Hiking

Experience firsthand the amazing variety of natural wonders that are waiting for you in Prince Albert National Park. Over 150km of hiking trails within the park provide you access to the incredible diversity of life found in this transition zone between fescue grasslands, aspen parkland and northern boreal forest.

The park features 17 trails varying in length and level of difficulty. While hiking in the park you can enjoy short walks, day hikes and overnight backcountry excursions. Although you will encounter steep hills on some trails there is little overall change in elevation throughout the park.

Dogs are welcome! Please keep them on a leash and pick up after them.

Before venturing out,

• Review bear safety information before departure.
• Be prepared to explore safely
• Cellphone coverage is limited.
• Review the weather, trail conditions, and important bulletins before your trip and enjoy!
• Contact the Visitor Centre staff for up-to-date reports or to learn more about visitor safety

List of trails

#	Trail	Distance	Time	Difficulty
1	Shady Lake trail A 45m staircase leads down into the aspen forest surrounding Shady Lake.	1.7km (loop)	45 minutes	Moderate
2	Height-of-Land Tower  15m tower overlooks the mixed wood forest surrounding Shady Lake and Bear Trap Creek.	60 m (one way)	20 to 30 minutes	Easy
3	Spruce River Highlands Traverse aspen covered hill tops overlooking the Spruce River.	8.5km (loop)	3 hours	Difficult
4	Freight Tait Springs Trail  The old freight trail travels through a mixed aspen and white spruce forest leading to a natural fresh water spring.	2km (one way)	60 to 90 minutes	Easy
5	Elk Trail  Rolling hills with mixed wood forest and tall grass meadows.	Fish Lake 13km (one way) Camp Lake 15km (one way)	7 to 8 hours	Moderate
6	Hunters Lake Trail  Steep rolling hills and mixed wood forest of jack pine and trembling aspen.	7.3 km (loop)	3 hours	Easy
7	Valleyview Trail Network Travel through the mixed wood aspen forest, sedge meadows and fescue grasslands frequented by bison.	28.7km (network)	2 to 3 days	Moderate
a.	Valleyview Lookout Trail  This short wheelchair accessible hike takes you to the Valleyview picnic site. Enjoy beautiful views of the Sturgeon River Valley.	200m wheelchair accessible (one way)	30 minutes	Easy
b.	Valleyview Easy Loop  This loop is great for a family outing; it offers a 200m accessible trail to the Valleyview picnic site.	4.1km (loop)	1 hour	Easy
c.	Stoney Plain Meadow Trail Spur  Follow a marked route through Stoney Plain Meadow, a rare fescue grassland.	1km (one way)	30 minutes	Moderate
d.	Valleyview Moderate Loop  This trail is linked to the Valleyview Easy Loop. Enjoy travelling through an aspen forest and along the Sturgeon River Valley. Great random camping opportunities along the way.	8km (loop)	2 to 3 hours	Moderate
e.	Valleyview Difficult Loop  Follows the entire length of the Valleyview Trail with many great lookouts over the Sturgeon River Valley. This trail goes through Jonassons Flats, a rare fescue grassland. This trail also provides access to Sturgeon Lookout.	24.5km (loop)	8 to 10 hours	Difficult
8	Amyot Lake Trail Spur  Aspen parkland and sedge meadows in this area are frequently visited by the free ranging Sturgeon River Plains Bison herd.	2km (one way)	1 hour	Difficult
9	Mud Creek Trail  This lakeside trail turns upstream to follow Mud Creek through an aspen forest. In the spring spawning fish attract black bears to the area.	2km (loop)	45 to 60 minutes	Easy
10	Treebeard Trail  Ascend a steep, winding trail through a white spruce and balsam fir forest. The trees on this trail are some of the oldest in the park.	1.2km (loop)	45 to 60 minutes	Moderate
11	Waskesiu River Trail  Follows alongside the Waskesiu River before the trail turns into the aspen and spruce covered hills of the river valley.	2.5km (loop)	45 to 60 minutes	Moderate
12	Narrows Peninsula Trail  This trail passes through a variety of habitats as it follows along the shore of Waskesiu Lake. Of particular interest is the large fern bed that peaks in early summer.	3km (loop)	1 hour	Moderate
13	Kingsmere River Trail  Follow the Kingsmere River through a mixed wood of aspen and Spruce.	1.5km (one way)	1 hour	Easy
14	Grey Owl Trail  Experience the diversity of the boreal forest as you follow the eastern shore around Kingsmere lake.	20km (one way)	10 to 12 hours	Difficult
15	Boundary Bog Trail  Knob and Kettle topography leads through mixed spruce and tamarack, taking you to the heart of a boreal forest bog.	2km (loop)	45 to 60 minutes	Easy
16	Red Deer Trail The Red Deer Trail is a combination of Three loops in and around the Town of Waskesiu.	19km (loop)	5 to 6 hours	Moderate
a.	Red Deer Trail, Red Loop Red Loop takes you through a variety of habitats from town site to lakeshore and through the rolling hills South of Waskesiu.	8.1km (loop)	2 to 3 hours	Moderate
b.	Red Deer Trail, Yellow Loop The Yellow Loop travels through the Waskesiu community fuel break east of the town before turning back and following along the eastern shore of Waskesiu Lake.	5.8km (loop)	2 hours	Easy
c.	Red Deer Trail, Blue Loop The Blue Loop travels around the Beaver Glen Campground and into the rolling hills and mix wood forests North of Waskesiu before returning along the lakeshore.	5.2km (loop)	1.5 to 2 hours	Moderate
17	Fisher Trail  Located close to the town of Waskesiu this trail leads you through mixed wood stands of aspen and black spruce muskeg.	6.3km (loop)	2 hours	Moderate