Site Descriptions - Grassland Natural Region

Level 1 Natural History Theme Targets | Progress on Level 1 Targets

* Denotes a protected area established or expanded as part of the Special Places program

Mixedgrass Sub-region
Although over 60% of the preservation targets for the 13 level 1 natural history themes that make up the Mixedgrass Sub-region have been achieved, there is still no representation of two of the themes. The glacial lakebed theme represents some of the best agricultural land in Alberta and, as with other sub-regions in the Parkland and Grassland natural regions, it has proven difficult to find representative landscapes that have not been cultivated.

Little Bow Provincial Park (1.1 km²) provides camping facilities and access to Travers Reservoir.

Park Lake Provincial Park (2.24 km²) provides camping and picnicking facilities on an irrigation reservoir north of Lethbridge.

Red Rock Coulee Natural Area (3.24 km²) takes its name from the large, red, spherical sandstone concretions that have eroded out of the softer bedrock. The natural area consists of eroded steep sided coulees and a small upland of fescue-needle grass.

Twin River Heritage Rangeland Natural Area * (190 km²), located south of Warner, includes much of the diversity of the Mixedgrass Sub-region. The area contains dense nesting bird-of-prey populations, including ferruginous hawks, golden eagles and prairie falcons. Rare yellow-bellied marmot and leopard frogs inhabit the site. Rare fish include mottled sculpin, stonecat and finescale dace. Rare plants such as prickly mild vetch, tufted hymenopappus and Carolina whitlow grass are also found in the area.

Provincial Recreation Areas

Dry Mixedgrass Sub-region
With the exception of glacial lakebed and marshes, most of the landscapes that make up the Dry Mixedgrass Sub-region are moderately well represented in the parks and protected areas network, with about 50% of the preservation targets having been achieved to date.

Dinosaur Provincial Park (73.3 km²) contains some of the most extensive dinosaur fossil fields in the world, the most extensive area of badlands in Alberta, and riparian cottonwood forests and sage flats that support numerous species of birds and mammals. These features resulted in the park being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology field station is located in the park. Visit the Dinosaur Provincial Park web site for detailed information.
• UNESCO Web Site

Kennedy Coulee Ecological Reserve (10.68 km²), located along the Alberta-Montana border, consists of rolling terrain and the Kennedy Creek valley. Springs and wetlands along the creek are ecologically rich environments that support several wildlife species, including brown thrasher, black-billed cuckoo, gray catbird, golden eagle, ferruginous hawk, prairie falcon, bull snake, prairie rattlesnake, short-horned lizard, pronghorn antelope and mule deer.

Kinbrook Island Provincial Park (5.4 km²) includes islands in Lake Newell that are nesting sites for double crested cormorants and white pelicans. Wetlands near the campground provide excellent bird watching.

Milk River Natural Area (53.44 km²) includes part of the Milk River Canyon, the deepest canyon on the Canadian prairies, and extensive grasslands. The grasslands are some of most diverse and least disturbed in the country.

Prairie Coulees Natural Area * (44.17 km²), located north of Medicine Hat, includes several ravines and coulees adjoining the South Saskatchewan River. Noteworthy are a number of springs and associated plant communities that are under-represented in the parks and protected areas network.

Onefour Heritage Rangeland Natural Area * (111.65 km²) preserves three parcels of land along the Montana border that include extensive grasslands, ephemeral wetlands, minor badlands and riparian shrub lands that provide habitat for numerous rare plants and birds. Uncommon birds include mountain plover, bobolink, Baird's sparrow, ferruginous hawk, burrowing owl, loggerhead shrike and sage grouse. The area is also important habitat for swift fox.

Tillebrook Provincial Park (1.39 km²) is located along the Trans Canada Highway southwest of Dinosaur Provincial Park. Its full-service campground provides quiet, private and well-sheltered campsites.

Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park (17.18 km²) preserves spectacular badlands, riparian habitats and grasslands along the Milk River; an archaeological preserve protects native petroglyphs and pictographs on the park's sandstone cliffs.

Provincial Recreation Areas

Foothills Fescue Sub-region
The Foothills Fescue Sub-region is poorly represented in the parks and protected areas network, with good representation of only three of the 12 level 1 natural history themes that define the landscape. Approximately 20% of the level 1 theme preservation targets have been achieved.

