Willmore Wilderness Park
Encyclopedia
Willmore Wilderness Park, located in Alberta
, Canada
, is a 4,600 square kilometre (1840 sq. mi.) wilderness area adjacent to the world famous Jasper National Park
. It is lesser known and less visited as the Jasper National Park, and there are no public roads, bridges or buildings (there are, however, several ranger cabins in the park which are available as a courtesy to visitors).
Other parks surround this wilderness reserve: Kakwa Wildlands Park
to the north, Kakwa Provincial Park and Protected Area
to the west, Rock Lake Provincial Park
to the south-west, Sulphur Gates Provincial Park to the west. Kakwa Wildlands Park, Kakwa Provincial Park and Willmore Wilderness Park comprise the first interprovincial shared between Alberta and British Columbia.
Access to the park is via Highway 40, through the town of Grande Cache
, and the four staging areas: Sulphur Gates, Cowlick Creek, Berland River and Rock Lake. Motorised vehicles are not allowed in the park, transportation is done by foot, horse, mountain bike or ski.
Another staging area
is found south-east of the park, in the town of Hinton
.
The Willmore Biodiversity Monitoring Project
The Alberta Experimental Wolverine Monitoring Project
The park protects a large population of mountain goat
s and bighorn sheep
(20% of the total population in Alberta). Other mammals commonly found here include grizzly bear
s, mountain caribou, elk
, deer
, cougars and wolves. Coyote
s, wolverine
s, lynx
and black bear
s are also present in the sub-alpine region, while marmot
s, rock pika, ptarmigan and Rocky Mountain goats can be found in the higher alpine areas.
The sub-alpine environment contains white spruce
, lodgepole pine
, balsam fir
and aspen poplar
.
Several native burial sites are located at Big Grave Flats, as well as some early coal mining, forestry and trapper cabins.
, hiking
, horseback riding, mountain biking
, cross-country skiing
and some hunting
. Fishing
for bull trout
is only allowed in a catch and release fashion (reports of 20 lb bull trout have been caught on the upper part of the jackpine river). Canoeing
and whitewater rafting can be done on the Smoky River
.
All motorized vehicles are prohibited within the park.
Open pit fires allowed.
Potential dangers while travelling through the park are changing weather (which can make rising waters dangerous to ford; there are not many bridges so don't get caught behind rising water), lost and water-logged trails and the abundant bear population.
Several trails cross the park (Indian Trail, Pope Thoreau Trail), and horseback riding can be done along rivers and passes (Sulphur River, West Sulphur River, Rocky Pass, Jackknife Pass, Casket Pass, Forget-Me-Not Pass, Fetherstonhaugh Pass and Morkill Pass).
Rock Lake staging area allows easy access to north of Jasper park through Willow Creek trail. The 14 km trail joins the north boundary trail at about 49 km (from snake Indian river staging).
(as Improvement District No. 9) and is managed by Alberta Community Development
as a wilderness park.
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...
, is a 4,600 square kilometre (1840 sq. mi.) wilderness area adjacent to the world famous Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, spanning 10,878 km² . It is located in the province of Alberta, north of Banff National Park and west of the City of Edmonton. The park includes the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls and...
. It is lesser known and less visited as the Jasper National Park, and there are no public roads, bridges or buildings (there are, however, several ranger cabins in the park which are available as a courtesy to visitors).
Other parks surround this wilderness reserve: Kakwa Wildlands Park
Kakwa Wildlands Park
Kakwa Wildlands Park is a provincial park in the Rocky Mountain Foothills just east of the northern Canadian Rockies, in Alberta, Canada,, immediately east of the border with British Columbia at the 120th meridian west....
to the north, Kakwa Provincial Park and Protected Area
Kakwa Provincial Park and Protected Area
Kakwa Provincial Park and Protected Area is a 170,890 ha provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. There are significant amounts of fish fossils there. The tallest mountains are Mount Sir Alexander and Mount Ida . Fishing in Kakwa Lake is permitted...
to the west, Rock Lake Provincial Park
Rock Lake Provincial Park
Rock Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in Alberta, Canada, located on the shores of Rock Lake, north-west from Hinton, north on the Bighorn Highway and 39 km west on an access road....
to the south-west, Sulphur Gates Provincial Park to the west. Kakwa Wildlands Park, Kakwa Provincial Park and Willmore Wilderness Park comprise the first interprovincial shared between Alberta and British Columbia.
