Willmore Wilderness Park

Infobox_protected_area | name = Willmore Wilderness Park
iucn_category = Ib

---

caption = Location of "Willmore Wilderness Park" in Canada
locator_x = 44
locator_y = 227
location = Alberta, Canada
nearest_city = Grande Cache, Hinton
lat_degrees = 53
lat_minutes = 41
lat_seconds = 09
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 119
long_minutes = 25
long_seconds = 10
long_direction = W
area = 4,568 km²
established =
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = Alberta Community Development

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 Wildland 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.

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 [ [http://www.grandecache.ca/tourism/willmore/default.htm Town of Grande Cache] - Willmore Wilderness Park] . Motorised vehicles are not allowed in the park, transportation is done by foot, horse, mountain bike or ski.

Conservation

The park protects a large population of mountain goats and bighorn sheep (20% of the total population in Alberta). Other mammals commonly found here include grizzly bears, mountain caribou, elk, deer, cougars and wolves [ [http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/enjoying_alberta/parks/planning/gateway/siteinformation.asp?id=398 Alberta Parks] - Willmore Wilderness Park] . Coyotes, wolverines, lynx and black bears are also present in the sub-alpine region, while marmots, 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.

Activities

Recreational activities in the park include camping, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and some hunting. Fishing for bull trout is only allowed in a catch and release fashion. Canoeing and whitewater rafting can be done on the Smoky River.

All motorized vehicles are prohibited within the park.

Potential dangers while travelling through the park are changing weather, 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).

Administration

The park is administered by Alberta Municipal Affairs (as "Improvement District No. 9") and is managed by Alberta Community Development as a wilderness park.

ee also

*List of Alberta provincial parks
*List of Canadian provincial parks
*List of National Parks of Canada

References

External links

* [http://raysweb.net/willmore Photographs of Willmore Wilderness Park]
* [http://www.wilmorewilderness.com/ Willmore Wilderness Foundation]