WOOD BUFFALO NATIONAL PARK

Explore Canada’s Largest Park

At 44,807 km2, Wood Buffalo National Park is the world’s second largest national park, and the largest in Canada. Threatened with extinction, the park was established to protect the largest and last remaining free roaming herd of wood bison. It contains great concentrations of migratory wildlife, including 227 bird species and 46 species of mammal, interacting in the world’s largest inland delta. The park has the largest undisturbed meadows in North America, and protects a massive area of the continent’s Boreal plain. Those in love with the outdoors enjoy summer’s midnight sun, while camping, canoeing, hiking, biking and wildlife viewing.

Length of Trip : Hours to days to weeks, depending on whether you’re sightseeing, hiking or camping.

Cost : Click here for a list of Parks Canada fees for visiting Wood Buffalo

Best time to go : June to September

Wheelchair friendly : Some paths are accessible

Family friendly : Yes

Where to eat : Around the campfire! In Fort Smith try Berro’s Pizzeria

Official Site : www.pc.gc.ca
www.fortsmith.ca

Where to Stay : In Fort Smith:
Pelican Rapids Inn
Wood Buffalo Inn

Getting There : Wood Buffalo National Park is on the the Northwest Territories – Alberta border. The Park headquarters are in Fort Smith, NT. All-weather road access is available year-round via the hard packed gravel MacKenzie Highway, which links to Highway 5 near Hay River, providing access to the park and Fort Smith. Commercial flights are available to both Fort Smith and Fort Chipewyan from Yellowknife and Edmonton.

Note from Robin : The salt plains and bison are the main attractions in the park, with scattered lakeside campgrounds, and camping, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing and boating drawing visitors in the summer. The park is bigger than Switzerland, home to endangered species like the Whooping Crane and world’s largest bison herd. It also contains the world’s largest beaver dam.

Great Canadian Trails