According to extrareference, one of the largest in the world and the largest in Canada, Wood Buffalo National Park covers an area of ​​more than 44,000 square meters. km in the provinces of Alberta and the Northwest Territories between the lakes Athabasca and Great Slave. Which is not surprising: all flora and fauna in the territory of this park is under the protection of the state.

How to get there

The road to Wood Buffalo is not easy. First, by flight to the Canadian city of Edmonton, then by charter flight or by car to the settlements from which the park is accessible: Fort Smith (Northwest Territories) or Fort Chipuyan (Province of Alberta).

The main office of the park administration is located in Fort Smith. The Mackenzie Highway leads here (go to Hay River, then 5 km to Fort Smith). The administration branch is located in Fort Chipuyan, which can only be reached by air.

Weather in Wood Buffalo

The climate in this region is moderately cool, winters are usually quite cold, summers are short and warm. The best time to visit the park is the whole year. See bridgat for other cities and countries as well as climate and weather in North America.

Nature of Wood Buffalo

On the territory of Wood Buffalo there are many forests, both coniferous and mixed, meadows, plains, tundra woodlands and many lakes and rivers. It is noteworthy that one of the largest deltas in the world is located on the territory of the park; it is formed by the Athabasca and Peace Rivers at the confluence with Lake Athabasca.

Since there are no roads in the park, a herd of bison lives and breeds safely in natural conditions, for the sake of which the Wood Buffalo Park was founded in 1922. At the moment, the herd has more than 2500 individuals.

Large areas of untouched meadows in the forest zones of the park contribute to the increase in the number of bison. Here, nature has created, and man is protecting, favorable conditions for such rare animals and birds as reindeer caribou, beavers, musky rats, wolves, American cranes and pelicans. In 1983, the Park was included in the UN World Heritage List.

Lodges and campsites in Wood Buffalo

There are 36 campsites on the territory of the camp. Several of them are located on Pine Lake (60 km from Fort Smith), the most extensive is Kettle Point Group Camp, it is intended for large groups of tourists. This campsite must be booked in advance. If you need to organize overnight parking in the park, you must obtain permission from the Wood Buffalo administration.

You can find accommodation in the cities closest to the park: Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Simpson and Yellowknife. Here you can not only rent a hotel room, but also rent a room or a house, which is more convenient and profitable in case of long-term accommodation.

Flora and fauna of the park, notable places and routes of Wood Buffalo

Wood Buffalo is open to the public all year round, with each season having its own charms. The park has many hiking trails of varying length and complexity, from very short walking trails to long and difficult ones. Almost any trail allows you to see around the indescribable beauty of the surrounding nature. Since wild animals behave very carefully in nature, the likelihood of encountering them during a walk is very small, but from a distance you can see a lot of interesting things.

It was in Wood Buffalo Park that the longest beaver dam in the world was discovered, its length is about 850 m.

Tourist routes bypass the nesting sites of rare birds, such as the American crane: the delicate nature of these birds will not benefit from meeting people. In Fort Smith, you can rent a boat or canoe and go by water to Fort Fitzgerald, Fort McMurray, or Fort Chipuyani.

The use of motor boats is allowed only on large rivers, such as the Athabasca River, Quatre Force River, Peace River, Slave River.

Due to the geographical position of the park, here you can also enjoy such a rare natural phenomenon as the northern lights. In autumn and spring, there are more chances to see the magical play of colors that fill the entire sky than at other times of the year.

The park is interesting not only for travelers, but also for serious wildlife researchers. Sometimes naturalists are waiting for the most incredible discoveries and finds here. So, it was in Wood Buffalo Park, in its southern part, that the longest beaver dam in the world was discovered, its length is about 850 meters (usually 10-100 meters). Many of the most interesting materials on the development of the region and the protection of the region’s wildlife can be seen in the collection of the Fort Smith Museum.