Grande Cache is the gateway to Willmore Wilderness Park which comprises 4,597 square kilometres of pure, unspoiled mountain wilderness. Willmore Wilderness Park is a pristine mountainous area with rugged forest and alpine expanses. The rivers and creeks are crystal clear, and fast-moving streams are a good source of drinking water.
The park is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts.
The only mode of transportation allowed in the mountain Park is by foot, horseback or bicycle.
Motorized vehicles are not allowed in the park.
Care should be taken when venturing into the backcountry. Safety is the first consideration when travelling in Willmore Wilderness Park. Travellers in this remote area should have extensive outdoor experience or hire an experienced guide or outfitter for their expedition.
One can choose to hike, take horseback riding trips or mountain bikes. The trails consist of historical routes used by the outfitters and fur trappers dating back to the early 1800s. Some of these are as follows:
- Indian Trail
- Mountain Trail
- Sheep Creek Trail
- Pope Thoreau Trail
- and Big Grave Flats to name a few.
If you wish to traverse the Continental Divide, several passes are:
- Rocky
- Jackknife
- Casket
- Forget-Me-Not
- Fetherstonhaugh
- Morkill.
For more information on trips and trails in Willmore, consult the Willmore Wilderness Park map at www.albertaparks.ca/willmore.aspx or maps are available to purchase at the Grande Cache Tourism & Interpretive Centre.
WILLMORE WILDERNESS PARK STAGING AREAS
Willmore Wilderness Park has three major staging areas for both hikers and horseback riders, all reached off of Highway 40 (to the park’s east).
From south to north, they are:
- Rock Lake Provincial Park
- Big Berland Provincial Recreation Area
- Cowlick Staging Area
- Sulphur Gates Provincial Area
The last two are just outside Grande Cache.
WILLMORE WILDERNESS FOUNDATION
Willmore Wilderness Foundation is a Registered Charitable Organization that:
- preserves the history of the area
- focuses on the advancement of education of the park
- restores historical pack trails
- and enhances the use of Willmore Wilderness Park for visitors.
PEOPLE & PEAKS PRODUCTIONS
People & Peaks Productions Ltd. is owned by the Willmore Wilderness Foundation. The company specializes in outdoor documentary film series and produces HD stories with breathtaking imagery and dramatic narratives.
For more information, please visit:
ALBERTA ROCKIES ADVENTURES
Alberta Rockies Adventures represents leading operators and lodges that operate in or around Willmore Wilderness Park.
Visitors can simply enjoy the beauty of the area and its attractions or immerse themselves more deeply in the cultural heritage, which includes:
- folklore
- historical buildings
- trapline cabins
- old gravesites
- ancient aboriginal mountain trails
- wikiups
- cache sites
- and old mine sites.
For more information, please visit:
