Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park

Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park protects a distinctive upland plateau and surrounding badland coulees along the Red Deer River in central Alberta. The area combines geological features and cultural heritage tied to historic Indigenous hunting practices.

Visitors come for the dramatic coulees, hoodoo formations, and panoramic views from the plateau, as well as short interpretive trails and roadside lookouts. The park preserves both natural scenery and an archaeological landscape associated with buffalo jumps.

Historically the site was used by Indigenous groups as a location for driving bison over cliffs or into confined areas to harvest meat and hides. The park status provides protections for the landforms and any cultural resources present.

Dry Island sits within the prairie-badlands transition of central Alberta along the Red Deer River; access is by local roads with parking at the main trailheads.

• Landscape: The landscape features coulees and badland formations carved by the Red Deer River; the plateau appears as an "island" of higher ground in the surrounding prairie.
• Cultural significance: The site preserves a traditional Indigenous buffalo jump location and offers interpretive signage on historical use and natural features.

What to See #

• Dry Island plateau: An elevated chalky plateau known locally as the Dry Island that rises above surrounding prairie and coulee systems, giving panoramic views over the Red Deer River valley.
• Lookouts and trails: A network of trails and interpretive sites that lead to viewpoints overlooking badland coulees, hoodoos and the river corridor; there are roadside pullouts and a main parking area.