Edmonton, Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Recreation Area has gently rolling hills and water-filled depressions that support diverse micro communities. In this interesting variety of terrain and wildlife, hikers share multi-use trails with mountain bikers and horseback riders.
Great mountain hikes of varying length and difficulty are found in Bow Valley Provincial Park and further south into the Kananaskis Valley at Evan Thomas Recreation Area and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.
There are hundreds of provincial parks and protected areas to explore in Alberta. Visit as many as you can, to find your great place. Find out more at albertaparks.ca or call 1-866-427-3582.