Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park is located in southern Alberta, just north of the Canada-US border, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 2019.
At Writing-on-Stone you will discover unique landscapes, and rock art and learn about the Blackfoot People’s connection to the site. Even now the site continues to be used by Indigenous people to carry out and practice their sacred traditions.
Things to do at Writing-on-Stone Park
There are outdoor activities you can take part in such as kayaking or paddling the Milk River, if the weather is nice you can take your kids down to the beach and relax.
You can take time to explore the different trails in the area or stop at the different viewpoints in the park. Spending time at Writing-on-Stone is a peaceful park where you can visit a perfect getaway from the busy everyday city life.
Wildlife at Writing-on-Stone Park
Some of the wildlife you might see while visiting Writing-on-Stone are, pronghorn antelope, mule deer, skunks, raccoons, beavers, yellow-bellied marmots, northern pocket gophers, bats, nuttalls’s cottontail, lleopard frogs, plains spadefoot toads, tiger salamanders, bull snake, garter snakes, and prairie rattlesnakes.
If you are into birding you can download this bird checklist to help keep track of more than 160 species of birds in the area including prairie falcon, kestrel, ring-necked pheasant, gray partridge, great horned and short-eared owls, mourning dove and cliff swallow.
Getting To Writing-on-Stone Park
Below are the directions from some of the cities and towns close by Writing-on-Stone. Click on the directions link to bring up Google Maps if you require help finding your way there.
| Starting Point | Time | Distance | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Calgary |
3hrs 35min |
343km |
|
|
Lethbridge |
1hr 23min |
128km |
|
|
Pincher Creek |
2hrs 25min |
224km |
|
|
Medicine Hat |
1hr 42min |
167km |
Hiking Trails at Writing-on-Stone Park
While spending time on the interpretive trails you will get an up close view of the hoodoos and have the opportunity to learn about the history of Writing-on-Stone park along the way.
Matapiiksi (Hoodoo) Interpretive Trail
The Hoodoo Trail winds through various landscapes there are a lot of interesting things you will see on this trail you will discover hoodoos, sandstone cliffs and rock art, upland prairie grasslands, and the Milk River valley and coulees. On this trail, there are numbered posts that correspond to the numbered sections in the guide that you can pick up from the visitor's centre. Starting the trail at the campground is a good idea, but it can be followed in either direction. Feel free to hike all or just part of the route. The out-and-back trail length is approximately 5.0 km return from the campground to the Police Coulee Viewpoint, including the Battle Scene.
Battle Scene Trail
Carved out on a cliff overlooking the Milk River, the Battle Scene is one of the most spectacular Native petroglyphs found at Wring-on-Stone. The distance from the campground trailhead to the Battle Scene is 3.5 km return.
Backcountry Hiking
The Davis and Humphrey coulee areas south of the river comprise the 930-hectare backcountry hiking zone. The hiking zone consists of rolling grasslands, hoodoo fields and narrow sandstone canyons. There are no developed trails; however, a network of game trails provides easy access to most areas. Access requires wading across the river. There is no recommended crossing site. Hikers cross at their own risk, generally following a suspected game trail.
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