Karstland Interpretive Trail

Brand-new trail infrastructure makes this short jaunt one of Wood Buffalo National Park's hidden gems. Sunlight peeks through dense boreal forest, creating shadows amongst the trails' many sinkholes, caves, and other karst terrain. This boardwalk trail meanders through collapsed sinkholes creating an interesting sunken valley known as an uvala. The ground is unstable and has created what is called a "drunken forest," where trees tilt in all directions. Signs of wildlife are aplenty, look for squirrel middens and other signs along the way. In the spring (April and May), just past Karstland's trailhead, visitors flock to the snake pits, the northernmost colony of red-sided garter snakes in North America! Snakes emerge from the caves they've called home all winter to mate and migrate to their summer grounds. You'll see dozens of small garter snakes all over the ground -- it's quite a sight to see.