Just 35 minutes east of Edmonton, Alberta, along the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16), lies Elk Island National Park—a compact yet remarkable “island” of protected aspen parkland, wetlands, and rolling hills. Spanning about 194 square kilometers, this is Canada’s only fully fenced national park and one of its oldest, serving as a vital sanctuary for Plains Bison (Bison bison bison) and Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae), Elk (Cervus canadensis), and a rich array of other wildlife. Designated part of the UNESCO Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve and a Dark Sky Preserve, it offers an accessible wilderness escape where visitors can encounter free-roaming herds against a backdrop of glassy lakes and star-filled skies.
A history rooted in wildlife protection
Elk Island’s story begins with conservation urgency. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Beaver Hills (known as Amiskwaciy in Cree) had seen dramatic declines in wildlife due to the fur trade, overhunting, and settlement. North American Beavers (Castor canadensis) were nearly wiped out by the 1830s, and large hoofed mammals like Bison and Elk became scarce.
In 1899, the area was set aside as the Cooking Lake Forest Reserve. Then, in 1906, five local residents from the Fort Saskatchewan area successfully petitioned the federal government to create Canada’s first wildlife refuge. “Elk Park” was established that July under the Dominion Forest Reserve Act, enclosing about 42 square kilometres around Astotin Lake with a 2.2-metre fence to protect one of the last significant Elk herds in the region. It started with a small population of Elk, Moose (Alces alces), and Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus).
The park’s defining role in Bison recovery began almost immediately. In 1907, the Canadian government purchased one of the last and largest remaining pure Plains Bison herds—the famous Pablo-Allard herd from Montana. This herd traced its origins to the early 1870s, when Samuel Walking Coyote (also known as Whist a Sinchilape), a Pend d’Oreille man, captured four orphaned Bison calves (two males and two females) after a hunt near the Milk River in what is now the Alberta-Montana border region. The calves followed his horses home and were raised near the St. Ignatius Mission on the Flathead Reservation. By 1884, the small group had grown to about 13 animals; Walking Coyote sold most of them (around 10) to two mixed-heritage ranchers, Michel Pablo (of Mexican and Blackfoot ancestry) and Charles Allard, for roughly $250 per head.
Pablo and Allard allowed the Bison to range freely across the Flathead Reservation, where the animals thrived and multiplied. They further expanded the herd in the 1890s by purchasing additional animals, including some from Charles “Buffalo” Jones that incorporated genetics from other early private herds (such as those originating with Samuel Bedson in Manitoba). After Allard’s death in 1896, Pablo continued managing the growing population, which by the early 1900s numbered several hundred—estimates range from over 600 to nearly 800—making it the largest remaining pure Plains Bison herd in North America at the time.
When the U.S. government’s Flathead Allotment Act opened the reservation to non-Indigenous settlement, free-ranging space disappeared. Pablo sought to sell the herd to the American government, but the offered price was too low. He then turned to Canada. Through efforts involving figures such as Howard Douglas (Superintendent of Rocky Mountains Park, now Banff) and Minister of the Interior Frank Oliver, the Canadian government agreed to purchase the animals at approximately $200–$250 per head (plus shipping costs). Between 1907 and 1912, roughly 700–716 Bison were rounded up in a series of difficult drives and shipped by rail in multiple loads (the largest early shipments totaling around 410 animals in 1907 alone).
The first groups were temporarily held at Elk Island while fences were completed at the newly established Buffalo National Park near Wainwright, Alberta. Most of the herd was later transferred there, but approximately 40–50 (and by some accounts up to around 85) Bison remained behind or eluded capture at Elk Island. These animals and their descendants form the core of today’s disease-free Plains Bison herd in the park—one of the most genetically important conservation herds in existence. Many modern Plains Bison populations across North America (and even some international reintroduction efforts) trace significant ancestry back to this Pablo-Allard lineage. The park received Dominion Park status in 1913 and full national park designation under the National Parks Act in 1930. Expansions followed, including land south of the highway in the 1920s and 1940s for the Wood Bison area.
Wood Bison were introduced in the 1960s from Wood Buffalo National Park to preserve pure genetics. North American Beavers were successfully reintroduced in 1941–1942 after more than a century’s absence, followed by Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) in 1987 and other species. The park’s disease-free, genetically pure Bison herds have since supplied animals for reintroduction projects across North America—including Banff National Park in 2017—and even internationally.
Landscape and ecology
Elk Island protects a representative portion of the Southern Boreal Plains and Plateaux natural region. Its knob-and-kettle topography—shaped by glaciers—features aspen parkland (one of Canada’s most endangered ecosystems), mixed-wood forests, fescue grasslands, black spruce bogs, and numerous shallow kettle lakes and wetlands. Astotin Lake, the largest, is dotted with small islands that inspired the park’s name.
The complete fence isolates the park from surrounding farmland and highways, creating high wildlife densities while requiring active management to prevent overgrazing. Internal fencing separates the Plains Bison (generally north of Highway 16) from the Wood Bison (south side). The park supports 18 species at risk and forms a core area of the broader Beaver Hills Biosphere, designated by UNESCO in 2016.
Wildlife: Bison and beyond
The stars of Elk Island are its Bison. Populations fluctuate under careful management but typically include several hundred Plains Bison and a few hundred Wood Bison (recent estimates have ranged around 400–600 Plains Bison and 300–400 Wood Bison). Plains Bison are slightly smaller with a distinctive shaggy “cape”; Wood Bison are larger and darker. Both are managed as disease-free conservation herds.
The park also hosts one of Canada’s densest concentrations of hoofed mammals: Elk (wapiti—the namesake species), Moose, White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and Mule Deer. Other residents include North American Beaver, Coyote (Canis latrans), Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis), North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), and occasionally American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) or Gray Wolves (Canis lupus). More than 250 bird species have been recorded, making it excellent for birdwatching—American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), Red-Necked Grebes (Podiceps grisegena), Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias), Red-Tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), and migratory waterfowl are common. The smallest terrestrial mammal in North America, the American Pygmy Shrew (Sorex hoyi), also lives here alongside the largest, the Wood Bison.
Visitors often experience “Bison jams” along the Elk Island Parkway or Bison Loop Road, especially at dawn and dusk or during the late-summer rut, when bulls are more active and aggressive.
Things to do
With more than 80 kilometres of trails ranging from easy lakeside loops to longer moderate and challenging routes through forests and meadows, hiking is a highlight. Popular options explore Astotin Lake, beaver ponds, and viewpoints. Cycling is permitted on selected trails and roads. Canoeing, kayaking, or stand-up paddleboarding on Astotin Lake (when conditions allow) offers peaceful views of the islands.
Wildlife viewing from the road or trails is world-class. Camping is available at Astotin Lake Campground (drive-in sites and oTENTik units) and limited backcountry options. In winter, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and dark-sky stargazing take centre stage. Interpretive programs, the Wahkotowin Visitor Information Centre, and Astotin Theatre provide education on the park’s natural and cultural heritage, including Indigenous connections and the principle of wahkotowin (kinship and interconnectedness).
Planning your visit
The main south entrance is approximately 48 kilometres from downtown Edmonton via Highway 16 East. The park is open year-round, 24 hours a day, though facilities and services have seasonal hours. A park pass is required (note periodic free-admission promotions such as the Canada Strong Pass). Stay a safe distance from wildlife—especially Bison (100 metres or more, farther during the rut)—and remain in vehicles when viewing roadside herds.
Best times include weekdays, early spring, or late fall for fewer crowds, though summer offers the fullest range of activities and the dramatic Bison rut. Winter brings solitude and excellent dark-sky viewing. Facilities include accessible washrooms, a gift shop, electric vehicle charging, and picnic areas.
A model of conservation success
Elk Island stands as one of North America’s great conservation success stories. From the brink of extinction, its Bison herds have helped restore the species across the continent. By protecting a remnant of aspen parkland and actively managing its ecosystems—through prescribed fire, population control, and reintroductions—it demonstrates how a small, fenced “island” can have outsized impact. It remains a place where people and wildlife coexist under the shared responsibility of stewardship, inviting visitors to experience the living heritage of the Beaver Hills.
Whether you’re seeking a quick wildlife drive, a day of hiking and paddling, or a deeper connection to Canada’s conservation history, Elk Island National Park delivers an unforgettable encounter with the wild just beyond the city lights. For the most current information, visit the official Parks Canada page for Elk Island National Park: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/elkisland.
