Welcome to the lesser known and easily overlooked national park in Alberta! I have lived in Edmonton for over 6 years now, and I only just discovered that Elk Island National Park is a mere 30 minute drive east of the city. A couple weekends ago we decided to take a drive out to the park to enjoy the beautiful weather and gorgeous fall colours. We took Odin for a walk around the Astotin Lake area. There were a lot of families picnicking near Sandy Beach and canoeing or kayaking out on the lake. Next summer we hope to buy (or rent) a canoe and go out on the water ourselves.
We walked the entire length of the Living Waters Boardwalk (all 150 metres of it!) which starts on Astotin Lake and makes its way onto a lakeside marsh. Odin did not enjoy the boardwalk, but he only fell into the pond once!
We also hiked along the Lakeview Trial, which boasts a golden aspen forest and black spruce bog, complete with its own beaver lodge!
We did see a few elk on our drive up the Elk Island Parkway, but I wasn't able to get a picture. And we saw lots and lots of bison on the Bison Loop Road. This guy decided to pose for me.
Final verdict? The park may not be as breathtaking as Banff or Jasper, but it is still worth a visit. There are a number of lakes and hiking trails to explore, and we have heard that there are excellent cross-country ski trails in the winter. And it definitely gets bonus points for its close proximity to Edmonton! We'll be back soon, I'm sure of it.
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