Willmore Wilderness Park

Willmore Wilderness Park is a large protected wilderness area in Alberta that conserves mountainous terrain, river valleys and alpine habitats on the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies. It is managed to preserve backcountry values and limit mechanized access, making it a destination for multi-day trips and horseback travel.

The park features rugged peaks, glacier-fed streams and expansive alpine basins used by hikers, horseback parties and experienced backcountry users. Facilities are minimal by design to maintain wilderness character and visitors typically rely on trail networks and routefinding rather than developed campgrounds.

The park was created in the mid-20th century to protect the landscape and wildlife of the region and is named for a provincial figure associated with Alberta’s natural resource administration. It functions as a core conservation area adjacent to other protected lands in the Rockies.

Geographically it sits in west-central Alberta within the Rocky Mountain region, north of some national park boundaries and accessible from trailheads along regional forest roads and mountain valleys.

• Wilderness protection: Established as a wilderness park in the mid-20th century, it preserves a large tract of the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies with restrictions on motorized use to protect backcountry values.
• Backcountry recreation: Popular for multi-day backcountry travel on foot or horseback, with routes crossing mountain passes and river valleys rather than maintained roads.

What to See #

• Mountain and river valleys: Extensive river valleys, alpine basins and glaciated peaks that form routes for multi-day pack trips and horseback travel.