Sheep River Provincial Park, Provincial park in Kananaskis Improvement District, Canada
Sheep River Provincial Park is a protected area in the Kananaskis region of Alberta, Canada, covering a river valley flanked by forest and rocky peaks. The park runs along the Sheep River and offers several campgrounds along with a network of hiking and skiing trails.
The area was designated a provincial park in 2001, ending a period when parts of the land were in private use. Before European settlement, the river valley served as a travel and hunting corridor for several Indigenous peoples.
The park takes its name from the bighorn sheep that roam the valley in numbers rarely seen elsewhere in the province. Hikers walking through the river corridor often spot these animals on rocky slopes or open meadows without needing to search for them.
A Kananaskis Conservation Pass is required to park a vehicle inside the park, so arrange this before arriving. Access is most comfortable from May through September, but many trails and campgrounds remain open into the winter months.
Sandy McNabb Campground hosts a natural ice skating area in winter, set up right on the campground itself rather than on a separate rink. Most summer visitors never realize this same spot doubles as a winter gathering place once temperatures drop.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
