Grasslands National Park of Canada

Activities

Frenchman River Valley Ecotour

This automobile Ecotour through the Frenchman River Valley in the park's west block is about a 28 km-round trip from the entrance of the park, taking about 1.5 hours. Allow approximately 1 hour drive to and from the entrance of the park. Total time: 2.5 hours. A brochure and an audio cassette on the ecotour are available.

This lone Pronghorn Antelope sentinel stands still, facing you with utmost curiosity. The large horns rising high above his head and the thick, wide bands of fur around his neck make him a very impressive specimen. © Parks Canada/ Wayne Lynch /08.81.03.05(69), 1989

Antelope, mule deer, black-tailed prairie dogs and ferruginous hawks are frequently sighted along the route which features excellent views of the numerous coulees, buttes and the valley bottom itself.

These blue-violet Smooth Blue Beardtongue struggle against the constant onslaught of wind while striving to survive in the sun-baked, cracks of clay. © Parks Canada/ Wayne Lynch /08.81.03.05(69), 1989

The Frenchman River Valley can be rich and poor at the same time; rich, along the river, where wildlife can find water, willows, buffalo berry, thick grasses and more; poor, further out on the bare, white flats, where sodium salts left behind by prehistoric oceans, do not allow water to penetrate and allows only specially adapted plants like the tiny red samphire to survive.