Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park is a protected area that straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border in western Canada. The park preserves an elevated plateau of mixed-grass prairie, lodgepole pine stands and badlands that stand well above the surrounding plains.

The area includes interpretive sites and historic features, most notably Fort Walsh National Historic Site which interprets the North-West Mounted Police presence from the 19th century. The park is managed cooperatively by the two provinces and offers hiking, camping, wildlife viewing and interpretive programming.

Geographically, the Cypress Hills form a distinct highland between the prairie lowlands of southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan and support habitats and species not typical of the immediate surrounding region.

• Interprovincial status: The area spans both southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan and is administered cooperatively as an interprovincial park, protecting high-elevation prairie and forest islands.
• Elevation and ecology: Cypress Hills contains the highest terrain for hundreds of kilometres in all directions, making it an important local refuge for wildlife and a distinct climatic zone on the prairies.

What to See #

• Fort Walsh National Historic Site: Fort Walsh National Historic Site, established in 1875 by the North-West Mounted Police, lies within the Saskatchewan portion and interprets the history of the mounted police and the Cypress Hills region.
• Park blocks and habitats: The park is divided into blocks and includes mixed-grass prairie, lodgepole pine stands and badlands terrain that contrast with surrounding plains.