Writing on Stone Provincial Park
One of Alberta’s 6 UNESCO World Heritage sites, this unique area became a provincial park in 1957, but the history here is more ancient, steeped in Indigenous tradition and lore. Áísínai´pi is Blackfoot for “it is pictured/written” and some drawings go back thousands of years.
Park up at the Visitors Centre for a few reasons. Stunning views. Bathrooms. And if you didn’t download the trail guide, a printed version might be available here as well.
This map shows some of the other parking spots along the top of the ravine where you can park and hike into the trail from various points. So, for example, if you’re short on time and really want to see The Battle Scene petroglyph, you can park in the middle lot (Davis Coulee Viewpoint) for a quick hike in and out.
Follow the Visitor’s Centre Trail which goes from the Visitor’s Centre down to the campground.
Once in the campground, head towards the west side and follow the signs for the entrance to the Matapiiksi (Hoodoo) Trail.
Although, it’s fun to wander, we highly recommend picking up a copy of the trail guide (free for download on the website). A map is included in the trail guide which shows the location of all 15 points of interest. It also shows what the drawings look like. This is helpful because they can be hard to find.
Keep an eye out for the sign posts near the ground. They are only about a foot high and can be easy to miss when all one wants to do is look up and admire the hoodoos.
The Milk River meanders through here now, but it was not what caused this riverside area. After the last ice age, large volumes of glacial melt flowed through, carving out the space we see today.
Wear good shoes for this hike. The trail is not paved (you’re mostly walking on stone and dirt) and can be a little uneven in some places.
The view from one of the parking stops at the top of the ravine area.
There are also some informational sign posts to help you get the lay of the land.
While the park itself houses thousands of stone carvings and paintings, there are four petroglyphs marked along the trail. The most popular one is The Battle Scene.
Depending on the angle of the sun, the pictures can be hard to see.
The Battle Scene is the only petroglyph site that has some signage.
Although, I’m sure this river was called somethings else before, the current name of “Milk River” was given because of its similar color to milky tea.
A sacred Indigenous landscape, many remnants of camping and rituals have been found in this area.
Rain and wind have scoured and whittled away the sandstone bedrock creating these unique formations.
Checking the map…
Layers and layers of eight five million year old sedimentary rock.
Can you spot the drawings? Marked just by a camouflaged sign post, we almost walked past this one.