Wood Buffalo Travel Guide: Things to Do, Best Time to Visit & Itinerary

Stepping into Wood Buffalo National Park feels less like visiting a park and more like entering a forgotten kingdom. As Canada’s largest national park, it is a staggering 44,807 square kilometres of boreal forest, salt plains, and karstland, an area larger than Switzerland. This is a land where the silence is heavy and profound, broken only by the crack of a dry branch under the hoof of a wood bison or the cry of a whooping crane. It is a place where nature operates on a scale that makes human concerns feel incredibly small.

Located on the border of Alberta and the Northwest Territories, the park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects the largest free-roaming herd of wood bison in the world. But beyond the megafauna, it offers a geological wonderland. The landscape is riddled with sinkholes and underground rivers, and the salt plains look like a scene from another planet, with white crystals blooming from the earth like frozen flowers. For the traveller willing to venture North, Wood Buffalo offers an intimacy with the wild that is becoming increasingly rare.

A Sanctuary of Salt and Stone

What truly sets Wood Buffalo apart is its unique hydrology. The park is home to one of the largest inland freshwater deltas in the world, the Peace-Athabasca Delta, yet it is also famous for its salt. Ancient seas that evaporated millions of years ago left behind massive salt deposits. Groundwater pushes this salt to the surface, creating the mesmerizing Salt Plains. Here, you can walk barefoot on the seabed of an ancient ocean, surrounded by the scents of sage and spruce. It is a surreal juxtaposition of desert-like geology within a lush northern forest.

Culturally, this land has been the home of the Cree, Chipewyan, and Métis peoples for generations. Their history is woven into the rivers and trails, from the days of the fur trade to the present. The nearby town of Fort Smith, the park’s headquarters, serves as the gateway to these experiences. It is a community deeply connected to the land, where the Northern Lights dance overhead in winter and the Midnight Sun refuses to set in summer.

The Icons You’ll Want to See

The Salt Plains - A must-see geological marvel. Located approximately 60 km from Fort Smith. A switchback trail leads you down to the flats where you can explore the salt mounds. Free entry with park pass.

Pine Lake - A stunning series of sinkholes filled with aquamarine water. Located 60 km from Fort Smith. It is the main recreation area with a beach, campground, and rental cabins. Day use is free with a park pass.

Rapids of the Drowned - A powerful section of the Slave River. Located just 5 km from Fort Smith. These class IV-V rapids are home to a summer colony of American White Pelicans. Accessible via a short drive and viewing platforms.

Sweetgrass Station - For the truly adventurous. Located in the heart of the Peace-Athabasca Delta. Access is remote and usually requires a boat or guided tour, but it offers unparalleled wildlife viewing in the park’s interior.

Planning Your Visit

Wood Buffalo is remote, and getting there is part of the adventure. Most visitors drive the Mackenzie Highway (Hwy 1) to the Hay River turnoff, then take Highway 5 east to Fort Smith. The drive is paved but isolated, so ensure your vehicle is in good condition. Alternatively, you can fly into Fort Smith (YSM) from Edmonton or Yellowknife. Once in Fort Smith, you will need a vehicle to access the park’s main sights.

Pack for variable weather. Even in July, nights can be cool, and storms can roll in quickly. Bug spray is non-negotiable; the “northern air force” of mosquitoes and horseflies is intense in early summer. Bring a good camera, sturdy hiking boots, and if you are visiting in late summer or autumn, a tripod for capturing the Aurora Borealis.

Whether you come for the endless summer days to paddle the sinkhole lakes or brave the winter chill to watch the sky dance with green fire, Wood Buffalo National Park leaves an indelible mark. It is a place that demands patience and respect, rewarding those who give it with memories of a wilderness that remains truly, wildly free.