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Writing-on-Stone Provincial
Park [Entry Page] [About This Site] [Park Information] [Thumbnails] [Back] [Next] Park Information Creation of the Park: Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park was created in 1957. In 1977, a portion of the park was designated an Archaeological Preserve to protect the largest concentration of rock art, created by Plains People, on the Great Plains of North America. A portion of the park designated a Provincial Historic Resource in 1981. Natural History: There are over 50 rock art sites, with thousands of figures, as well as numerous archeological sites. Almost 100 % of the Alberta Grasslands, which comprise 17 % of the Alberta landscape, have been developed for agricultural purposes. Thus, this small park is one of the largest areas of protected prairie in the Alberta Parks System. Largely because of this typical but extreme amount of habitat loss, more than half the species on Canada's endangered species list are prairie species. These include the burrowing owl, swift fox, ferruginous hawk, and the peregrine falcon. For more information on grasslands regions visit this web site [Grasslands Web Site]. For more information on Endangered Species in Alberta visit Our Dwindling Legacy. Downcutting followed by extensive wind and water erosion has created the deep Milk River Valley and exposed cliffs of soft sandstone bedrock. It is on the bedrock walls of the valley and of the adjacent tributary coulees that the petroglyphs and pictographs of Writing-On-Stone are found. (A coulee is often used in western Canada to describe a deep narrow valley or ravine, especially one that is dry in summer). The river, mature cottonwood trees and the diverse coulee systems make this park one of Alberta's richest wildlife viewing locations.The park contains 265 recorded species of plants. The 60 recorded nesting bird species include the rock wren, rufous-sided towhee, golden eagle, prairie falcon, and others whose ranges barely reach the province, such as the lazuli bunting. Many of the park's 22 mammal species are common and easily seen, including Nuttall's cottontails, white-tailed jack rabbits, mule deer, porcupines and yellow-bellied marmots. Western rattlesnakes and bull snakes are common in some locations. Many rare wildlife species occur, including the Delaware skipper and two-tailed swallowtail butterflies, the western small-footed bat, and the bobcat. Evening sounds include coyotes and great horned owls and the common nighthawk is active. Nighthawks can be seen resting by day along horizontal limbs of the cottonwoods. For a discussion of the formation of areas like Writing-on-Stone and Albert prehistory visit Barbara Huck and Doug Whiteway’s "Writing-on-Stone", an excerpt from "In Search of Ancient Alberta," by Heartland Associates. Human Pre-History: Writing-on-Stone is a literal translation of the Cree word masinasin. The name refers to the petroglyphs or rock carvings of men, horses, bows, shields, spears and animals located along the sandstone banks of the Milk River Valley. The carvings and paintings are from a variety of eras, and were first recorded in 1850 by James Doty. Doty was working for the American government and attempting to arrive at a treaty with the Blackfoot. The Blackfoottranslation for Writing-On-Stone is ke-nock-sis-sah-ti. With the arrival of the North West Mounted Police, a post was established at the confluence of Police Creek and the Milk River, to put an end to the illicit whiskey trade. [Source: geographical names of Alberta]. Writing-on-Stone has long been interpreted as having been a place used only for spiritual reasons. While not denying that spiritualism was important at Writing-On-Stone, an examination of the social, political, and geographic contexts of its historic rock art leads to the theory it was also a Blackfoot boundary-marker, and a warning to their enemies not to cross it. Writing-On-Stone was located between the Blackfoot and numerous hostile nations to the south, in an area through which many different groups passed on military and hunting raids into Blackfoot territory. Because Natives used narrative art to boast of prowess and skill and to elevate their status, the heavy presence of this art at Writing-On-Stone in historic times is interpreted as a deliberate message to various enemy groups that the Blackfoot were a force best left unprovoked. [Source: Luc Bouchet-Bert, Spiritual and Biographic to Boundary-Marking Deterrent Art].
Approximately 320 kilometres (198 miles) southeast of Calgary, Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park straddles the Milk River eight kilometers (five miles) north of the Canada/U.S. border. From Milk River on Highway 4, go east on Highway 501 for 31 kilometres (19 miles), then 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) south following the signs. Park Details:
Park Facilities and Fees [note: these details may change over time]
Visitor Services: [note: these details may change over time] The park offers interpretive programs from mid-May to early September. Throughout the summer, there are guided walks to the rock art which are restricted. Additional tours are added during the peak season. Free tickets are handed out at the Naturalists' office, down in the campground area, one hour before each tour begins. Throughout the summer there are additional hikes, events, and evening programs. Schedules are posted throughout the park. Phone: (403)647-2364. |
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