Endless kilometres of trails follow forests of black spruce, poplars, birch and trembling aspen; lush meadows and wetlands; and trace the edges of ancient lakes and streams where abundant wildlife and an almost unfathomable number of bird species thrive. Where else might you see the rare trumpeter swan, gaze at the night skies, paddle a canoe on what was once a Glacial Lake? All this is just a short drive outside the city and ready for exploring in a natural protected area known as the Beaver Hills Biosphere. Connecting two well-known landmarks, Elk Island National Park and the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, the Biosphere, covering almost 1600 square kilometres, invites an immersive experience into Nature and a range of diverse outdoor recreational experiences.
Whether a novice hiker, avid cyclist, horseback enthusiast or a canoer/kayaker, there are many appealing ways to explore, discover and connect with the natural world in the Biosphere. With numerous access points and information sites to guide you, the entire area is readily accessible and just a short day trip away. All you need is a map to follow your own journey into Nature.
“Biospheres, mostly from an ecological and ecocultural and biodiversity standpoint are special areas marked out by a variety of ecological and geological factors that host significance both in biodiversity in water, in land and also culture,” explains Bob Montgomery, executive director of the Beaver Hills Biosphere, one of 19 in Canada, designated by UNESCO. “The Biosphere reflects how the land and everything on it, all living beings in the area are connected.”
Left behind after the last ice age, the biosphere is a glacial moraine carved out as ice retreated across the prairie landscape, leaving in its wake a flat island of two hills 100-300 metres higher than the surrounding area, creating a unique sub watershed that is part of the greater North Saskatchewan watershed. Over time persistent beavers thriving in the wetlands shaped the plateau, creating its unique character of upland boreal forests and pockets of streams and lakes, known as “knob and kettle” terrain.
The beauty of the Biosphere is that there are so many unique areas to discover. Map out your own day trip or visit at night, as the Beaver Hills Biosphere is one of Alberta’s five designated Dark Sky Preserves. Or spend several days in the biosphere experiencing wildlife in these treasured, protected, natural areas.
Start by heading out on Yellowhead Highway 16 east of Edmonton, about 36 km to Range Road 210 south (just before Elk Island National Park) to enter the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area, a “day use only” area. The 97 square kilometre multi-use area supports agriculture, wildlife, natural gas extraction and outdoor recreation. Forests, pastures and wetlands surround 170 km of hiking trails ranging from easy family walks to more strenuous hikes accessible from what are known as Staging Areas: Waskehegan, Central, Blackfoot and Islet Lake. On these trails avid bird watchers may see cranes, rare trumpeter swans and blue herons.
Mountain biking is allowed on all hiking trails, roads and the Central Alleyway, but is not permitted on designated equestrian trails. Designated equestrian access points are equipped with ramps and hitching posts. Islet Lake, with parking lot access, is ideal for kayakers and canoers.
East of Tofield, discover the Beaver Hill Bird Observatory, just outside the biosphere, but occupying the same characteristic wetlands. Naturalists, photographers and young birders are attracted to the observatory where biologists have catalogued over 400 species of birds.
Follow the gravel road, enter the front gate, drive through a farmer’s field to the visitor parking lot and walk about a kilometre through the forest and grassland to get to the research station deep in the woods on the south shore of Beaver Hill Lake. While their primary focus is observing the hundreds of migratory birds that pass through, particularly songbirds and owls, biologists also monitor butterflies, moths and bats. The field season runs from May through November. During this time the Observatory hosts a number of educational programs for the public, camps which draw youth from around the world and special events such as the annual Snow Goose Festival.
Photographers and birders can expect to see the Leaf Fly Catcher, one of the top breeders in the area, a Tree Swallow breeding colony, shorebirds such as Ducks and Geese, wetland species such as common Yellow throats, Marsh and Sedge wrens. In past years, Pileated Woodpeckers, Black Grebes and even bitterns have been sighted. The owls start to come in the Fall.
Cooking Lake-Blackfoot, along with neighbouring Elk Island, is one of three designated dark sky preserves in the Biosphere, with clear views of the skies, ideal for stargazers away from the bright city lights.
To get to the southern tip of the Beaver Hills Biosphere, head to Miquelon Lake Provincial Park, which hosts a research station and telescope for stargazers, away from the bright city lights. The Hesje Observatory, operated by the University of Alberta, with its domed tower and observation deck hosts major sky events to which observers can bring their own telescopes. The Observatory offers weekly drop-in or private stargazing sessions for groups as large as 10 people.
For a taste of the Biosphere, the family-oriented Strathcona Wilderness Centre is a place to begin before delving deeper. Just a 30-minute drive east of Sherwood Park off Highway 14 the Centre offers a variety of programs for schools and groups and is surrounded by 12 kilometres of walking trails. Or walk the Biosphere Diversity Trail, an easy 2.1 kilometre loop accessible off Range Road 211, one kilometre south of Township Road 530 (Baseline Road) on the east side of the Centre.
“There are so many peaceful places in the biosphere, so many areas of under-utilized space,” says Montgomery. “We need to keep these places sacred and special but in order to do that we need to share them, too.”
