Tours and programs
Elk Island National Park
Interpretive programs
Develop a deeper connection just outside Alberta’s capital city. Parks Canada interpreters will help you create memories and inspire connections to Elk Island National Park through a variety of daily programming. We engage, entertain, and educate, while helping you experience all Elk Island has to offer.
- Feel a fuzzy bison pelt
- Travel back in time with archaeological activities that bring history to life
- Discover a new world by peering into the underwater world off our living boardwalk or staring up in wonder at a starry night sky
- Get hands on and experience Indigenous culture with Cree crafting workshops
Weekdays
Astotin Theatre
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Open hours: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm
Discover artifacts, talk to a Parks Canada interpreter, and watch movies on the big screen. Create your own memories and inspire a deeper connection in this interactive space.
Daily Discoveries
Location: Mondays and Fridays: Visitor Centre
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Time: 2 pm to 5 pm
Stop by for fun daily activities! From archaeological history to community science, stop by for a different activity each day.
Weekends
Bison Backstage
Location: Heritage Barn near the Wahkotowin Visitor Information Centre
Times: 12:30 pm, 2 pm, 3:30 pm
Bison Backstage is the exclusive, behind the scenes look at bison conservation at Elk Island. Visitors will be led through the Plains Bison Handling Facility and along the way will learn about the history of bison, how they affect the prairie landscape around them, and how parks staff continue the ongoing role in bison conservation efforts. This is a 1-hour walking tour that covers approximately 1 kilometer over uneven ground.
Astotin Theatre
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Open hours: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm
Discover artifacts, talk to a Parks Canada interpreter, and watch movies on the big screen. Create your own memories and inspire a deeper connection in this interactive space.
Fridays
Bison Tales
Location: Astotin Theatre
Time: 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Gather around to listen to park interpreters share a collection of stories about the rise and fall of bison. Arrive early to save your spot!
Saturdays
Beaver Town: Exploring a Beaver’s Neighbourhood
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Time: 2 pm to 5 pm
Uncover the land and water that is shaped by busy beavers. Why are beavers considered “ecosystem engineers”? What does the presence of a beaver mean to the rest of their neighbourly companions? Dig up the answers to these questions and more!
Dark Sky Stories Campfire
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Time: 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Settle in next to a campfire to hear dark sky stories that have fascinated people for generations. Arrive early to save your spot!
Sundays
Rising Thunder Immersive Experiences
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Time: 11 am to 2 pm
Dates and Programs:
July 7 – Tipi activation and tipi teachings
July 14 – Medicine wheel teachings
July 21 – Plant medicine teachings
July 28 – Animal and plant teachings
August 4 – Tipi teachings
August 11 – Medicine wheel teachings
August 18 – Plant medicine teachings
August 25 – Animal and plant teachings
Join Elder Bill Bertschy and take part in a series of rotating immersive experiences exploring Indigenous culture.
Pemmican on the Prairie
Location: Astotin Lake Recreation Area
Times: 2 pm to 5 pm
Did you know pemmican was one of the first “energy bars” of the prairies? Come learn about how pemmican is made, why it was a staple food source for so many years, and how it shaped history across the prairies of North America.
Teachers: Be sure to visit our School Programs page.
Private programming
Parks Canada interpreters are enthusiastic and knowledgeable and have a number of paid programs ready for groups!
Celebrating Indigenous Culture
At Parks Canada, Indigenous voices share their own stories of their history and culture
Dark sky experiences
Elk Island National Park is a member of the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve and is a perfect place to experience the stars and planets above
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