Public Lands, Parks & Protected Areas

Explore the region’s natural areas

Explore the region’s natural and protected areas, from the popular Crescent Falls to the untouched areas of the Siffleur Wilderness.

Most of our region falls under what is known as public land use zones, aka PLUZ. It’s a little different than what we usually refer to as crown-land, mainly due to the way it is managed by Alberta Environment.

Each of the PLUZ has a slightly different set of rules when it comes to recreation with some allowing motorized activities where other areas are primarily opened to activities like hiking, snowshoeing and paddling. The PLUZ in our regions are known as the Bighorn Backcountry and you can find out more about recreation on public lands here.

Thompson Creek
Crescent Falls

Alberta Parks manages the various protected areas in our region, known as natural areas, provincial recreation areas (PRA), ecological reserves and wilderness areas.

Each of these comes with various levels of protection and services. You can find out more about recreation in these locations here.