Whitney Lakes

whitney-lakes-pp

Whitney Lakes

Camping – The park has two campgrounds. Ross Lake campground has 149 well-treed campsites, 18 of which are equipped with power. Facilities include coin operated showers, treated tap water, fire pits and a playground. Whitney Lake campground has 45 campsites, potable water (hand pump), a playground and access to a natural sand beach. All campsites are first come-first served.

 

Boating & Canoeing – Enjoy a day out on one of the parks four lakes. Power boating and canoeing are permitted on Whitney, Ross and Laurier lakes. Due to Borden Lake’s isolation, only canoes are allowed.

 

Fishing – Try your luck at catching perch, pike and walleye in Laurier Lake while Whitney and Ross lakes are good bets for perch and pike.

 

Trails – The park has an extensive trail system of more than 30 km, linking Ross, Whitney, Laurier and Borden lakes.Trails follow shorelines, pass through dense forests and offer exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities.

 

Winter Activities – Cross-country skiing – Ice fishing – Snowshoeing.

 

Trails at Whitney Lakes Elk Point

 

Birding – With more than 145 species of birds and waterfowl recorded in the park, Whitney Lakes provides a rewarding bird watching experience.

 

Wildlife Viewing – A variety of animals are attracted to the Whitney Lakes area by the diversity of plant life. The park’s wetlands and forests of pine, white spruce, aspen, birch and willow are home to deer, moose, beaver, red squirrel and flying squirrel.

 

Whitney Maps

 

Trails – The park has an extensive trail system of more than 30 km, linking Ross, Whitney, Laurier and Borden lakes.Trails follow shorelines, pass through dense forests and offer exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities.You can walk one of the shorter loops or enjoy a day hike on one of the park’s extended backcountry trails. If mountain biking is more to your liking, the trail system offers easy family rides as well as more challenging terrain. With more than 145 species of birds and waterfowl recorded in the park, Whitney Lakes provides a rewarding bird watching experience.

 

History abounds in Whitney Lakes Provincial Park. Here you will find historic Winnipeg Trail, which stretched from Ft. Garry near Winnipeg to Ft. Edmonton more than 200 years ago.

 

Also called North Victoria or Carlton trail, it played a major role in Western Canada’s history. Aboriginal people, early explorers and traders used the trail during the late 1700s and early 1800s.

 

With establishment of Victoria Mission in 1863, the trail was upgraded so Red River carts and wagons could readily use it. It became a vital freight, mail and telegraph route that permitted development of the fledgling Province of Alberta.

 

Peter Fidler, Reverend John McDougall, Chief Big Bear, Bishop Gabriel Dumont and Father Lacombe traveled the route, as did patrols of the Northwest Mounted Police and in 1885, the Alberta Field Force of the Canadian Militia. While hiking the trails near Ross and Whitney lakes, some people say that if you listen carefully you may still hear the creaking of the Red River Carts.

 

whitney-map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Location:

1km south of Elk Point on Hwy. 41, 26km east on Hwy. 646

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website:

https://www.albertaparks.ca/parks/northeast/whitney-lakes-pp/information-facilities/camping/whitney-lake/

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phone:

(780) 594-7856