Muskeg Creek Park

   

Situated within the limits of the Town of Athabasca, the Muskeg Creek Park Trials run through the Muskeg Creek Valley and surrounding plateaus.  The Muskeg Creek Valley is a steep sided, heavily wooded ravine located west of the downtown area and adjacent to Athabasca University.  Covering an area of 17.5 square kilometers with an elevation change of 50 meters, it is easy to get away from the sights and sounds of the nearby urban area.

The park is open to all recreation and outdoor enthusiats with opportunities to hike, jog, mountain bike, bird watch, and count butterflies.  A chalet is located adjacent to the park for users to warm-up in the winter or sit on the deck in the summer.

Even though the pathway system is located near a populated area, the park is home to a variety of wildlife including deer, moose, coyotes, snowshoe hares and the occasional bear.  Blue jays, bluebirds, ruffled grouse and hawks are some of the more common birds within the dense brush consisting of poplar, spruce, birch, willow, and shrubs.  The park is also home to some rare species of fern.  Interprtive signage is located along the trail to inform the visitor of points of interest.

In the winter, snow on the trails is groomed for both classic track-set and skate cross-country skiing.  The variety of terrain means that there are trails for skiers of all abilities with loops of 1.2 km, 2.0 km, 2.5 km, 3.5 km, 5.0 km, 8.0 km and 10.0 km.  The trail is recognized as being fit for provincial ski competitions.

To view the Muskeg Creek Brochure/Map click here

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