How to Go on an Indigenous Adventure in Alberta

Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai’pi

The Blackfoot name for Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park is “Áísínai´pi,” which means “it is pictured/written.” This UNESCO World Heritage Site has the largest collection of First Nation petroglyphs (rock carvings) and pictographs (rock paintings) on the Great Plains of North America. It also has spectacular sandstone rock formations called hoodoos, as well as unique flora and fauna. The Blackfoot people believe Áísínai´pi is home to powerful spirits who write their truths on the rocks. In the past, Áísínai´pi was a place where young warriors came to fast and pray while on their vision quests. The on-site visitor centre here is excellent. You can book tours with a park interpreter to visit the rock art, or go for a hike on your own and explore the remarkable hoodoos.

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

For nearly 6,000 years, Indigenous hunters used their knowledge of the land and bison behaviour to kill their prey by chasing them over the precipice at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. The bison carcasses were carved up in a camp below the cliffs. Vast quantities of skeletons can still be found here. This important archeological site is one of the worlds oldest and best-preserved buffalo jumps. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. You can feel the spirit of the Plains peoples ancient way of life when you tour the cliffs with an Indigenous guide. There's an excellent on-site museum with wonderful interpretive programs. Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is in traditional Blackfoot territory, which includes three nations: the Siksika, the Kainai (Bloods) and the Piikani (Peigan).

Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park

The Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park is on a site that has been an important gathering place for the Siksika First Nation for countless generations. Treaty 7, an agreement between the Crown and several Indigenous nations, was signed here in 1877. This area is now a designated National Historical Site with an impressive facility built for the promotion and preservation of the Siksika Nation’s language, culture and traditions. The park contains an eco-friendly museum with interactive exhibits, a restaurant where you can sample traditional Indigenous foods, and a gift shop with locally made crafts and other products. You may be able to enjoy dance and craft demonstrations, guided tours with a local Siksika interpreter and hikes along the trails. For a distinctive cultural experience, book an overnight stay in a traditional Blackfoot tipi at Tipi Village.

Métis Crossing

Métis are one of the three recognized Indigenous peoples in Canada, along with First Nations and Inuit. Métis are of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry and have developed their own language, culture, music, food and traditional ways of living. Métis Crossing is the first major Métis cultural interpretive centre in Alberta. It celebrates and shares Métis culture through hands-on activities, crafts and food. Follow costumed interpreters through a traditional harvesting camp and a river lot farmyard, complete with traditional homesteads, gardens and real farm animals. Métis Crossing has an indoor museum, craft and skills demonstrations, a bison paddock and a voyageur canoe experience where you can paddle down a river just like the fur traders did. The centre hosts immersive winter experiences like snowshoeing, stargazing, animal tracking and making traditional handicrafts. You can stay overnight in a replica Métis Trapper Tent or in one of the 40 guest rooms in the new boutique lodge.

Painted Warriors Ranch

Located in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, Painted Warriors Ranch offers a variety of authentic outdoor adventures rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing, learning and experiencing the wilderness. The ranch owners, Tracey Klettl and Tim Mearns, want to connect their guests with the land and share their Ojibway, Cree and Mohawk heritage. The 82-acre ranch is a good place to learn outdoor skills like animal tracking, snowshoeing, horseback riding, forest walks and archery. It also offers multi-day outdoor training programs and equine training. Spend the night glamping in an authentic Métis Trapper Tent and wake up to views of the Rocky Mountains, or pop by for a day tour.