Whitney Lakes Provincial Park is truly a hidden gem in Alberta’s Lakeland Region. This small park is home to four lakes nestled in the forest, a campground, hiking and biking trails and sandy beaches. It also protects something very special: one of the province’s most significant glacial eskers.
Whitney Lakes Provincial Park is located on Treaty 6 territory. It is the traditional gathering place and travelling route for the Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Nakota Sioux and Dene. The area is also the homeland of the Otipemisiwak Metis, whose deep history and connections are tied to this land.
We honour, respect and thank the generations of Indigenous people, past, present and future, for caring for these waters, forests and trails. Thank you for sharing it with us, and allowing us to explore, learn about and build connections to this special place.
What is a glacial esker?
Over 10,000 years ago, during the ice age, glaciers retreated across the land. The glacial meltwater flowed over and under great sheets of ice, moving like a weave. That water moved gravel and sand, and it came to rest in drainage channels. Eskers are the long, narrow ridges of sand and gravel that were left behind by this melting ice.
Beside them, hollows are left in the land between where that glacial settlement piled up. These are called kettles, and they often fill with water. The lakes in Whitney Lakes Provincial Park are kettle lakes: Whitney Lake, Borden Lake, Ross Lake and Laurier Lake.
Why is the glacial esker at Whitney Lakes Provincial Park so special?
This landform is unique and almost surprising to see in eastern Alberta. The winding hills of the esker are stunning, especially the long, narrow spine that leads into Borden Lake. It allows you to step back in time and imagine how the last Ice Age formed the land and created these kettle lakes.
The Glacial Esker Trail in Whitney Lakes Provincial Park is an easy trail system that allows you to walk right along the ridge of these rolling eskers, including the spine at Borden Lake. They are elevated and provide high-up views of forest, wetlands and Borden and Laurier Lakes.
Learning about the glacial eskers and how they carved out this breathtaking land and pretty lakes is a rich experience. Plus, it’s easy to access and in a generally uncrowded, well-maintained park.
How to see the glacial esker in Whitney Lakes Provincial Park
You can get to the Glacial Esker Trail on foot or by canoe or kayak on Borden Lake. The official Glacial Esker Trail is only 1.2 KM. These directions are to the start of that trail, so please include the 2.2 KM round trip to explore the esker in your distance and timeline.
Hiking to the Glacial Esker
You have several options for accessing the glacial esker on foot.
Easiest: Park in the northwest parking lot, via Rg Rd 45 and Township Rd 565A. From there, you can take the easy 1.1 KM walk to the start of the Glacial Esker Trail. From there, you can go up the spine of the esker on Borden Lake and choose to continue on a longer loop around the north arm of Laurier Lake.
Longer routes: There are two other ways to walk to the esker. You can park in the northeast parking lot north of Laurier Lake (via Rg Rd 42) and walk about 4 KM to the Glacial Esker Trail. Or, you can make a day of it and hike from the Whitney Lake Day Use Area. This hike is about 5.4 KM to the Glacial Esker Trail, each way.
Paddling to the Glacial Esker Trail
This is our favourite way to visit the esker, because you get a full day of paddling, hiking and a lunch stop at the Borden Lake backcountry campsite.
Park on the side of the road on Township Rd 564 just off HWY 646 before the road bends. You’ll see the southern arm of Borden Lake. There is a culvert there and a little trail where people have launched their kayaks and canoes. The road isn’t wide, so try to get over as much as you can.
Then, paddle up Borden Lake towards the backcountry campsite (see map for approximate location). You’ll get to paddle right beside the esker spine, and enjoy the wildlife and waterfowl on this somewhat remote lake.
Depending on how much the brush has grown, it might be a little difficult to find the site from the water. I suggest paddling to the shore behind the little island and following it east around the little point. Look for a floating dock and a small break in the trees. The site can be hard to spot unless you’re right in front of it.
Once you’re at the backcountry site, you can get on the trail and walk to the esker. It’s about 1.5 km from there to the start of the Glacial Esker Trail.
Interested in camping at the Borden Lake Backcountry Campsite? Read our guide to learn more about it: Backcountry Trips to do with Kids in Alberta.
Conservation: The Importance of Protecting Glacial Eskers
Glacial eskers, like the one in Whitney Lakes Provincial Park, are worth protecting. They provide valuable geological history and critical wildlife habitat. Plus, eskers are good sources of clean water because their sediments are clean and they trap rain and melted snow.
Geological and Cultural History
Eskers give us a glimpse of the past. They provide a visual, topographical map of how glaciers carved the land 10,000 to 100,000 years ago. These landforms are rare in this region compared to Canada’s far north. In Alberta’s prairie and forested areas, we have very few and small eskers. That’s why the unique and remarkable eskers we can access, like the one in Whitney Lakes, are so special.
Indigenous people have also used eskers for travel routes. They provide dry, elevated trails through forested areas, wetlands and lakes. In addition, trees and brush don’t grow high on eskers, making difficult travel much easier. Indigenous people have been using these natural “highways” for travel since the last Ice Age.
The eskers’ elevation also provided people and animals with natural relief from bugs in the summer! Usually it is windier on the esker, providing refuge from biting insects like mosquitoes and black flies.
Because they are high, they were also used as lookout points to watch the landscape for migrating herds of caribou or bison. In some parts of Canada, distinct archaeological sites show us that people camped on the eskers. Hearths, stone tools and tent rings found show us thousands of years of cultural history.
Wildlife Habitat
Wildlife also use eskers as transportation routes, using the dry, bush-free tops of eskers to traverse bogs and lakeland. In addition, animals like bears, foxes, wolves and ground squirrels burrow into the eskers during long, cold winters. Being elevated prevents their dens from flooding during the spring melt, and protects their young.
In the summer, plants like berry-producing shrubs, lichens and other food sources grow here. The esker provides a natural food garden for birds and large mammals.
Like humans, some animals use the esker for hunting, to look for prey in the lands below.
How can you help protect the glacial esker?
Eskers are sensitive habitats, which means the most important thing you can do is help prevent erosion and soil damage. Stay on designated trails and minimize your footprint. Because they’re made of sand and gravel, going off trail can damage the esker and it will take hundreds of years to recover. Plus, the delicate grasses and moss holding the sandy soil together is easily damaged by boots.
Keep pets on a leash. Off-leash dogs can easily go off trail, dig into the loose soil and disturb plants and wildlife habitats. Consider the Leave No Trace principles. Pack out all your garbage and belongings, and don’t take anything from the natural area except photos.
Getting there
Whitney Lakes Provincial Park is located about three hours northeast of Edmonton and approximately 90 minutes west of Lloydminster, making it easily accessible from both Alberta and Saskatchewan.
From Edmonton, follow Highway 16 East to Myrnam, then continue north on Highway 881 before turning east on Highway 646 to the park entrance.
From Saskatchewan, take Highway 16 west through Lloydminster and follow the same route. The final stretch winds through peaceful boreal forest, offering a scenic introduction to the park.
