Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park is a quiet, hidden gem located southwest of the town of Hinton, bordered on the west by Jasper National Park.
It is a 175km2 protected area, providing habitat to many wildlife species including bighorn sheep, harlequin ducks, elk, moose, mule deer, grizzly bear, wolves, cougars, hoary marmot and pika.
The park is particularly important for conservation of the grizzly bears that traverse the mountain ranges between Whitehorse and Jasper National Park.
It shares a portion of its west boundary with Jasper National Park and its east boundary with the Cheviot coal mine.
The Wildland Park can be divided into serveral sub-areas: Cardinal Divide, Tripoli Ridge, Whitehorse Creek, Cardinal River Headwaters, and the Cadomin Cave.
It is also the starting off point for such hikes as Whitehorse Creek Falls and Fiddle Pass, a multi-day hike finishing off at Miette Hot Springs.
Whitehorse Creek Falls is a beautiful 16-metre-high waterfall in the backcountry of Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park.
You can visit Whitehorse Creek Falls on a day hike, or an overnight backpacking trip. There are multiple backcountry campgrounds to choose from in this quiet provincial park.
Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park is located 60 km south of Hinton Alberta, down Highway 40 and 6Km south of the hamlet of Cadomin, a small town nestled between the large foothills and small mountains.
Drive west of Hinton to Highway 40 South and follow this road for about 46 km to a T-intersection. You’ll lose cell signal about halfway there. Turn right here and follow it to the town of Cadomin 2 km down the road.
You’ll be driving past the Cadomin Mine on your way. Be careful for the mine traffic on your way.
You’ll pick up phone service again while you drive through the hamlet of Cadomin, but will lose it again shortly after leaving.
The road to get there switches between paved and gravel and has quite a few potholes but is still accessible with any vehicle.
You won’t find much here except some houses and the Mountain Road General Store & Hole in the wall Cafe.
That’s your last stop for any last minute snacks or supplies. Your last stop for a Walmart or proper grocery store is in Hinton, Alberta
The trailhead is at the Whitehorse Creek Campground.
Whitehorse Creek Campground is found about 6 km southwest of Cadomin, on a gravel access road. It is a staging area for the Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park.
The campground is situated along scenic Whitehorse Creek, near the confluence of the Whitehorse Creek and McLeod River.
There is a gravel parking area for hikers just before Whitehorse Creek Campground, and about a 5 minute walk from the trail head.
There are two parking spots right at the trailhead, but those can only be used for unloading/loading, and not for long term parking.
There are outhouses/pit toilets at the campground you can use.
Length: 25km roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 260m
Difficulty: Moderate
Permits: Not required!
Dogs: Permitted on leash
That’s right, no permits or reservations required!
These backcountry campsites are free to use, and are available on a first come first serve basis. Right now this park is still a hidden gem, and never really gets too busy.
Please respect the park and adhere to the Leave No Trace principles.
There are pit toilets, bear hangs, and great water sources available along the trail.
The hike to Whitehorse Creek Falls is scenic pretty much the whole way, with plenty of great rest spots to stop and take it all in.
As this is a quieter trail and has lots of wildlife, make sure you are prepared. Let someone know where you are going, and when you’re expected back. Be prepared with maps and know your route. Be bear aware and read up on tips for dealing with wildlife.
There are four designated backcountry campsites in the park: Trappers Campground, Sawmill Campground, Whitehorse Creek Falls Campground, and Fiddle campground.
You can hike this trail between June and October, but the best times to visit are July and August.
Make note for early season hikers, it’ll have higher water levels and deeper creek crossing from the snowmelt, mud, and possibly even snow. For early and late season hikers, be extra cautious of bear activity in this area.
Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. This trail is not very busy, and there is plenty of wildlife out here, especially bears.
Length: 25km roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 260m
Difficulty: moderate
Permits: Not required!
Plan for this hike to take around 6-8 hours for day hikers. There are plenty of nice rest stops along the route.
The trail had all sorts of terrain. Ridge walks, walking through tall brush, through the woods, water crossings, mud bogs, as well as uneven terrain majority of the way. A lot of rocks, roots, and a lot of the trail is bogged down from horses.
While it’s not a difficult hike in km’s or elevation, it is not an easy trail either. Proper hiking boots with ankle support are required, and waterproof is highly recommended.
If you’re hiking earlier in the season, the water levels of the creeks may be high, be prepared.
It is a popular equestrian trail, and unfortunately for us foot walkers, the horses chew the trail up pretty badly. If you pass by an equestrian group, stay calm and let them pass.
Hiking poles would be a great idea for this adventure.
From the trailhead, follow the main trial to the junction for Lower Whitehorse Trail or Upper Whitehorse Trail.
The lower trail goes along the creek and over rolling hills, the upper trail is designated for horseback riders. Take the lower trail, as the Upper trail is quite difficult for hikers and does not offer much for scenery.
