The Waskahegan Trail is a walking/hiking trail that runs through and around Edmonton

Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...

, Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. It is 309 km and runs through a mix of public and private land. Landowners are paid nothing. Their permission is given on the understanding that it can be withdrawn at any time for any reason. The trail is managed by a volunteer board, the Waskahegan Trail Association (WTA).

History

The beginnings of the trail started in 1967 with Fred Dorward, the trail's founder, pitching the idea to the Oil Capital Kiwanis group who provided funding and support. Other people and organizations involved at this time were the Edmonton Regional Planning Commission, Edmonton Parks and Recreation, the Alberta Department of Youth, Alberta Public Works, the Canadian Hostelling Association, the Scouts Association, Alberta Travel, Elk Island National Park and Grant MacEwan.

The trail was named in a contest in 1967 by D.B. Remington. Waskaheegan is Cree for "house", in reference to the nearby Fort Edmonton Trading Post. At the same time in 1967, the Regional Trials Committee was formed to promote the Trail in the Edmonton Journal and setting up a set of group bylaws. WTA was 'born' at 7:40 pm, March 20, 1969 at a meetings of the Regional Trails Committee. Work in earnest began in 1973 with 100KM of trail being built and the first guide book published.

Current Route

Although the trail is more or less circular in shape its starting point is in north east Edmonton at the intersection of the river and 144th Avenue. From this point it runs SW to the Whitemud and Blackmud Creeks ending at Ellerslie Road, the first gap. This gap ends at Saunders Lake (directly east of the Edmonton International Airport), south to Coal Lake

Coal Lake

Coal Lake is a long, sinuous lake located approximately southeast of the city of Edmonton, just northeast of the city of Wetaskiwin. The lake is glacial meltwater channel from the last ice age....

 in the Wetaskiwin area, then east along the Battle River from Gwynne

Gwynne, Alberta

Gwynne is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within the County of Wetaskiwin No. 10. It is located on Highway 13, approximately east of Wetaskiwin.- References :...

 to Camrose

Camrose, Alberta

Camrose is a city in central Alberta, Canada, amid some of the richest farmland in the prairies. It is a relatively small city which originally grew up along a railroad and now grows along Highway 13. Camrose is a scenic community with many parks, leading to its moniker "The Rose City"...

. North of Camrose is the second gap after which the trail continues north from Miquelon Lake Provincial Park

Miquelon Lake Provincial Park

Miquelon Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park located in Alberta, Canada.The park was established on May 20, 1958.-External links:...

 through Ministik Lake Bird Sanctuary, Hastings Lake area, and the Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation Area to Elk Island National Park

Elk Island National Park

Elk Island National Park , is one of 43 national parks and park reserves administered by the Parks Canada Agency. This “island of conservation” is located 35 km east of Edmonton, Alberta along the Yellowhead Highway, which nearly bisects the park...

. It then continues west along Ross Creek to Fort Saskatchewan. The third and final gap is between Fort Saskatchewan and the starting point in Edmonton.

Trees and Tall Shrubs in the Waskahegan Area

Conifers

White spruce White Spruce Picea glauca is a species of spruce native to boreal forests in the north of North America, from central Alaska east to Newfoundland, and south to northern Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine; there is also an isolated population in the... Black spruce Black Spruce Picea mariana is a species of spruce native to northern North America, from Newfoundland west to Alaska, and south to northern New York, Minnesota and central British Columbia... Jack pine Jack Pine Jack pine is a North American pine with its native range in Canada east of the Rocky Mountains from Northwest Territories to Nova Scotia, and the northeast of the United States from Minnesota to Maine, with the southernmost part of the range just into northwest Indiana... Tamarack

Deciduous trees

Trembling Aspen Populus tremuloides Populus tremuloides is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, commonly called quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, and Quakies,. The trees have tall trunks, up to 25 metres, with smooth pale bark, scarred with black. The glossy green leaves, dull beneath, become golden... White Poplar White Poplar Populus alba, commonly called abele, silver poplar, silverleaf poplar, or white poplar, is a species of poplar, most closely related to the aspens . It is native from Spain and Morocco through central Europe to central Asia... Balsam Poplar Balsam poplar The balsam poplars — also known as Populus sect. Tacamahaca — are a group of about 10 species of poplars, indigenous to North America and eastern Asia, distinguished by the balsam scent of their buds, the whitish undersides of their leaves, and the leaf petiole being round in cross-section... White Birch White Birch White Birch may refer to:* Betula papyrifera* Betula pendula* Shirakabaha, Japanese literary group* The White Birch , Norwegian recording artists... Water Birch River Alder Alder Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to... Green Alder Saskatoon Saskatoon Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344.... Pin Cherry Pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica, also known as bird cherry, fire cherry, pin cherry, and red cherry, is a North American cherry species in the genus Prunus.-Distribution:... Choke cherry High-bush cranberry Canadian buffaloberry Red Osier Dogwood Red Osier Dogwood The Red Osier Dogwood is a species of dogwood native throughout northern and western North America from Alaska east to Newfoundland, south to Durango and Nuevo León in the west, and Illinois and Virginia in the east... Silverberry Beaked hazelnut Willow Willow Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere... Hawthorn Crataegus Crataegus , commonly called hawthorn or thornapple, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the rose family, Rosaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia and North America. The name hawthorn was originally applied to the species native to northern Europe,... Manitoba Maple Caragana Caragana Caragana is a genus of about 80 species of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, native to Asia and eastern Europe.They are shrubs or small trees growing 1-6 m tall...

