Caribou Mountains

The Caribou Mountains (not to be confused with the Cariboo Mountains), are the highest mountain range in northern Alberta, Canada. Reaching an elevation of 3,379 feet, these peaks rise north of the lower Peace River and are bounded to the north and east by Wood Buffalo National Park. These mountains also form a low, saucer-shaped plateau that rises approximately 1900 to 2300 feet above the surrounding lowlands.

This area is known to contain a rich breeding bird habitat, sensitive wetlands, unique permafrost features, and core refugia for woodland caribou. In fact, in 2001, Caribou Mountains Wildland Park was created to preserve the fragile ecosystem in and around the Caribou Mountains. The park, which spans 2,300 square miles, is the largest provincial Wildland Park in Alberta, contains about 80 percent of the mountain range, and is home to about a third of Alberta’s population of woodland caribou. There is also a population of over 100 wood bison, an endangered species, that lives in the Wentzel Lake area within the park.

Due to their isolation, the Caribou Mountains are constantly vulnerable to exploitation. Although the Caribou Mountains are not open to motorized vehicles, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles are often used illegally. Trapping, hunting, and guided outfitting also occurs in the Caribou Mountains, and there are two fly-in fishing lodges in the Caribou Mountains Wildland Park. Backcountry camping is permitted in the park, but no campsites or facilities are available.

Another popular destination near the Caribou Mountains is Wood Buffalo National Park. Home to the world’s largest wood bison population, Wood Buffalo National Park spans 17,300 sq. miles and is Canada’s largest National Park. In fact, the park is larger in area than Switzerland and is the second-largest national park in the world. In 2013, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada designated Wood Buffalo National Park as Canada’s newest dark-sky preserve, making it ideal for stargazing, astrophotography, or witnessing the Northern Lights. This designation also helps to preserve the park’s population of bats, nighthawks, and owls. The park roads, which are primarily located on the east end of the park, contain several turnouts and interpretive trails, as well as a campground and cabins.