Found my way back to Wood Buffalo National Park this past week. It was a long day of travel last Sunday, going from Toronto to Calgary to Yellowknife. Here is the view from the Maple Leaf Lounge, looking southwest towards the city and mountains.
The final leg was on Northwestern Air from Yellowknife to Fort Smith. Here is the Yellowknife baggage carousel. there was a large contingent of Japanese tourists on the flight from Calgary, they were on a northern lights tour.
We were staying in Fort Smith for the week.
The Northwest Territories licence plate.
The ravens are giant up there. This one was hanging around the truck.
There was no shortage of Wood Bison on the way to and from the site. Our site is approximately 100km from town.
Fort Smith is located on the Slave River.
The Pelican Rapids.
Wood Bison n the way to the park.
Wood Bison on the way back from the park. The most we saw going in one direction was six, chances were good that we saw the same ones on the way back. They don’t move very far during the course of the day.
Wood Buffalo National Park is the largest National Park in Canada and is home to a herd of 5000 plus free roaming Wood Bison. The park is also home to the last remaining wild migratory flock of whooping cranes left in the world.
A Wood Bison moving along the highway.
We also saw quite a few black bears through the week. The first day there were two that crossed the road on our way back to town. A couple of days later we saw a couple on the way out of town. This was the same guy, not as big as the first ones we saw.
Also located in the park is the Salt Plains.
The Salt Plains, extending over 200 square kilometres, are extremely rare, and one of the reasons Wood Buffalo Park was declared a World Heritage Site. Salt bubbles up in springs across the plains, in some places forming mounds up to two metres high. In spring the salt is dispersed across the landscape forming white patterns on the land. The salt is pure table salt, deposited many millions of years ago.
Just spectacular scenery up in this part of the country.
There were parts of the park that also experienced recent forest fire activity.
Leaving the park on the last day, there were some Wood bison near the park border.
The Wood bison is the largest North American mammal and can weigh up to a tonne.
The watch for buffalo sign on the road as you drive into the park.
It was a good week work wise, we completed what we had come up for and we saw an abundance of wildlife.
One last stop at Little Buffalo River Falls.
This is a Territorial Park close to Fort Smith.
A classic sign posted near the falls.
Back in town this fox came around when we were gassing up the truck.
It was very curious and had no fear of us.
