Butcher Creek Natural Area (71.9 km)
Butcher Creek Natural Area, managed by Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP), is a 507-acre site near the Red Deer River. The area features a mix of white spruce and aspen forests, with grassland patches containing willow and silverberry thickets, creating important riparian habitat. Visitors may see a variety of birds, including Canada Jays, Three-toed Woodpeckers, Wilson’s Snipes, Spotted Sandpipers, Bald Eagles, Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Least Flycatchers, Red-eyed Vireos, Boreal Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Swainson’s Thrushes, Pine Siskins, and Mourning Doves, as well as wildlife such as moose, elk, and beavers. The site also supports plants like Wood Lily, Yellow Avens, Caragana, Honeysuckle, Brown-eyed Susan, Paintbrush, Coltsfoot, and Highbush Cranberry. Butcher Creek is ideal for birdwatching and casual hiking, though its rugged trails can be disorienting, so a GPS is recommended. A parking lot is available, but the road can be rutted, so plan accordingly.
Access: From Bowden, head west on Highway 587 for 26 km, then turn north onto Range Road 35 and left onto Township Road 350. The site is 650 meters ahead on the north side.
Partners: AEP
Alberta Discover Guide: No
Butcher Creek Natural Area, managed by Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP), is a 507-acre site near the Red Deer River. The area features a mix of white spruce and aspen forests, with grassland patches containing willow and silverberry thickets, creating important riparian habitat. Visitors may see a variety of birds, including Canada Jays, Three-toed Woodpeckers, Wilson’s Snipes, Spotted Sandpipers, Bald Eagles, Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Least Flycatchers, Red-eyed Vireos, Boreal Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Swainson’s Thrushes, Pine Siskins, and Mourning Doves, as well as wildlife such as moose, elk, and beavers. The site also supports plants like Wood Lily, Yellow Avens, Caragana, Honeysuckle, Brown-eyed Susan, Paintbrush, Coltsfoot, and Highbush Cranberry. Butcher Creek is ideal for birdwatching and casual hiking, though its rugged trails can be disorienting, so a GPS is recommended. A parking lot is available, but the road can be rutted, so plan accordingly.
Access: From Bowden, head west on Highway 587 for 26 km, then turn north onto Range Road 35 and left onto Township Road 350. The site is 650 meters ahead on the north side.
Partners: AEP
Alberta Discover Guide: No
