Tours and programs
Elk Island National Park
Interpretive programs
Develop a deeper connection just outside Alberta’s capital city. Parks Canada interpreters will help you create memories and inspire connections to Elk Island National Park through a variety of daily programming. We engage, entertain, and educate, while helping you experience all Elk Island has to offer.
- Feel a fuzzy bison pelt
- Travel back in time with archaeological activities that bring history to life
- Discover a new world by peering into the underwater world off our living boardwalk or staring up in wonder at a starry night sky
- Get hands on and experience Indigenous culture with Cree crafting workshops
Weekdays
Astotin Theatre
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Open hours: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm
Discover artifacts, talk to a Parks Canada interpreter, and watch movies on the big screen. Create your own memories and inspire a deeper connection in this interactive space.
Daily Discoveries
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Time: 1 pm to 4 pm
Stop by for fun daily activities! From archaeological history to community science, visit an interpreter under the pop-up tent in the Astotin Lake Recreation Area for a different activity each day.
Fridays
Bison Tales Campfire
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Time: 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Gather around the fire and listen to park interpreters share a collection of stories about the rise and fall of bison. Arrive early to save your spot!
Saturdays
Bison Backstage
Location: Heritage Barn near the Wahkotowin Visitor Information Centre
Times: 12:30 pm, 2 pm, 3:30 pm
Bison Backstage is the exclusive, behind the scenes look at bison conservation at Elk Island. Visitors will be led through the Plains Bison Handling Facility and along the way will learn about the history of bison, how they affect the prairie landscape around them, and how parks staff continue the ongoing role in bison conservation efforts. This is a 1-hour walking tour that covers approximately 1 kilometer over uneven ground.
Astotin Theatre
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Open hours: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm
Discover artifacts, talk to a Parks Canada interpreter, and watch movies on the big screen. Create your own memories and inspire a deeper connection in this interactive space.
Bison Pies
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Times: 2 pm to 5 pm
Grasslands are amazing, mind-bending places that support an incredible diversity of life. Learn about bison and their role as a keystone species in creating healthy grasslands.
Dark Sky Stories Campfire
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Time: 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Settle in next to a campfire to hear dark sky stories that have fascinated people for generations. Arrive early to save your spot!
Sundays
Bison Backstage
Location: Heritage Barn near the Wahkotowin Visitor Information Centre
Times: 12:30 pm, 2 pm, 3:30 pm
Bison Backstage is the exclusive, behind the scenes look at bison conservation at Elk Island. Visitors will be led through the Plains Bison Handling Facility and along the way will learn about the history of bison, how they affect the prairie landscape around them, and how parks staff continue the ongoing role in bison conservation efforts. This is a 1-hour walking tour that covers approximately 1 kilometer over uneven ground.
Astotin Theatre
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Open hours: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm
Discover artifacts, talk to a Parks Canada interpreter, and watch movies on the big screen. Create your own memories and inspire a deeper connection in this interactive space.
Travel Back in Time
Location: Heritage Barn near the Wahkotowin Visitor Information Centre
Time: 10 am to 4 pm
Take a step back in time with a park interpreter at a mock archaeological dig site. Uncover the past through bison bones, tools from thousands of years ago, and even litter!
Beaver Town: Exploring a Beaver’s Neighbourhood
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Time: 2 pm to 5 pm
Uncover the land and water that is shaped by busy beavers. Why are beavers considered “ecosystem engineers”? What does the presence of a beaver mean to the rest of their neighbourly companions? Dig up the answers to these questions and more!
Teachers: Be sure to visit our School Programs page.
Private programming
Parks Canada interpreters are enthusiastic and knowledgeable and have a number of paid programs ready for groups!
Celebrating Indigenous Culture
At Parks Canada, Indigenous voices share their own stories of their history and culture
Dark sky experiences
Elk Island National Park is a member of the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve and is a perfect place to experience the stars and planets above
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