Categories > Guides and Tips
9 of Alberta’s Most Beautiful Resident Animals and Where You Can Spot Them
Alberta’s biodiversity is impressive, more particularly, its resident animals. I remember realising this early in my childhood when a massive moose crossed the street during one of family road trips, and safe to say, I’ve been fascinated with Alberta’s animals since then.
It wasn’t long from that road trip that I forced my family to take me to Canada’s best zoos to see more of these majestic wildlife creatures. Fast forward today, and I’ve probably visited every wildlife viewing spots in the province—hence this list!
We’ve compiled the most breathtaking animals you can find in Alberta and where you can find them. You can either visit them in their natural habitat or watch them behind large and habitable zoos—let’s get started!
Grizzly Bear – Jasper National Park
Media credit: lifeofthetravellingpin
Address: Jasper, AB T0E 1E0
Contact details: +1 780-852-6176
Operating hours: Open 24 hours
Rates:
- Adult (18 to 65 years): CAD11.90
- Senior (65 years and above): CAD9.50
- Youth (6 to 17 years): Free
- Family (7 pax): CAD22
- Commercial Group: CAD9.35 per person
Best time to visit: Spring, Summer and Fall
Grizzly bears are among the most famous residents of Alberta, and there’s no better way to observe them than in their turf! You can find them living freely in Alberta’s famous Jasper National Park without even leaving your car, as they sometimes roam the park’s highways.
These bears are noticeably bigger than your typical black bears, making them all the more terrifying and awe-inspiring at the same time. You can also classify them based on their slightly more brown fur.
We recommend visiting during Spring and Fall because this is when they’re most visible. They often descend to the valley bottoms to collect dandelions and other sources of energy since food in the Alps is scarce during these times.
Pro tip:
While you’re in Jasper National Park, be sure to stop by the Columbia Icefield Skywalk to get the best and most unobstructed views of the forests and mountain ranges. Occasionally, you can spot grizzly bears here as well!
Moose – Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada
Media credit: mariskarinkel
Address: Waterton Park, AB T0K 2M0
Contact details: +1 403-859-5133
Operating hours: Open 24 hours
Rates:
- Adult (18 to 65 years): CAD11.90
- Senior (65 years and above): CAD9.50
- Youth (6 to 17 years): Free
- Family (7 pax): CAD22
- Commercial Group: CAD9.35 per person
Best time to visit: Late September to Late October
Realistically, there’s more than one place to spot moose in Alberta, as they’re virtually everywhere in the northern Boreal and Foothills region. However, we recommend checking them out at Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada because of its beautiful sights.
This park is open year-round, and it offers stunning views of majestic waterfalls, clear lakes, and mountain vistas. Furthermore, tons of breathtaking wildlife aside from moose, like bison, grizzly bears, and elks roam the park.
The moose are awe-inspiring in their own right as well, usually standing at around 6.2 to 6.6 feet—you’ll feel minuscule standing next to them! Just be sure to keep your distance, though, as they can easily get startled by the slightest movement.
Pro tip:
If you want to witness the best views in the park, be sure to explore the Red Rock Canyon Trail. It offers amazing sights of the canyon, and the trail itself is beginner-friendly, as it only requires a couple of short walks to find the views.
Bison – Elk Island National Park
Media credit: nnnance
Address: Improvement District No. 13
Contact details: +1 888-773-8888
Operating hours: Open 24 hours
Rates:
- Adult (18 to 65 years): CAD9
- Senior (65 years and above): CAD7.75
- Youth (6 to 17 years): Free
- Family (7 pax): CAD17.50
- Commercial Group: CAD7.65 per person
Best time to visit: Spring and Fall
The bison are some of the best animals to observe in Alberta because they often come in herds, so you’ll get more than what you bargained for. These gentle giants can be immediately classified by their hunchbacked nature, dark-brown fur, and horns.
Although you may rarely see them sprinting during your wildlife spotting experience, they can shift their gears and gain speeds of up to 35 Km/h despite their size. Speaking of size, the average bison can weigh around 300 to 1,000 kg with heights ranging from 5 to 6’10 feet.
Elk Island National Park is our preferred place to observe them because of their dense population there, featuring over 700 residents of both wood and plains bison. Plus, it’s a convenient location for us in Edmonton since it’s only 35 minutes east of the city.
Pro tip:
If Elk Island National Park is out of your way, you can also spot tons of bison in Wood Buffalo National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, and Banff National Park.
Wolves – Kananaskis Country
Media credit: friendsofkananaskis
Address: Kananaskis Country
Contact details (Information Line): 403-678-0760
Operating hours (Visitor’s Information Centre): Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Rates:
- Day pass: CAD15 per vehicle
- Annual pass: CAD90
Best time to visit: Winter
Wolves are some of the most intimidating animals to observe in Alberta, especially when you see them in packs. But as long as you keep your distance from them and know the perfect vantage points to observe them from, you’re golden.