Access to the park is via Highway 40, through the town of Grande Cache
Grande Cache, Alberta
Grande Cache is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada, located northwest of Hinton and west of Edmonton. It is located in the Municipal District of Greenview, between Highway 40 and the Smoky River, at the northern border of Alberta's Rockies...
, and the four staging areas: Sulphur Gates, Cowlick Creek, Berland River and Rock Lake. Motorised vehicles are not allowed in the park, transportation is done by foot, horse, mountain bike or ski.
Another staging area
Staging area
A staging area is a location where organisms, people, vehicles, equipment or material are assembled before use.- In construction :...
is found south-east of the park, in the town of Hinton
Hinton, Alberta
Hinton is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada.It is located in Yellowhead County, northeast of Jasper and about west of Alberta's capital city, Edmonton, at the intersection of Yellowhead and Bighorn Highway, in the Athabasca River valley.-History:...
.
Conservation
Current conservation-based research within Willmore includes:The Willmore Biodiversity Monitoring Project
The Alberta Experimental Wolverine Monitoring Project
The park protects a large population of mountain goat
Mountain goat
The Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...
s and bighorn sheep
Bighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
(20% of the total population in Alberta). Other mammals commonly found here include grizzly bear
Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...
s, mountain caribou, 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:...
, deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, cougars and wolves. 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...
s, wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
s, lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
and black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
s are also present in the sub-alpine region, while marmot
Marmot
The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
s, rock pika, ptarmigan and Rocky Mountain goats can be found in the higher alpine areas.
The sub-alpine environment contains 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...
, lodgepole pine
Lodgepole Pine
Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta, also known as Shore Pine, is a common tree in western North America. Like all pines, it is evergreen.-Subspecies:...
, balsam fir
Balsam Fir
The balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada and the northeastern United States .-Growth:It is a small to medium-size evergreen tree typically tall, rarely to tall, with a narrow conic crown...
and aspen poplar
Poplar
Populus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar , aspen, and cottonwood....
.
Several native burial sites are located at Big Grave Flats, as well as some early coal mining, forestry and trapper cabins.
Activities
Recreational activities in the park include campingCamping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, horseback riding, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
and some hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
. Fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
for bull trout
Bull trout
The bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus, is a char of the family Salmonidae native to northwestern North America. Historically, S. confluentus has been known as the "Dolly Varden" , but was re-classified as a separate species in 1980. Bull trout are listed as a threatened species under the U.S....
is only allowed in a catch and release fashion (reports of 20 lb bull trout have been caught on the upper part of the jackpine river). Canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
and whitewater rafting can be done on the Smoky River
Smoky River
Smoky River is a river in western Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the Peace River. The descriptive name refers to the presence of "smouldering beds of coal in the riverbank" noted by the Cree Indians....
.
All motorized vehicles are prohibited within the park.
Open pit fires allowed.
Potential dangers while travelling through the park are changing weather (which can make rising waters dangerous to ford; there are not many bridges so don't get caught behind rising water), lost and water-logged trails and the abundant bear population.
Several trails cross the park (Indian Trail, Pope Thoreau Trail), and horseback riding can be done along rivers and passes (Sulphur River, West Sulphur River, Rocky Pass, Jackknife Pass, Casket Pass, Forget-Me-Not Pass, Fetherstonhaugh Pass and Morkill Pass).
Rock Lake staging area allows easy access to north of Jasper park through Willow Creek trail. The 14 km trail joins the north boundary trail at about 49 km (from snake Indian river staging).
Administration
The park is administered by Alberta Municipal AffairsAlberta Municipal Affairs
Alberta Municipal Affairs is a ministry of the Executive Council of Alberta. Its major responsibilities include assisting municipalities in the provision of local government, administering a safety system for the construction and maintenance of buildings and equipment, and managing Alberta's...
(as Improvement District No. 9) and is managed by Alberta Community Development
Alberta Community Development
Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation is a ministry of the Executive Council of Alberta. Its duties involve managing Alberta's provincial parks and protected areas, tourism, sport and recreation....
as a wilderness park.
See also
- List of protected areas of Alberta
- List of Canadian provincial parks
- List of National Parks of Canada
- Cypress Hills Interprovincial ParkCypress Hills Interprovincial ParkCypress Hills Interprovincial Park is an interprovincial park straddling the southern Alberta-Saskatchewan border, located southeast of Medicine Hat...
(Alberta-Sakatchewan)