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.