Winter Adventures
Ready for winter fun?
Winter Adventures
© Parks Canada
- Strap on your skis or snowshoes and expect a day of spectacular scenery in our winter wonderland.
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Warm up with a fire at the Tawayik Lake warming shelter. Now outfitted to keep out the winter chill!
- Snowshoers can hike Amisk Wuche trail or make their own trail in the bison loop road area. Please use the pull off to park.
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Ski and Snowshoe reports are now online.
Geocache Elk Island
Winter Geocaching © Parks Canada
8 new geocaches have been set in Elk Island so grab your snowshoes for a day of fun! Caches range from easy 1/2 hour treks to challenging half day finds. Locate all 8, crack the code and get rewarded with a geocache coin.
Wildlife Watching
Winter is the best time for viewing members of the deer family! Deer, elk, and moose become more active while finding food, making it easier to spot them! Coyotes and porcupines are often found along the parkway; please adhere to speed limits. Large predators are not common to the park, but do move through the area. If you see signs of bears, cougars or wolves, please let us know.
Sale! Elk Island Annual Passes
Purchase your Elk Island annual park pass at a discounted rate. The sale is on from December 1, 2011 until March 31, 2012. Purchase your pass at the South Gate Friday to Sunday (hours vary) or at the Warden Office Monday to Friday 8:00 am - 3:00pm.
Bison Homecoming
The plains bison seen in Elk Island are the descendents of one of the last remaining herds in North America. In 1906 the Canadian government purchased 410 bison from Montana in hopes of re-populating the species.
On January 24, 2012, Elk Island National Park celebrated the transfer of 70 plains bison to the American Prairie Reserve (APF) in Montana, returning them to their historic range along the Missouri River. This will be the second transfer of bison to Montana from this park, with the first occuring in 2009. This year’s transfer will increase APF’s herd to more than 210 animals.
The Government of Canada’s commitment to conservation initiatives is not limited by international borders. All of Canada’s plains bison conservation herds originated in Elk Island National Park. It is the priority herd in Canada for supplying plains bison to national and international conservation projects.
Ever wonder why the bison disappear at certain times of the year? They are probably in our handling facilities!
EINP Management Plan
Elk Island’s management plan has been approved by Parliament and is now online! Visit www.pc.gc.ca/elkisland or call 780.992.2950 for more information.