Dinosaur Provincial Park April 22, 2025

While hiking the trails at Dinosaur Provincial Park today, I thought this is the perfect location to acknowledge Earth Day.  I was happy to leave the snow & ice covered city behind then arrive two and a half hours later at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. I last spent a day here back in mid April of 2021.  I noticed some nice new things, came across more closed off areas and saw more trail signs notifying trails are closed when wet.  It was wet today after last night’s rain so I stuck to the gravel trails.

I visited the overlook location before driving down into the Valley.

 views down into the Red Deer River Valley

notice the crocuses on the sunny grassy slope 

Mourning Dove

When I was here back in 2021, I noticed construction workers near the overlook parking lot.

  I am assuming they were constructing this new trail.

It was cold when I started hiking down in the Valley. I was thankful to have my little gloves and light hat. I noticed a few trailers in the campground on my way to the trail and also people biking some of the trails even though the sign said no bikes. 

some of the sights along tbe way

Eventually it warmed up enough to discard the hat, gloves and jacket.  

The gravel was easy to walk along, yet

 I accidentally stepped off the trail and it was a mess of slippery mud. 

getting back on the trail 

 

After three hours of hiking, I felt fulfilled from seeing what I saw on this Earth Day and was ready to head to my home away from home.  While driving a country road to Brooks, I had to stop to let this Ring-Necked Pheasant cross. I made it to my home away from home and settled in for the night!