Willmore Wilderness Park Travel Guide

Welcome to Willmore Wilderness Park, Alberta

Located at the northern boundary of Jasper National Park, just south of Grande Cache and a five-hour drive from Edmonton, Willmore Wilderness Park is one of Alberta's best kept secrets. This pristine pocket of Canadian Rockies wilderness spans 4,600 sq km (1,840 sq mi) of ruggedly beautiful terrain composed of mountains, forests and alpine meadows etched with streams and rivers; the breathtaking, untouched landscape is as it was thousands of years ago. Established as an official wilderness area in 1959, the park remains completely undeveloped, without services and facilities. It's a backcountry adventurer's dream, offering a truly secluded and remote experience, away from the crowds of Jasper National Park.

Due to the rugged terrain, changeable weather and abundant wildlife, the park is not recommended for visitors with little backcountry experience, unless accompanied by a guide or outfitter. Summer is the busiest time for trips into the park. Hikers and horseback riders explore forests and valleys carpeted with wildflowers via rough trails, and high alpine lakes await the most ambitious and experienced of explorers. Backcountry camping, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are other popular activities. Rich in wildlife, the area is home to 20 per cent of the province's population of bighorn sheep and mountain goats. Visitors also commonly sight mountain caribou, black bears, wolves, lynx and cougars.

The town of Grand Cache offers main access to the park and makes a convenient base with plenty of accommodation, restaurants and amenities.