It mentions the ‘first falls’ on the map, but it was very small and we walked right past it on our way there. We found it on the way home, but it is small enough to make you wonder if it truly does count as a waterfall.
It is a pretty easy and scenic 6km to Trappers Campground.
Trappers Campground is the first one along the trail, about 6km in.
It has a couple of tent spots, a nice communal fire pit, a bear hang, and a pit toilet.
If you’re taking it slow and hiking over a few days, you could set up camp here, but I recommend continuing on until at least sawmill campground.
Shortly after Trappers Campground, you come to a rocky area, and pass over a creek bed. There is a trail straight ahead that goes up a short steep hill, but you want to stay to your left, and you’ll see a trail on the other side.
After Trappers Campsite there is a nice spot along the creek to stop for a break and a swim if its nice out. There was a small waterfall and a swimming hole with crystal clear water that was irresistible for a swim.
There is a makeshift campsite near the falls where someone built a fire pit, but this is not an official campsite.
Sawmill campsite is about 2km from Trappers, so after a short walk you’ll reach the next campground.
Many hikers will pitch up their tents here to take advantage of the bear hang, pit toilet and a nice communal fire pit that is protected from the rain, should you have bad weather. It’s also situated near a stream for water access.
Sawmill Campground is approximately halfway to Whitehorse Creek Falls.
Many people will set up camp there, and then hike the rest of the way to the falls and back. You’ll need probably need 2-3 hours roundtrip to get to the falls and back.
I was determined to sleep next to a waterfall, so after a quick break here, we carried on.
(Note: I did camp at Sawmill Campground my second time attempting this hike.)
After Sawmill the trail gets a little rougher and has a lot more hills. No major inclines but you’re definitely heading up. The trail gets pretty rough as well, a lot of bogged down muddy areas, ruts and uneven terrain from horses, and a few creek crossings.
Don’t worry though, it may be a rough trail but it is quite scenic!
Maybe about 20-30 minutes before we reached the waterfall, we saw this sign which had a path leading to a camping spot. I didn’t get a picture as there were already some people camped there, and it was only big enough for one group.
I didn’t see any facilities (outhouses or bear hangs) at this spot, only a firepit.
It was a nice looking spot right along the creek, but were continuing on to the waterfall!
We continued on for probably another 30 minutes up the trail. The trail had turned into a creek, so we walked along the side for as long as we could, and eventually followed the creek through the bush beside.
There was somewhat of a trail from people before us trying to avoid walking through the water, but there was a lot of branches and bushwhacking involved.
Once we arrived at the falls, we had it all to ourselves! It was so beautiful and I couldn’t believe we were the only ones there.
There were 3-4 sites there that I could tell. Each ‘site’ was marked with these logs surrounding it, and had it’s own little fire pit.
There are no facilities at this campsite, no bathrooms or bear hangs.
It was difficult to find a good tree for our bear hang, so make sure you do that early before it gets dark.
We set up our tent as close to the waterfall as we could, so I could undo the zipper and see the waterfall first thing!
It was a dream come true, however once the sun dropped, the wind coming off the waterfall made it very, very cold. Even though it was a +32 day, by midnight we were shivering in our tent.
I recommend setting up your tent farther back from the falls, as well as bringing warm clothes if you plan to camp near the falls.
While it is undeniable that social media, notably platforms like Instagram, has had adverse effects on some natural locations, leading to issues such as overcrowding, vandalism, and littering, I maintain the belief that the internet, as a whole, can serve as a platform for fostering education and environmental awareness. Online resources that go beyond mere geotags, like the content in this blog post, have the potential to make the outdoors more accessible, inclusive, and diverse. Engaging with the outdoors can transform individuals into advocates for environmental conservation, with the hope of inspiring others to do the same.
When visiting these natural sites, adhering to the Leave No Trace Principles becomes imperative in minimizing our ecological impact during outdoor recreation. These seven principles are instrumental in ensuring the preservation of our environment for future generations. For instance, one of the key principles is “pack out what you pack in,” which entails responsibly removing all waste, including biodegradable items like fruit peels or cores. While these organic materials may eventually decompose, the process can be slow, particularly in colder climates, and they can attract wildlife. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the Leave No Trace Principles:
• Please use existing campsites. Camp on durable surfaces such as gravel and areas with sparse vegetation.
• Camp at least 60 meters from water. Avoid washing in streams. Detergents, soap and toothpaste are harmful to aquatic life. Scatter all wash water so that it filters through the soil. • In areas without toilets, use a portable latrine and pack out your waste if possible. Otherwise, make a cat-hole latrine (20 cm deep) that naturally decomposes human waste. All toilets and waste water pits should be filled with soil and levelled when you vacate your campsite.
• Garbage should always be packed out of the backcountry, never buried. Wildlife can easily find and dig up old garbage pits, even in winter. Once accustomed to human food, these animals may become a problem for future visitors
Conservation Officer on Duty Phone: 780–865–6972
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