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Discover the hidden gem of Alberta’s badlands at Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park, where rich Indigenous history meets stunning natural beauty.
The Alberta badlands span many hundreds of square kilometres. This, in turn, gives visitors several options for places to see, things to do, and adventures to experience in the badlands. A few of the more popular areas include Dinosaur Provincial Park, Drumheller, and Midland Provincial Park, home to the Royal Tyrell Museum. And as with most regions in Alberta, the badlands have as many hidden gems as they do well-known spots.
Among this region’s hidden gems is the Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park, which covers space on the east and west sides of the Red Deer River. The day-use area and campgrounds are in two separate locations on the river’s edge, giving visitors plenty of space to explore or relax.
- Scenic Road Trip Alberta: Calgary to Edmonton Via The Badlands
What is a Buffalo Jump?
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park gets its name from an Indigenous hunting method. Buffalo jumps were once located along cliffsides all around Alberta, including Dry Island, or the more popular tourist spot of Head-Smashed-In. The method involved herding the buffalo over a cliff with more hunters waiting at the bottom. The buffalo were key to Indigenous survival in pre-European settlements. Evidence of the practice is still found around the Dry Island site.
The interpretive signs around the park trails offer great insight into the land’s original uses, Indigenous culture, and history.
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park
This area is one of the lesser-known provincial park but offers a great deal of adventure for fishers and paddlers, history enthusiasts, or campers. The day use area is great for a picnic, a roadside stop, and the badland views provided from the trail.
There are two campgrounds south of the day use area at the Tolman Bridge. Campgrounds are located on either side of the river.
Canoeing or Kayaking the Red Deer River
The park’s day-use area offers canoes and kayakers a starting or stopping point for a trip on the Red Deer River. This popular paddling section of the River is much calmer than the sections west of Red Deer. And the views from the water are said to be the most incredible ways to view the badlands.
- The Mackenzie Bridge to the Dry Island Buffalo Jump day use area is about 14km. This route begins with the greener, lusher badlands and continues with the transformation into the rockier slopes.
- It is another 14km or so from the day-use area to the next boat access point at the Tolman Bridge. This is a perfect stopping point for campers taking a day trip on the river, with the campground within walking distance of the water.
Badland Picnics & Stunning Views
The Dry Island Buffalo Jump day use area provides scenic space for a riverside picnic in the badlands. On-site amenities include picnic tables, fire pits, and washrooms. This is also the spot of the park’s interpretive viewpoint, looking out over the badlands and buffalo jump.
Year-Round Birding & Nature Photography
The Provincial Park, Red Deer River Valley, and Tolman Badlands are home to over 150 different species of birds. And given Alberta’s changing weather and four distinct seasons, the type of birds you encounter will vary depending on when you visit Dry Island.
- Among the river valley and badlands’ permanent residents are prairie falcons, golden eagles, great-horned owls, woodpeckers, or game birds like the grouse and pheasants.
- The spring and fall migration seasons are an excellent time to view the less common species as they make their way over Alberta or stop to nest. These could include various types of warblers, various types of geese, trumpeter or tundra swans, dowitchers, sandpipers, and many others.
- The Dry Island Buffalo Jump day-use area has a short trail around the viewing area with interpretive signage leading the way. There is a chance to go a short way beyond the interpretive trail, but there are no formal trails beyond the signage.
Dining in Trochu
Trochu is the closest town to Dry Island Buffalo Jump. Within the town is the local Arboretum, with short trails and food around Main Street. Choose between the local Café & Restaurant, Pizza Plus, the Peking Café, Bean Haven Café, Gerdie’s Grill & Inn, Red Bird Diner, or the Lazy Susan Restaurant.
More Attractions near Dry Island Buffalo Jump
There is much to see and do around the Alberta Badlands, with many of those attractions within an hour’s drive from Dry Island Buffalo Jump.
- The Royal Tyrell Museum is within Midland Provincial Park, south of Dry Island Buffalo Jump. The museum offers a full-day experience as you explore the outer trails and indoor displays. Plus, the park is next to the river with more space for a picnic.
- Midland is a day-use only park with picnic areas, a disc golf course, hiking, and a chance to explore even more history through the Midland Coal Mine site.
- Horsethief Canyon and the Orkney Viewpoint are both in Starland County and south of Dry Island Buffalo Jump. These areas offer even more ways to get incredible badland views, photography, or wildlife viewing.
- Take a quick ride across the Red Deer River from the Bleriot Ferry Provincial Recreation Area. The park operates the smaller Bleriot Ferry, which creates a crossing for Highway 838. It can also get you between the Horsethief Canyon and Orkney Viewpoint much faster than the round-about way.
Planning your trip – Dry Island Buffalo Jump
What: Dry Island Buffalo Jump covers the area along the Red Deer River Valley and Tolman Heritage Rangeland Badlands. The park’s day-use area also serves as a lookout point over the northern badlands. The Dry Island campgrounds are located further south on the Red Deer River.
The park holds great significance in local Indigenous history and culture as a buffalo jump site. These jump sites provide insight into the hunting methods.
Location and how to get there:
Dry Island Buffalo Jump is located 50 km east of Innisfail on Hwy. 590, 10 km south on Hwy. 21 & 15 km east on access road. It is approximately 90 km from Red Deer, 177 km from Calgary and 245 km from Edmonton.
Cost: First Come First Served camping $25 per night; day use is free to access
Best time to go: Open year round, Best time to go: May to October
Tolman East and West Campgrounds open May 15 – Oct 19; Group camping open June-October
For more information:
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park
