Dinosaur Provincial Park

Photo Credit: Kevin Saff

Roar! Located approximately two hours east of Calgary lies Dinosaur Provincial Park, a 75-million year old UNESCO World Heritage Site where some of the most extensive dinosaur fossil fields in the world lie. The land here is much different than the Alberta prairie grasslands. Here visitors enter a new world of hoodoos, coulees, buttes, and pinnacles. Known as the "badlands", many feel this region resembles something more like mars or the moon where strange land formations rise up on all sides.

The area of Dinosaur Provincial Park was once a populous region where dinosaurs once hunted and mated -- and ultimately met their demise. This has left a rich fossil and bone record for us to discover. In fact, the area has been home to over 150 complete dinosaur skeleton excavations in addition to several "bone beds" or collections of bones.

Dinosaur Provincial Park offers it's visitors five interpretive trails in three different habitats but all trails are for pedestrian use only. Cyclists are restricted to the park's paved and gravel roads. Don't forget to wear sturdy footwear when hiking the trails.

Visitors are advised to purchase tickets and make reservations ahead of time as this park can get quite busy, especially during the summer months. The park offers several camp area and facilities. Please visit the web site for more information.