Nestled amongst the sagebrush some 50 km NE of Brooks, Alberta lies a striking example of Mother Natures power as well as one of her best kept secrets (until the last century that is) in the form of one of the worlds richest deposits of dinosaur bones.
Dinosaur Provincial Park campground offers campers the unique experience of going back in time and camping where dinosaurs lived some 75 million years ago.
The park is now home to a wide variety of animals (Coyotes, Porcupines, Pheasants, Pronghorn Antelope, Snakes, Hawks, and Owls) and during your stay you are almost guaranteed to encounter a great many of them.
The park was established in 1966 in order to protect its rich deposits of dinosaur fossils and diverse ecosystems of prairie grasslands, "badlands" and riverside cottonwood trees. In 1979 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So rich is this land in dinosaur fossils, they are to this day being unearthed by the rain which simply washes them out of the banks of the hoodoos or rock formations carved from the land by the wind and rain.
There is a wide variety of interpretive programs, including guided and self guided hikes and two outdoor fossil exhibits available. No trip to Dinosaur Provincial Park would be complete without a visit to the interpretative centre which has been revamped recently and is spectacular! The kids will love it.
The campground itself is located in the river valley on either side of the Little Sandhill Creek that empties into the Red Deer River. Most of the 126 campsites are scattered amongst the Cottonwood trees native to the area, with a few under the area known as the Badlands Slopes or hoodoos that can become excruciatingly hot during the Summer months. About half of the campsites have power. Also available is a 10 unit group campsite facility complete with its own cookhouse.
Because of the low lying location of this campground, in July of 2009 during a torrential downpour the valley was flooded and campers were forced to evacuate. The campground has since been largely rebuilt but the storms effects are still noticeable. After surveying the remaining flood damage one can get a true sense of how powerful the forces that formed this areas rock formations were.
The campground is open year round. Campsites are reserved through either the online reservation system or through their toll free line at 1-877-577-2737 mid May through early September or on a first come first serve basis the remainder of the year. Campground services are limited during the off season.
Camping with the dinosaurs makes this one of our kids' most popular campgrounds. Be sure to add it to your list of must see campgrounds!
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