They can be found across the Northern Rocky Mountains, but you’ll be surprised to see just how many of them are in Kananaskis Country. These animals are much more tricky to find because of how secretive they are, which makes them all the more rewarding to spot.
The specific species of wolves you’ll find in Alberta’s Kananaskis Country is the grey wolf, which features beautiful light fur. They can also grow up to 80 cm, or even more, which helps them prey on other Albertan animals like elk, deer, and bison.
Pro tip:
Since getting too close to these animals can be dangerous, keep the rule of thumb in mind. Stretch your arm and make a thumbs up, and if the animal is covered by your thumb, that means that you’re in a safe distance,
Elk – Prince Albert National Park
Media credit: james_m_logan
Address: 969 Lakeview Dr, Waskesiu Lake
Contact details: +1 306-663-4522
Operating hours:
- Monday: 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Tuesday to Thursday: 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Rates:
- Adult (18 to 65 years): CAD9
- Senior (65 years and above): CAD7.75
- Youth (6 to 17 years): Free
- Family (7 pax): CAD17.50
- Commercial Group: CAD7.65 per person
Best time to visit: Fall
You can’t leave Alberta without seeing Elks, whether intentionally or not. These majestic animals can be found in various national parks across Alberta, including Banff and Jasper, but our favourite vantage spot to observe them is at Prince Albert.
There are different traits of an elk that makes them majestic, from their sheer size to their massive antlers. However, what makes them a great animal to observe from afar is their gentleness, often being spotted drinking from a nearby creek.
Don’t be fooled though, as bull elks, have been seen to go at it with their antlers, which is another great thing to witness. If you’re lucky, you can even spot mother elks walking alongside their offsprings peacefully across Prince Albert National Park.
Pro tip:
Don’t limit your wildlife spotting in elks and other land animals while you’re here. Prince Albert National Park is also home to over 190 species of birds, so don’t forget to look up during your hikes!
Mountain Goat – Mount Kerkeslin Saltlick Viewpoint
Media credit: alexa.cate.photo
Address: Improvement District No. 12
Contact details (Jasper National Park): +1 780-852-6176
Operating hours: Open 24 hours
Rates:
- Adult (18 to 65 years): CAD11.90
- Senior (65 years and above): CAD9.50
- Youth (6 to 17 years): Free
- Family (7 pax): CAD22
- Commercial Group: CAD9.35 per person
Best time to visit: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Mountain goats are some of the most impressive wildlife species on this list because of how they seem to ignore the rules of gravity. These goats can traverse through an almost vertical plane just to get their fresh salt from steep rocky cliffs.
You’ll find them in Jasper National Park, with Mount Kerkeslin’s Saltlick Viewpoint being your best bet as a vantage point. However, these goats aren’t the only reasons why we recommend checking out this viewpoint, but the stunning sights of the valley are as well!
Saltlick Viewpoint is located on the Icefields Parkway of Jasper National Park, where you can see the breathtaking mountain ranges. Furthermore, the drive to this area is already a reward in itself, as it offers stunning views of the forest as well!
Pro tip:
While you’re here, be sure to check out the Glacier Skywalk to enjoy a thrilling sightseeing experience. This observation deck features a glass floor, so you can see a full bird’s eye view of the valley below—pretty neat!
Deer – Bow Valley Parkway
Media credit: haliocentric
Address: Improvement District No. 9
Contact details: +1 403-762-1550
Operating hours: Daily from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Rates (Banff National Park):
- Adult (18 to 65 years): CAD11.90
- Senior (65 years and above): CAD9.50
- Youth (6 to 17 years): Free
- Family (7 pax): CAD22
- Commercial Group: CAD9.35 per person
Best time to visit: Spring
If you find yourself in Banff National Park during your time in Alberta (which you should), it’s impossible not to see some deer along the way. If you want a 100% visibility rate, however, we recommend heading to Bow Valley Parkway.
Come springtime, this serene highway will be a common crossing for deer and several other Alberta wildlife. Whitetail deer are the most common among the species, which can easily be identified by the white streak under their tails.
You can also find male species with unique and beautiful antlers, some of which are short and are referred to as spiked bucks. As beautiful as they are to admire up close, however, maintain a safe distance when observing them, as they can easily get spooked at the tiniest of noises.
Pro tip:
While you’re here, you might as well make the short drive towards Backswamp Viewpoint, which is located on the same road as Bow Valley Parkway. It’s a great spot to take scenic photos with the forest—plus, it’s home to Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep!
