Ancient history leaves its mark

Dinosaur Provincial Park lets RVers experience prehistoric wonders

The beauty of RVing is that you have an unlimited array of destinations to visit. The adventurous traveller can turn every journey into a learning experience, and anyone who relishes such knowledge should head for the Dinosaur Provincial Park.

Donna Martin is the co-ordinator of the park’s Visitor Centre.

“(The park is) 48 kilometres northeast of Brooks, Alberta—we’re actually a couple hours’ drive from Drumheller,” said Martin. “We are a provincial park, we have a campground, (and) we offer tours into the badlands. It’s recommended that people book ahead of the tours, because they are very popular in the summer.”

The park tours start during the May long weekend, and run until Thanksgiving day in mid-October.

“(The park features) the largest expanse of badlands in Canada,” said Martin. “It is one of the richest fossil sites in the world for late cretaceous fossils, and it is just a very unique environment.”

There is also a campground with powered and non-powered sites, showers, food services and laundry facilities. There is also a bookstore and theatre nearby to keep visitors entertained after a day with the dinosaurs. Guided and unguided hikes are also an option.

“To be able to camp in the badlands is pretty spectacular,” said Martin. “If you’re here for the sunrise and the sunset it is pretty amazing, with the hoodoos and the different formations.”