The Native American Trail
Native American culture in Alberta has been a part of Canada for thousands of years. This trail will provide a list of interesting stops to visit in Alberta. The map goes from North to South, but feel free to pick out a few locations to visit. Apart from these locations, there are many Native American companies that offer experiences. Some of these post their events on www.Gozeeit.com.
We start our route in Smoky Lake, Alberta, at the Métis Crossing (17339 Victoria Trail, Smoky Lake, AB T0A 3C0, Canada), just over an hour’s drive North of Edmonton. The Crossing hosts cultural exhibits, daily activities, cross-country skiing, and self-guided trails. The on-site Bistro at the Lodge offers modern takes on Indigenous dining, including bison and bannock. The site boasts 4.7/5 stars based on hundreds of reviews.
Moving Southwest, we arrive at Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site (Site 127 Comp 6 RR4, Rocky Mountain House, AB T4T 2A4, Canada, https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/ab/rockymountain). The site offers bookable cultural experiences and workshops (fees apply). Unserviced camping is available at the site for RVs under 27′ (8m) and tents. Heritage camping in trapper tents, tipis, and trapline cabins is also available. Given these are popular, booking ahead is highly recommended. Admission to the site has one of the lowest entry fees of all the sites listed here, with free admission at the time of writing for youth under 17.
Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park near Calgary was a traditional bison hunting ground and gathering place for the Siksika people. The park contains six square miles of parkland and hosts a well-respected, 22,000-square-foot interpretive center featuring culture displays, a 90-person theatre, a cafeteria overlooking the Bow River Valley, and a gift shop where visitors may purchase authentic native crafts. The on-site cafeteria offers authentic Blackfoot cuisine and other menu choices. This national heritage site (Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, Siksika Indian Reserve #146, AB T0J 0S0, Canada https://blackfootcrossing.ca/) has wonderful sunset views in the evening. Contact them for current exhibits and experiences.
Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that teaches about 6000 years of local culture (https://headsmashedin.ca/), is a unique site to both Alberta and the world. The Indigenous populations used the site to chase buffalo over the cliff as part of their hunting practices. Tribal members would then prepare the buffalo meat, bones, and hides for various uses. The centre provides the background on how this was done and why the site was important to the Native populations. Performances of First Nations culture are often found on the site in July and August and are posted on the website. The site opens in late May and runs to mid-October. Modest entry fees apply.
We end at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, (https://www.albertaparks.ca/parks/south/writing-on-stone-pp/) about 100 km south of Lethbridge and features ancient rock art with over 50 petroglyph sites on the property. A seasonal visitor’s center and short walking trails amongst the sandstone hoodoo formations will assist visitors to learn about the Blackfoot people.
The total trip is nearly 11 hours to complete and 1025 km, so plan on a few days to see it all or plan to focus on just one, two, or three sites over a few days. Look up more things to do on the way at www.gozeeit.com where event organizers post their events.
Here is the trail map:
