Categories: Travel

Here’s what to know before visiting Elk Island National Park in Alberta

Photo via Russ Heinl/Shutterstock

Alberta’s Elk Island National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Canada, offering beautiful camping sites, clear skies for stargazing, and endless wildlife to see.

According to Parks Canada, Elk Island National Park is the only fully enclosed national park, just over half an hour away from Edmonton. It was originally founded as an elk preserve in 1906 (which also happens to be the first wildlife refuge in Canada), but for more than a century, this land has been providing visitors with amazing wildlife viewing opportunities and stargazing spots.

Everything to know before visiting Elk Island National Park

What’s the best way to get to Elk Island National Park?

Parks Canada suggests looking at the road conditions before visiting. There are several entrances for vehicles, including the south entrance off Highway 16, the north entrance on Highway 831, and the west entrance, just 25 minutes east of Fort Saskatchewan on Township Road 544.

On select days, those visiting from Edmonton will be able to travel using the Parkbus, a shuttle from downtown Edmonton directly into the park (with price varying by date).

When is the best time to visit?

According to Parks Canada, the park can be very busy on warm summer weekends and long weekends, with the potential for gate closures due to capacity being reached. The best days to visit to avoid wait times and busy trails would be on weekdays or weekends before 11 a.m.

Where can I stay when visiting?

There are three campsites within the park with options to stay in a tent, RV, or the backcountry. These include:

Astotin Lake Campground
- Featuring 75 unserviced campsites, which include 15 walk-in tent sites and five oTENTiks.
Astotin Lake Group Camping Area
- Featuring approximately 24 unserviced sites suitable for tenting, trailers, campers, and RVs.
Oster Lake Backcountry Campground
- Featuring five unserviced campsites.

As for winter camping, the national park’s frontcountry and backcountry campgrounds close after the Thanksgiving long weekend and reopen during the May long weekend. However, you’ll still be able to find winter camping available at nearby locations like Miquelon Lake Provincial Park, Strathcona Wilderness Centre, and Vermilion Provincial Park.

What is there to do?

Parks Canada has provided a massive list of things to do in Elk Island, which includes (but is not limited to):

What animals are there to see?

As stated on the Parks Canada website, Elk Island National Park is home to:

Bison
Elk
Moose
White-tailed deer
Wolves
Foxes
Cougars
Black bears

And it’s also home to over 250 bird species.

What are the rules when it comes to wildlife?

There are a couple of safety rules when it comes to wildlife within the park, and we’ve highlighted some of the main ones Parks Canada has outlined on its website:

Never approach wildlife.
- “Animals in the park are wild and may react to perceived threats when startled, threatened, or protecting their young. Visitors can avoid negative interactions with wildlife by maintaining a safe distance from animals, being aware of their surroundings, and knowing what they should do if they encounter wildlife,” reads the Parks Canada website.
Ensure pets are on a leash and in control at all times.
- It is also illegal to have any pet off-leash in any National Park.
Keep a clean site.
- As stated by Parks Canada, leaving scented items unattended, even for a few minutes, puts visitors and wildlife at risk and may even result in a fine. Their website provides a list of items to store when not in use.

Parks Canada also warns visitors that feeding, enticing, and disturbing wildlife puts other visitors and wildlife at risk. Those found doing so may be charged, required to appear in court, and pay fines up to $25,000.

What other rules are good to know before visiting?

Some important rules within Elk Island National Park include:

No drones.
- Parks Canada does not permit drone use for recreational purposes.
Camping is allowed in designated campgrounds only.
- Camping (including sleeping in a vehicle) is not allowed in roadside pullouts, trailheads, or recreation areas.
Vehicles must remain on hardened surfaces, paved roads, and gravel roads.
- In addition to this, ATVs, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, or other off-road vehicles are not allowed. According to Parks Canada, scooters are considered motor vehicles for this and are not allowed on trails or in areas closed to motor vehicle traffic.

For a full list of the outlined rules and regulations, you can check out the Parks Canada website.

How much does it cost to enter Elk Island National Park?

As of Jan. 1, 2018, admission to Parks Canada places for ages 17 and under is free.

Regular daily admission to Elk Island National Park for adults (ages 18 to 64) is $10, and seniors admission (65 and over) is $8.75. For annual passes to Elk Island, adult passes are $48.25 and senior passes are $42.50.