Park Report: Alberta's Big Game Park

Alberta's Big Game Park

By: Craig Romano

You won't find big mountains in Alberta's Elk Island National Park. No big lakes either, nor stunning landscapes. To the casual observer Elk Island appears quite ordinary. This park wasn't established to protect scenery. It was created to protect habitat. For although Elk Island's rolling topography may not appear to be exceptional, it is.

The park preserves 195 square kilometres of a forest community known as aspen parkland. It's a rare ecosystem comprised of "islands" of aspen thickets on a series of low rises known as the Beaver Hills. These forested groves offer forage and protection for bison, elk, moose and deer. With much of the surrounding prairie now subdivided and farmed, the park remains a stronghold for these grazing mammals. It is in essence "a natural island in a sea of development."

Elk Island offers visitors a chance to experience a time when the Alberta prairies were a wild place. The park provides plenty of opportunities for viewing the majestic creatures that call Elk Island home. Over 100 kilometres of trails weave through the park including 11 interpretive trails. Several large but shallow lakes can be found within the park. Astotin Lake makes for a wonderful canoeing destination.

Within the park's tight boundaries is a healthy herd of free-roaming bison. Wood bison live here too. The 18.6-kilometre Wood Bison Trail is a great place to start if you're intent on observing them. If you do encounter them on the trail, give them a wide berth, especially if it's rutting season.

Moose can frequently be seen in the boggy waters throughout the park. Elk are fairly common as well as deer. Over 250 species of birds have been observed in the park throughout the year. The rare and beautiful trumpeter swan nests here.

Camping is allowed in the park at Astotin Lake. The park is open all year round. When snow blankets the trails they're open for cross-country skiing. The big game of Elk Island don't leave for the winter. Seeing big shaggy bison in a light snowfall is quite dramatic. The landscapes may be ordinary here but the wildlife viewing is extraordinary.

Elk Island National Park is located 45 kilometres east of Edmonton.

For more information visit: http://www.parcscanada.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/waterton