A Family Float Trip on the Milk River
Deep, glacier-carved canyons, sheer sandstone cliffs, tree-lined gullies, browsing White-tail deer, soaring eagles - southern Alberta's Milk River has all of the breathtaking sights of a whitewater river, without the white water. The rushing meltwater torrents that gouged a wide, dramatic

canyon through the prairie have long ago subsided, leaving a smaller, gentler river down below, and high, rocky ridges up above. Every summer, up to 10,000 canoeists, kayakers and rafters of all skill levels delight in the Milk's unique combination of flat water and eye-popping badlands scenery. The warm, shallow river lives up to it name, its water whitened by a high concentration of suspended sediments.

Delve into Dinosaurs at Devil's Coulee Tour the site of the world-famous discovery of dinosaur embryos at the Devil's Coulee Dinosaur Heritage Museum, in the village of Warner on the Milk River Ridge. (Follow Highway 4, 62 kilometres south of Lethbridge). From mid-May to September, visitors can take a guided tour of the nesting site of a duck-billed dinosaur known as Hypacrosaurus. Eggshell fragments from the site were discovered in 1987 by a local teenager. Paleontologists from the Drumheller, Alberta Royal Tyrrell Museum subsequently unearthed dinosaur eggs containing the bones of dinosaur embryos, as well as the nearby bones of Caenagnathus, an egg-stealing dinosaur. Exhibits at the Museum include a representation of a dinosaur nest and embryo, ancient fossils, dinosaur models, and a mural depicting dinosaurs caring for their young. The Museum also includes more recent historical artifacts from the Warner area.

Paddlers can happily spend 4 hours or 4 days on the Milk River, anywhere between Whiskey Gap in the west and Deer Creek Bridge in the east, just downstream from Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park. The river is Class I for its entire length, though there are short sections of small rapids and rock gardens. (A complete and detailed route guide for the Milk is available from the Alberta Recreational Canoe Association, and a map of the river can be obtained from the Economic Development Office of the County of Warner.)

Popular Paddle: For an ideal weekend outing, take a 72-kilometre overnight trip from the town of Milk River to Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park. The route bends and twists its way slightly south-east, through some of the Milk River valley's most spectacular canyons. You can expect to cover 6-8 kilometres in average conditions. Depending on your speed and schedule, plan to pitch your tent at the serviced campground of Gold Springs Park (Kilometre 17, from Milk River) or further downstream at Poverty Rock (Kilometre 51, picnic shelter available). Take out at Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park (Kilometre 72), world-famous location of aboriginal pictographs and petroglyphs.

Canoe, kayak and raft rentals, as well as convenient shuttle services between put-in and take-out points, are available from local outfitters. Paddlers should note that water's edge parking on the Milk can be limited, especially during busy holiday weekends; gear can be dropped at landings, with cars parked uphill in designated areas.

Four-Day Float: If time permits, plan to travel the entire stretch of Alberta's Milk River, putting in near the historical hamlet of Whiskey Gap, and cruising through gentle, rolling farmland just north of the Canada-U.S. border. Traditional stopping points between Whiskey Gap and the town of Milk River are Del Bonita (Kilometre 26 from Whiskey Gap), and Gravel Pit (Kilometre 105). From the town of Milk River (Kilometre 116), the route ends at Deer Creek Bridge, downstream of Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park (Kilometre 195).

Water Level Caution!: Be sure to check with the local officials or outfitters before planning your Milk River expedition. Low water levels, caused by dry weather (especially in late summer), or by irrigation demands from the St. Mary's Irrigation system, can make river navigation hazardous.

An Outdoor Adventure at Writing-On-Stone
Camp among the cottonwoods, tube along a lazy river, hike the backcountry of the badlands, or watch for deer and golden eagles in a landscape steeped in ancient history - Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park, about a 1.5 hour drive southeast of Lethbridge, provides an ideal base for Milk River exploration. Pitch your tent or park your RV on the lower Milk for an in-depth look at Alberta's southernmost river valley:
• Camping: A serviced campground at the Park provides 75 sites, open year-round. Firepits and picnic shelters are available.
• Swimming and Tubing: The Park includes a beach on a canyon-lined bend of the Milk River. Tubes can be rented for a scenic down-river float.
• Wildlife Viewing: Perch on a sandstone hoodoo in the evening to listen for coyotes. Many of the Park's 22 species of mammals can be easily seen, including Nuttall's cottontails, White-tailed jack rabbits, Mule deer, porcupines, Yellow-bellied marmots, Western rattlesnakes and Bull snakes. Lucky wildlife watchers may catch a rare glimpse of Two-tailed Swallowtail butterflies, the Western Small-footed bat, or a bobcat.
• Birdwatching: Scan the skies for Golden Eagles and Prairie Falcons, or look for Rock Wrens, Rufous-sided Towhees, or Nighthawks resting on the broad limbs of the cottonwoods. There are 60 recorded species of nesting birds in the Park.
• Archeological Touring: Writing-On-Stone is a designated Archeological Preserve, protecting the largest concentration of aboriginal rock art on the North American plains. Take a guided tour through the sandstone rock formations of the Milk River canyon to view hundreds of pictographs and petroglyphs created by a succession of First Nations tribes, and visit the recreation of an 1897 North West Mounted Police border post.
• Backcountry Hiking: Explore the semi-arid grasslands and rocky outcrops of the Milk River backcountry with experienced Park interpreters.
• Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting: Put in at Whisky Gap, Del Bonita or Milk River for a 2-4 day paddle to the Park. Or take a midnight rafting trip under the light of a full moon. Guided excursions and private rentals are available.
• Horseback Riding: Join a guided trail ride in the rugged land of buffalo hunters and roaming ranchers. Check for local stable information.