Plan your next adventure: Download Alberta’s Public Land Trail Guide.
For advisories and closures for this and other areas, visit:
Maps of this area
Download current maps of the Bighorn Backcountry, including the Blackstone/Wapiabi PLUZ and digital mapping options at: Bighorn Backcountry - Overview.
Area and trail information
View activity and trail information for the area:
Activities
-
Camping
Public Lands Camping Pass required.
A Public Lands Camping Pass is required to random camp on public land along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
- Random, no-service camping is permitted. Campsites must be 100 metres from a lakeshore and no permanent camp structures are allowed.
- Campsites and fires must be one kilometre (0.6 miles) from a Public Land Recreation Area (PLRA) or Provincial Recreation Area (PRA). For further information see: Recreation on public land - Overview.
- Helicopters are not permitted to land on a lake or within 200 metres (219 yards) of the lakeshore.
- Review the regulations and best practices for camping on public land.
-
Motorized
- Off-highway vehicles (OHV) are not permitted.
- Snowmobiles are not permitted. Snow vehicle and OHV opportunities are provided in:
- Motorized boats are not permitted.
-
Non-motorized
- Hiking permitted.
- Equestrian permitted; trails available. Horse grazing or tethering must be at least 100 metres (109.4 yards) of a lakeshore. Equestrian users may be required to provide their own feed.
- Cross-country skiing permitted.
- Review the regulations and best practices for non-motorized recreation on public land.
- For relevant clubs, trails and other information see, Alberta Cross-Country Skiing, Alberta TrailNet and Alberta Equestrian Federation.
-
Hunting
- Alberta hunting regulations apply. For details on hunting regulations, visit the My Wild Alberta website at: Hunting: Regulations.
- Hunting is not permitted in Provincial Recreation Areas (PRAs).
-
Fishing
- Alberta fishing regulations apply. For details on fishing regulations, visit the My Wild Alberta website at: Fishing: Regulations.
About this area/PLUZ
Established in September 1986 to designate a network of trails for non-motorized and equestrian use.
This area is 486 square kilometres (188 square miles).
Legislation, management, and planning
- Familiarize yourself with current legislation and regulations by visiting Public Land Enforcement.
- Bighorn Backcountry Access Management Plan
- North Saskatchewan Regional Planning Process
Stewardship, monitoring, and biodiversity initiatives:
- Bighorn Backcountry – Monitoring
- Bighorn Backcountry Recreational Access Recommendations
- Industrial Access Recommendations for the Blackstone / Wapiabi PLUZ
- Check out the Outdoor Recreation Channel for current information on stewardship projects and citizen science opportunities.
Contact
Connect with us:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Rocky Mountain House Office
Phone: 403-845-8250
Toll free: 310-LAND (5263) (in Alberta)
Call 310-LAND anytime to report illegal activity, public safety issues, and enforcement concerns on Crown land (public land, provincial parks and protected areas).
Was this page helpful?
Your submissions are monitored by our web team and are used to help improve the experience on Alberta.ca.