Wood Buffalo National Park

Wood Buffalo National Park is a vast protected area in northeastern Alberta and the southern Northwest Territories of Canada, established in 1922 and covering roughly 44,800 square kilometres. It is Canada’s largest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for protecting major boreal forest, wetland and river ecosystems.

The park protects the largest free-roaming herds of wood bison and the world’s only natural nesting ground for the whooping crane, along with the extensive Peace-Athabasca Delta wetlands. Visitors come for wildlife viewing, river and delta landscapes, and remote wilderness experiences.

The park was created to preserve dwindling bison populations and has since been managed for ecological conservation, indigenous uses and research, with ongoing efforts to monitor species and habitat health. It contains large lakes, river systems and seasonal floodplain habitats that underpin its biodiversity values.

Wood Buffalo sits across the provincial-territorial border in northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories; the nearest servicing communities include Fort Smith (Northwest Territories) and Fort McMurray (Alberta), and interior access is primarily by air or water.

• Size and origin: Canada's largest national park, covering about 44,800 square kilometres and designated in 1922 to protect bison and key wetland habitats.
• Access and logistics: Access to many parts of the park is remote and seasonal; floatplanes, boat travel and guided trips are common ways to reach interior sites.

What to See #

• Peace-Athabasca Delta: Peace-Athabasca Delta is a vast inland delta within the park where rivers spread into wetlands and shallow lakes, creating critical habitat for migratory birds.
• Lake Claire: Lake Claire is a large freshwater lake within the park and forms part of the park's complex inland-water system.