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This is a list of provincial parks in the Canadian province of Alberta . They are maintained by Alberta Parks. For a list of protected areas in Alberta, see the List of protected areas of Alberta.
Provincial parks are established under the Provincial Parks Act to "support outdoor recreation, heritage tourism and natural heritage appreciation activities that depend on and are compatible with the natural environment". [1] Provincial parks differ from wildland provincial parks in that the former have better road access and allow a greater range of activities for users. Provincial parks have a focus on a variety of outdoor recreational uses and enjoyment of the natural environment. [1]
Wildland provincial parks are established under the Provincial Parks Act to "preserve and protect natural heritage and provide opportunities for backcountry recreation". "Wildland provincial parks are large, undeveloped natural landscapes that retain their primeval character." [1] Wildland parks are more remote and offer more difficult access than provincial parks. In addition, recreational activities are more limited to minimize visitor impacts on the natural environment. [1]
Willmore Wilderness Park was established in 1959 and is managed under the Willmore Wilderness Park Act. The intent of Willmore Wilderness Park is the preservation of the natural environment, similar to the more recent wildland parks. [1]
| Name | Sub-region | Established | Image | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willmore Wilderness Park [159] | Improvement District No. 25 | 1959 [160] |  | 53°42′5″N119°3′21″W / 53.70139°N 119.05583°W [161] |
Alberta Parks has closed multiple parks throughout its history, with four parks being closed during the 1930s and a number of them being given to municipalities.
| Name | Sub-region | Established | Disestablished | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvan Lake Provincial Park | Red Deer County | 1980 | 2018 | Given to the Town of Sylvan Lake and ran as a municipal park. |  |
| Taber Provincial Park | Municipal District of Taber | 1936 | 1999 | Given to the Municipal District of Taber and ran as a municipal park | |
| Elkwater Lake Provincial Park | Cypress County | 1932 | 1951 | Became part of the newly created Cypress Hills Provincial Park, which later became Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. |  |
| Ghost River Provincial Park | Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8 | 1932 | 1950s |  | |
| Hasse Lake Provincial Park | Parkland County | 1970s | 2000s | Given to the county | |
| Lundbreck Falls Provincial Park | Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 9 | 1930s | 1950s | Made a Provincial Recreation Area |  |
| Assineau River Crossing Provincial Park | Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124 | 1930s | 1950s | Turned into a campground, then the campground closed | |
| Gaetz Lake Provincial Park | Red Deer County | 1960s | 1980s-90s | Given to the city and turned into Kerry Wood Nature Sanctuary |  |
| Ma-Me-O Beach Provincial Park | County of Wetaskiwin No. 10 | 1950s-60s | 1980s-90s | Given to the Summer Village of Ma-Me-O Beach |  |
| Hommey Provincial Park | County of Grande Prairie No. 1 | 1930s | 1980s-90s | Given to the county | |
| Saskatoon Mountain Provincial Park | County of Grande Prairie No. 1 | 1930s | 1950s | Given to the county | |
| Blue Bridge Provincial Park | Municipal District of Smoky River No. 130 | 1930s | 1940s-50s | Given to the county | |
Willmore Wilderness Park, in Alberta, Canada, is a 4,600-square-kilometre (1,800 sq mi) wilderness area adjacent to Jasper National Park. It is lesser known and less visited than Jasper National Park. There are no public roads, bridges or buildings. There are, however, several ranger cabins in the park that are available as a courtesy to visitors.
Chinchaga Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northwestern Alberta, Canada. The park is a 802.7 square kilometres (310 sq mi) environmentally protected tract of land within the 5,000 km2 (1,900 sq mi) of the greater Chinchaga wilderness area. It is a disjunct outlier of the Foothills Natural Region of Alberta. It was established on 15 December 1999. The greater Chinchaga area was identified in 1995 as an Environmentally Significant Area. It was designated by the Alberta Government as a protected area under the "Special Places" program. The park is administered by the Upper Peace Land Use Framework.
Northern Alberta is a geographic region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.
Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 20 December 2000 with an area of 144,505 hectares. On 14 May 2018, the park was enlarged slightly to an area of 145,969 hectares. The park is contained in the Lower Athabasca Region Land Use Framework finalized in 2012. It contains a free roaming wood bison herd. The park is named for the Birch Mountains that are partially contained within the boundaries of the park.
