Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Recreation Wildlife and Grazing Area

Located only 20 minutes away from east Edmonton, this Provincial Recreation Area, located in the Beaver Hills Biosphere, is the ideal escape for a fun-filled day of outdoor activities. Over 180 km of trails wind through aspen forests, wetlands, and open pastures. Head to any of the four staging areas around the site to have a picnic and start your adventure. Hiking, cycling (fat biking too), trail running, dog walking (on leash), and horseback riding are all permitted on various trails throughout the network. In the winter, take advantage of the groomed trails for cross-country skiing or access the shared trail system on snowshoes, skate skis, fat bikes, or dog sleds. Hunting also occurs here during regular hunting seasons and paddling on Islet Lake is also popular. This site is a haven for wildlife and is part of the UNESCO-designated Beaver Hills Biosphere, Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve, and is the host site for the Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival.