Site Descriptions - Rocky Mountain 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

Alpine and Sub-alpine Sub-regions
The Alpine and Sub-alpine sub-regions of the Rocky Mountain Natural Region are well represented within the parks and protected areas network. All of the level 1 and level 2 natural history themes are represented, as are many of the known special features.

Beehive Natural Area (56.62 km²) contains a diversity of habitats, from the alluvial flats of the Oldman River to alpine tundra. Its old-growth spruce-fir forests are believed to be more than 1000 years old. These forests are excellent habitat for woodpeckers, warblers, pine martin, fisher and grizzly bear.

Bow Valley Wildland Park * (328.65 km²) consolidates most of the Alpine and Sub-alpine lands in the northern end of Kananaskis Country into a single protected area. Much of the park contains critical wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors. The park greatly enhances our ability to co-operatively manage species that move between Banff National Park and Kananaskis Country. Visit the Kananaskis Country web site for detailed information.

Bluerock Wildland Park * (127.19 km²) & Sheep River Provincial Park * (61.91 km²) preserve the valley of the Sheep River between Elbow-Sheep Wildland Park and the eastern boundary of Kananaskis Country. Sheep River Provincial Park includes Sheep River Wildlife Sanctuary, the year-round home of a herd of bighorn sheep. The eastern portion of the area extends into the Lower Foothills, where open grassy slopes provide critical winter range for elk and deer that spend their summers in the higher alpine areas to the west. Visit the Kananaskis Country web site for detailed information.

Don Getty Wildland Park * (627.75 km²) consists of a number of parcels of land that add ecological integrity to adjacent protected areas in the vicinity of Kananaskis Country. Forget-Me-Not Ridge, located east of Elbow-Sheep Wildland Park, is particularly noteworthy. This site contains one of the deepest known caves in Alberta, as well as exceptional examples of felsenmeer, stone stripes and stone polygons. These periglacial features are well preserved, with little disturbance from industrial activity and recreational use. Visit the Kananaskis Country web site for detailed information.

Elbow-Sheep Wildland Park * (801.5 km²), located in Kananaskis Country, encompasses a diverse landscape of open grassy slopes, dense forests, deep valleys and mountain peaks. This diversity creates prime habitat for elk, mountain sheep, cougar, grizzly bear and mountain goat. It is one of the finest trail riding areas in Alberta. Visit the Kananaskis Country web site for detailed information.

Ghost River Wilderness Area (153 km²) consists of rugged mountain terrain and glacier-carved valleys. Sub-alpine forests of Engelmann and white spruce, fir and lodgepole pine dominate the valleys. Bighorn sheep frequent higher elevations, where they move in and out of adjacent Banff National Park.

Kakwa Wildland Park * (649.28 km²) is located along the British Columbia border about 115 km south of Grande Prairie. The park encompasses the east-west valley of the Kakwa River and is bounded by mountain ridges along its north and south borders. Except for open grassy meadows on the warmer south facing slopes, forests of lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce and sub-alpine fir cover the valley sides. The wide, frequently wet valley bottoms include large meadows of sedge, willow and dwarf birch. Woodland caribou, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, black and grizzly bear, wolf and wolverine are among the wildlife that frequent the area. Streams support Arctic grayling and bull, brook, cutthroat and rainbow trout.

Mt. Livingstone Natural Area (5.35 km²) has 1000 metres of relief, with unusual fescue grasslands well above the elevations at which they are usually found.

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park (501 km²), established in 1977, preserves a landscape of glacier-capped peaks surrounding Kananaskis Lakes. Hiking, climbing, fishing, cross-country skiing, cycling, and summer and winter camping are among the recreational opportunities available. The visitor centre and award winning interpretive programs provide information about the mountain environment and its history. Visit the Kananaskis Country web site for detailed information.

Plateau Mountain Ecological Reserve (23.23 km²) consists of a nearly flat high-elevation plateau. The reserve is internationally recognized for its ice cave, which contains ice crystals, curls, sheets and pillars. The ice crystals are so fragile that a temperature increase of one-degree Celsius can cause melting. A range of periglacial features known as "patterned ground" are found on Plateau Mountain and include active permafrost, sorted stone circles, polygons, steps and frost boils.

Rock Lake-Solomon Creek Wildland Park * (see "Upper Foothills" section)

Scalp Creek Natural Area (3.23 km²) is a frost-active site with palsas, thermokarst, micro-hummocky and pockmarked terrain.

Sheep River Provincial Park * (see Bluerock Wildland Park)

Siffleur Wilderness Area (412 km²) contains high mountain peaks, picturesque valleys, hanging glaciers, mountain lakes and alpine meadows. Sub-alpine forests of Engelmann spruce, fir and lodgepole pine, with some aspen and balsam poplar at lower elevations, dominate the valleys. Higher slopes support hardy grasses, sedges and wildflowers. Wildlife includes bighorn sheep, mountain goats, caribou, moose, deer, and black and grizzly bears.

Spray Valley Provincial Park * (265.98 km²) preserves mountain slopes and the Spray River valley. It is located in Kananaskis Country, along the eastern boundary of Banff National Park. The area is particularly important for grizzly bears that move in and out of the national park. Visit the Kananaskis Country web site for detailed information.

White Goat Wilderness Area (446 km²) contains spectacular peaks up to 3312 metres in height. Valleys contain Engelmann and white spruce, fir and lodgepole pine forests, while higher slopes have meadows of grasses, sedges and wildflowers. The highest peaks have permanent snowfields and small glaciers.

Whitehorse Wildland Park * (174 km²) is southeast of Hinton, adjacent to Jasper National Park. The park preserves critical habitat for grizzly bear, bighorn sheep and harlequin ducks. Many rare alpine plants have been documented in the area, part of which is believed to have escaped glaciation during the last ice age. Cadomin Cave, located in the park, contains important bat habitat; there are reports of up to 30,000 bats visiting the cave annually. An estimated 1,000 little brown bats hibernate there and long legged, northern long-eared and long-eared bats have also been reported.

Willmore Wilderness Park (4597 km²) represents some of the best habitat for a number of wildlife species. It is estimated that 20% of Alberta's mountain goats and bighorn sheep are found in Willmore. Other species include grizzly bear, mountain caribou, cougars and wolves. The windswept front ranges in the eastern part of Willmore are critical winter habitat for ungulates. Peaks along the Continental Divide in the west exceed 3050 metres. The Resthaven Ice Field extends into the southwest corner of Willmore from Jasper National Park.

Provincial Recreation Areas

Montane Sub-region
The Montane Sub-region is well represented in the parks and protected areas network.

Beauvais Lake Provincial Park * (11.61 km²) is located west of Pincher Creek and includes the entire lake and the slopes that drain directly into the lake. Some of the largest Douglas fir in the province are found in the park. Wildlife species in the park include black and grizzly bears, elk, moose, eagle, osprey and numerous songbirds. Visit the Beauvais Lake Provincial Park web site for detailed information.

Bob Creek Wildland * (207.78 km²) & Black Creek Heritage Rangeland * (77.61 km²), located approximately 150 km south of Calgary, preserve more than 300 km² of an area known as the Whaleback, the largest undisturbed montane landscape in Alberta. A series of spine-like ridges, the landscape of the Whaleback alternates between open grasslands and forests of pine, spruce, fir and aspen. Limber pine that is more than 575 years old and 400 year-old Douglas fir have been recorded in the area. The snow free, chinook-swept grasslands are winter range for mule deer and Alberta's largest elk herd. Predators include cougar, wolf and grizzly bear. Over 80 species of birds, including golden eagle, nest in the park and many rare plants have been recorded.

Bow Valley Provincial Park * (32 km²) is located at the confluence of the Bow and Kananaskis rivers, immediately east of the front range of the Rocky Mountains. The park includes an array of glacial features including eskers, drumlins and melt-water depressions. The Many Springs area is noteworthy for its high diversity of plants, including a number of rare species. Visit the Kananaskis Country web site for detailed information.

Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park * (4.35 km²) contains the cross-country ski, biathlon and Nordic combined facilities built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. The park is habitat for bears and elk. A number of aboriginal paintings (pictographs) are found on the rock outcrops near Grassi Lake. Visit the Kananaskis Country web site for detailed information.

Cypress Hills Provincial Park (204.51 km²) contains mixed and lodgepole pine forests that provide habitat for a variety of wildlife species, including moose, elk, white-tailed & mule deer, antelope, fox, porcupine and bobcat. There are over 200 species of birds in the area and three important amphibian species also make their home here: the endangered northern leopard frog, the boreal chorus frog and the tiger salamander. Visit the Cypress Hills Provincial Park web site for detailed information.

Douglas Fir Natural Area * (3.21 km²), located west of Rocky Mountain House, includes a stand of Douglas fir on the south shore of Abraham Lake.

Emerson Creek Natural Area (1.9 km²) is a creek valley to ridge-top landscape that contains diverse vegetation communities. Limber pine is found along the ridges, while grasslands with groves of aspen and stands of white spruce are found on the slopes. Beaver ponds and wetlands are associated with the creek.

Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve (34.39 km²), situated along the North Saskatchewan River east of Banff National Park, includes a variety of vegetation types ranging from dry grassland and open aspen forests to closed lodgepole pine and white spruce forests.

Upper Bob Creek Ecological Reserve (26.01 km²) contains forests, shrubs and grasslands. Grass species include rough and bluebunch fescue and Parry's oat grass; on moister valley bottoms, a rare member of the saxifrage family is found (Conimitella williamsii). Forest types range from Douglas fir to aspen, and on upper ridges there are stands of limber pine. Wildlife species include pika, hoary marmot, golden eagle and prairie falcon.

West Castle Wetland Ecological Reserve * (94 ha), located west of Pincher Creek, protects a small complex of beaver dams and wetlands that are important trout spawning and amphibian habitat.

Other Natural Area
Wildcat Island

Provincial Recreation Areas

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.