Ross Lake Natural Area * (19.43 km²) is located approximately 10 km north of the Montana border, south of Magrath. It includes the largest crown-owned area of Foothills Fescue in Alberta. Portions of the area were not glaciated during the last ice age and, as a result, it contains a number of rare plants and insects.

Highwood River Natural Area (9.79 ha) includes islands in the Bow and Highwood rivers that are used by Canada geese and great blue herons.

Willow Creek Provincial Park (1.09 km²) is located on the edge of the Porcupine Hills. Its rolling grasslands and tree-lined creek provide a pleasant setting for camping and picnicking.

Woolford Provincial Park (35 ha) preserves the only stand of narrow-leaved cottonwoods in Alberta's parks and protected areas network.

Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park (1.78 km²), although developed mainly for recreation, includes riparian habitats along the Bow River and is home to numerous bird species.

Provincial Recreation Areas

Northern Fescue Sub-region
There is good representation of six of the 14 level 1 natural history themes that define the Northern Fescue Sub-region, however there is poor representation of six other themes. Almost 40% of the level 1 natural history theme preservation targets have been achieved.

Bleriot Ferry Provincial Recreation Area (1.89 ha) is a small campground located among a stand of cottonwoods along the Red Deer River.

Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park * (15.98 km²) is located southeast of Innisfail. Dry Island Buffalo Jump is so-named because of the unusual flat-topped mesa, called a "dry island", that towers 200 metres above the Red Deer River. In the distance you can see the grassy cliff-top of an ancient buffalo jump where bison were hunted by stampeding them over the high cliffs. The park is a mix of badlands and riparian forests where cacti and other plants typical of Alberta's grasslands are found in proximity to species normally associated with the Boreal Forest Natural Region. Prairie falcon nest on cliff faces in the park.

Gooseberry Lake Provincial Park (51.79 ha) was developed mainly for recreation but is surrounded by natural landscapes. The lakeshores are nesting habitat for piping plover.

Hand Hills Ecological Reserve (22.29 km²) is part of the largest remaining fescue grassland in the world. Habitats include lush fescue grassland, moist meadows, shrub thickets and aspen woodland. The endangered piping plover nests along Little Fish Lake on the edge of the reserve.

Hoodoos Provincial Recreation Area (1.07 ha), located immediately adjacent to Highway 10, provides easy access to well-developed hoodoos; other than a parking area, there are no facilities provided.

Horseshoe Canyon Provincial Recreation Area (4.69 ha), located near Drumheller, provides good views of the badlands along the Red Deer River; other than a parking lot and privies, there are no facilities.

Little Fish Lake Provincial Park (0.61 km²), on the shore of Little Fish Lake, is adjacent to Hand Hills Ecological Reserve. It provides opportunities for visitors to experience the landscapes of the reserve, which has limited access and no facilities.

Midland Provincial Park (5.99 km²) is home to the world-class Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.

Rumsey Natural Area * (149 km²), & Rumsey Ecological Reserve (34 km²), located south of Stettler, protect the largest remaining tract of aspen parkland in Canada. The area consists of hummocky moraine (knob and kettle) topography. In wet years, the kettles fill with water and the resulting pothole country becomes some of the most productive waterfowl habitat in North America. Spanning the transition between Grassland Natural Region and the Central Parkland sub-region of Parkland Natural Region, Rumsey Natural Area & Rumsey Ecological Reserve protect plants, birds and mammals at both the northern and southern extent of their ranges.

Tolman Badlands Heritage Rangeland Natural Area * (59.45 km²) preserves badlands and parts of the Red Deer River valley within the Central Parkland and Northern Fescue grasslands north of Drumheller. Small upland plateaus of fescue grassland are especially significant, because much of this landscape has been cultivated to produce cereal crops. Prairie falcons nest on the badlands' cliffs.

Additional Information
For information about facilities and services in the parks and protected areas listed above, visit the Gateway to Outdoor Adventure web site.

Parks and protected areas boundary maps, legal descriptions and ArcView data captures are available on the Land Reference Manual web site.

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For more information about Managing the Network, contact Archie Landals.