A journey through time to the age of dinosaurs
After several unsuccessful attempts to reserve a campsite at Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, I had resigned myself to moving on, but on the way, I tried my luck again and a cancellation allowed us to have access for one night! How fortunate! Given its relatively remote location, camping there is the ideal way to have plenty of time to explore it.
The park, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, is recognized as one of the richest sites for the study of several scientific disciplines, including geology, botany and of course paleontology. Dinosaur Provincial Park is one of the top attractions in the Badlands. It is home to one of the largest concentrations of dinosaur fossils in the world. Visitors have the opportunity to take guided tours, go hiking, and even participate in fossil digs supervised by local paleontologists. The park also offers a beautiful natural landscape with hiking trails to explore the Badlands.
Over the past century, paleontologists have discovered more than 300 dinosaur skeletons on the site and these are exhibited in the largest museums across the planet. It is also the site of excavations and research by the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology since 1985. Its geographical location, geology and climate make it a favorite place for the discovery of fossils and the constant erosion of the soil reveals almost daily new specimens.
During your visit, you can follow the route all around the park by car, bike or on foot and observe the landscapes, but you can also, and I highly recommend it, take part in a guided expedition inside the boundaries of the park to truly immerse yourself in this fascinating world. There are even programs where you can participate in fossil digs supervised by local paleontologists.
For our part, due to our late arrival, the only places still available were for a photography workshop at sunset and we do not regret for a moment this opportunity to spend time with our passionate guide (thanks Matt) who brought us in extraordinary places and we were even able to discover new fossils during our hike (probably ribs and what appears to be a spine) which will be the subject of future research. We also discovered pieces of petrified wood that were revealed to us, but which have been buried for millions of years. This is all very impressive!
We were also able to observe a phenomenon caused by erosion over time, the formation of the famous Hoodoos, these stone and sand sculptures that Mother Nature enjoys creating and destroying as she pleases! The sunset light with these mysterious silhouettes is simply magnificent.
On the park site you can also visit a very interesting exhibition on the work of paleontologists as well as on the park itself, its history, its importance for research as well as on the geology specific to the region, its fauna and its flora . I recommend this visit during the hottest hours of the day to enjoy the cool indoors, as the afternoons can be stifling in the field.
To complete your visit, the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, located in Drumheller, a 2-hour drive northwest of the park, is a must for paleontology enthusiasts. Founded in 1985, it is recognized as one of the largest and most comprehensive museums in the world and attracts more than 430,000 visitors each year. It houses an impressive collection of fossils, some of which are displayed in realistic dioramas depicting their prehistoric environment. The museum also offers guided tours, lectures and workshops for visitors of all ages. The museum houses more than 130,000 fossil specimens from different geological periods. You will be able to observe dinosaur skeletons, prehistoric mammals, marine reptiles and much more. Among the museum’s treasures is the famous Albertosaurus, a predatory dinosaur from the Cretaceous era, as well as the largest specimen of Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered.
If you are interested in dinosaurs, geology and history, a detour to Alberta will amaze you and I am convinced that many young minds will be fascinated by the opportunity of this field research which will undoubtedly open up exciting horizons.
This page has affiliate links that may earn me a small commission if you book through one of these links. Thank you for allowing me to continue to do the research for you. 😉