Mammals of the Waskahegan Area

Shrews	Masked Shrew Arctic Shrew Arctic Shrew The Arctic Shrew , also known as the Blackback Shrew or Saddlebacked Shrew, is a medium-sized shrew found in Canada and the northern United States. Separate species status has been proposed for the Maritime Shrew which is found in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and had been considered to be a... Pygmy Shrew Water Shrew American Water Shrew The American Water Shrew or Northern Water Shrew, is a large North American shrew found in aquatic habitats. Some sources include the Glacier Bay Water Shrew, S. alaskanus, within this species.... Prairie Shrew Prairie Shrew The Prairie Shrew is a small shrew found in the Canadian prairies and midwestern United States. At one time, this species was considered to be a subspecies of the similar Cinereus Shrew, S. cinereus....
Hares	Snowshoe Hare Snowshoe Hare The Snowshoe Hare , also called the Varying Hare, or Snowshoe Rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet and the marks its tail leaves. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks... Jack Rabbit
Bats	Little/Big Brown Bat Hoary Bat Hoary bat The hoary bat is a species of bat in the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. It occurs throughout most of North America and much of South America, with disjunct populations in the Galapagos and Hawaiian Islands... Silver-Haired Bat Silver-Haired Bat The Silver-haired Bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae and the only member of the genus Lasionycteris.- Habitat :...
Rodents	Least Chipmunk Least Chipmunk The least chipmunk is the smallest chipmunk in North America. It is also the most widespread species of chipmunk in North America occurring across north-central and western United States and from British Columbia and southern Yukon to western Quebec in Canada... Woodchuck Gopher Gopher (animal) The term gopher as it is commonly used does not relate to any one species, but is a generic term used to describe any of several small burrowing rodents endemic to North America, including the pocket gopher , also called true gophers, and the ground squirrel , including Richardson's ground squirrel... Striped gopher Red Squirrel Red Squirrel The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia... Northern Flying Squirrel Northern Flying Squirrel The Northern flying squirrel is one of two species of the genus Glaucomys, the only flying squirrels found in North America . Unlike most members of their family, flying squirrels are strictly nocturnal... Northern Pocket Gopher Northern Pocket Gopher The Northern Pocket Gopher, Thomomys talpoides, was first discovered by Lewis and Clark on April 9, 1805 at the mouth of the Knife River, North Dakota. These animals are often rich brown or yellowish brown, but also grayish or closely approaching local soil color and have white markings under chin... Beaver Beaver The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world... Deer Mouse Northern Bog Lemming Northern Bog Lemming The Northern Bog Lemming, Synaptomys borealis is a small North American lemming. This is one of two species in genus Synaptomys, the other being the Southern Bog Lemming.... Southern Red-backed Vole Southern Red-backed Vole The Southern Red-backed Vole or Gapper's Red-backed Vole is a small slender vole found in Canada and the northern United States... Meadow vole Meadow Vole The Meadow Vole , sometimes called the Field Mouse or Meadow Mouse, is a North American vole found across Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. Its range extends further south along the Atlantic coast. One subspecies, the Florida Salt Marsh Vole , is found in Florida, and is classified as... Prairie vole Prairie Vole The Prairie Vole is a small vole found in central North America. The vole has long, coarse grayish-brown fur on the upper portion of the body and yellowish fur on the lower portion of the body... Jumping mouse Western jumping mouse Western Jumping Mouse The Western Jumping Mouse , is a species of rodent in the Dipodidae family. It is found in Canada and the United States.... Muskrat Muskrat The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats... Porcupine Porcupine Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
Carnivores	Red fox Red Fox The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia... Raccoon Raccoon Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are... Long-tailed weasel Long-tailed Weasel The long-tailed weasel , also known as the bridled weasel or big stoat is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central America and into northern South America.-Evolution:The long-tailed weasel is the product of... Ermine Ermine Ermine has several uses:* A common name for the stoat * The white fur and black tail end of this animal, which is historically worn by and associated with royalty and high officials... Least weasel Least Weasel The least weasel is the smallest member of the Mustelidae , native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, though it has been introduced elsewhere. It is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and presumably large population... Mink Mink There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and... Badger Badger Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae... Striped skunk Striped Skunk The striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, is an omnivorous mammal of the skunk family Mephitidae. Found over most of the North American continent north of Mexico, it is one of the best-known mammals in Canada and the United States.-Description:... Canada lynx Canada Lynx The Canada lynx or Canadian lynx is a North American mammal of the cat family, Felidae. It is a close relative of the Eurasian Lynx . Some authorities regard both as conspecific. However, in some characteristics the Canada lynx is more like the bobcat than the Eurasian Lynx... Coyote Coyote The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
Ungulates	White tailed deer Mule deer Mule Deer The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer... Bison Bison Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized... Elk Elk The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...