Discover Canada’s Badlands Wildlife Loop: Two Incredible Stops in the Brooks Newell Region

Looking for an unforgettable Alberta road trip? The Canada’s Badlands Wildlife Loop deserves a spot on your travel list. Featured in the Hot Summer Guide by the Western Wheel, this self-guided driving route showcases four incredible destinations where visitors can experience Alberta’s diverse landscapes and wildlife in one journey.

We’re proud that two of the four featured stops are located right here in the Brooks Newell Region: Dinosaur Provincial Park and Kinbrook Island Provincial Park. Together, these parks offer a remarkable contrast of habitats—from dramatic badlands, grasslands and river valleys to prairie lakes, wetlands and shoreline habitat—making our region an incredible place to experience wildlife in its natural environment.

Dinosaur Provincial Park

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dinosaur Provincial Park is internationally recognized for its spectacular badlands scenery and extraordinary concentration of dinosaur fossils. While many visitors come for its prehistoric history, the park is also home to an impressive variety of present-day wildlife.

Watch for mule deer, white-tailed deer, cottontail rabbits and coyotes within the valley, or look for pronghorn on the open prairie above the valley rim. Birdwatchers may spot warblers, woodpeckers and waterfowl among the cottonwood groves, while golden eagles, prairie falcons and mountain bluebirds can also be seen in the park.

Dinosaur Provincial Park is also home to several snake species, including prairie rattlesnakes, bull snakes, wandering garter snakes and plains garter snakes. Visitors should remain on established trails, watch where they step and always observe wildlife from a respectful distance.

With badlands, riverside habitat and grasslands all found within the park, there are opportunities to discover wildlife throughout several very different natural environments.

Kinbrook Island Provincial Park

Just minutes from Brooks, Kinbrook Island Provincial Park offers a completely different wildlife-viewing experience. Located along the shores of Lake Newell, the park’s wetlands, marshes, open water and shoreline habitat make it an especially rewarding destination for birdwatchers.

Species commonly found in the area include American white pelicans, ring-billed gulls, California gulls, double-crested cormorants, Caspian terns, common terns, eared grebes and great blue herons. The marsh areas also provide habitat for ducks, geese, coots, rails and bitterns.

Visitors can explore the interpretive marsh trail, scan the shoreline or watch the open water for birdlife. Whether you’re enjoying a peaceful walk, paddling on the lake or relaxing near the beach, keep your binoculars close—there may be something interesting just offshore or hidden among the reeds.

Plan Your Wildlife Adventure

Whether you’re an avid birder, wildlife photographer, nature lover or simply looking for a scenic Alberta road trip, the Brooks Newell Region offers two unforgettable stops along Canada’s Badlands Wildlife Loop. From rugged badlands and cottonwood-lined river habitat to lakeside wetlands filled with birdlife, these two parks demonstrate just how diverse the landscapes of southern Alberta can be.

To learn more about the complete Canada’s Badlands Wildlife Loop, including the other featured destinations and suggested itinerary, read the original article in the Western Wheel’s Hot Summer Guide.