Kazan Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. It was established on 14 May 2018 and is a large park with an area of 659,397 hectares (2,546 sq mi). As of January 2023, Kazan is the largest park under Alberta provincial authority. The park was initiated by and is contained in the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan Land Use Framework in August 2012. Two smaller parks, La Butte Creek and Colin-Cornwall Lakes Wildland Provincial Parks, were disestablished and incorporated into Kazan.
Richardson Wildland Park is a wildland provincial park in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, northern Alberta, Canada. It was established 14 May 2018 and has an area of 312,068 hectares (1,204.90 sq mi). Two previous parks, Maybelle River Wildland Provincial Park and Richardson River Dunes Wildland Provincial Park, established in 1998, were disestablished on 14 May 2018 and the area was incorporated into Richardson Wildland Park. The park is within the Lower Athabasca Region Land Use Framework and managed within the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan.
Birch River Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. It was established on 14 May 2018 and covers 331,832 hectares (1,281.2 sq mi).The park is contained in the Lower Athabasca Region Land Use Framework finalized in 2012. The park is named for the Birch River that flows through it.
Bob Creek Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park located in the Municipal District of Ranchland, in southern Alberta, Canada. It was established on 12 May 1999, modified slightly on 24 June 2003, and is 20,777.69 hectares in area. The park is included in the South Saskatchewan Region Land Use Framework and administered by the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan. Because they are so intertwined, Bob Creek Wildland and Black Creek Heritage Rangeland are managed through the same Management Plan. The park gets its name from the Bob Creek that runs through the center of the park and drains the surrounding hills.
Brazeau Canyon Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in Yellowhead County, central Alberta, Canada. The park has an area of 5,039.32 hectares and was created on 20 December 2000. The park is named for the valley in which flows the Brazeau River.
Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada. It was created on 24 July 2001 and has an area of 62,775 hectares. The park was named for the 11th premier of Alberta, Don Getty. The park was designated as part of the Special Places 2000: Alberta’s Natural Heritage initiative.
Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in Wood Buffalo, northern Alberta, Canada. Kitaskino, means “our land” in Cree and Nuwenëné means “our land” in Dene; the two languages are spoken by the First Nation communities in the area. The park as created on 8 March 2019 had an area of 161,880 hectares. It was expanded on 26 January 2022 to 314,510 hectares. The park is a successful collaboration between the Mikisew Cree First Nation, the governments of Alberta and Canada, and petroleum industry partners in the area. Teck Resources, Imperial Oil, and Cenovus Energy returned oil leases to the Athabasca oil sands which underlay the area. This enabled the land to be turned into a park. After the initial creation of the park in 2019, the Milisew First Nation worked with Burgess Canadian Resources to relinquished their oilsands leases which led to the addition of 152,000 hectares to the park.
Dunvegan West Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in Saddle Hills County, Alberta, Canada. The park was created on 20 December 2000 and has an area of 20,967.8 hectares. The park consists of several separated parcels of land along the south bank of the Peace River from Dunvegan west to the British Columbia border.
Marguerite River Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in Wood Buffalo, northern Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 20 December 2000 and has an area of 196,301.9 hectares (757.9 sq mi). The park is part of the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan. The park was named for the Marguerite River that flows thru the park and forms a portion of the park's western boundary. The park was originally created in 1998 as Marguerite Crag and Tail Wildland Provincial Park. It was reformed and renamed in 2000.
Grand Rapids Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in Wood Buffalo and Municipal District of Opportunity, northern Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 20 December 2000 with an area of 25,666.61 hectares. The area was adjusted slightly in 2004 to 24,178.02 hectares and again on 20 December 2004 to its current area of 26,331.643 hectares. The park is part of the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan. The park is named for the Grand Rapids on the Athabasca River that are within the park.
La Biche River Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 6 June 2000 and had an area of 16,843.975 hectares. It was expanded on 8 August 2001 to an area of 17,545.251 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework.
Lesser Slave Lake Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in central Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 7 February 2001 and has an area of 3,581.450 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework.
Otter-Orloff Lakes Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 15 December 2000 and has an area of 6,948 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework. The park surrounds Orloff Lake and Otter Lake is named for the two lakes contained within the park.
Rock Lake–Solomon Creek Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in west-central Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 20 December 2000 and has an area of 34,682.9 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework. The park is named for the local lake and creek within the boundaries of the park.
Winagami Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 26 August 1998 and has an area of 17,439.886 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework. The park is named for Winagami Lake which is adjacent to the park.
