For a few years now I had promised myself and even added it to my personal bucket list that I would get to Writing on Stone Park in southern Alberta. Well scratch another one off of the bucket list! Writing on Stone is a UNESCO World Heritage site located about 40 kilometres from Milk River Alberta and about 100 kilometres from Lethbridge Alberta. The journey to this magical place is full of photographic rewards from either direction.
While sitting on a bench over looking the park and Milk River below, my imagination drifted off to what an absolutely spectacular place this must have been five hundred years ago when the buffalo would have filled the landscape while gorging on the lush grasses. I couldn’t stop thinking of things such as this during the whole time of my visit at Writing on Stone park.. must be a magical place. Sacred to the Blackfoot and other First Nations peoples, all that I can say to anyone reading this blog is that Writing on Stone Park needs to be experienced rather than written about to be fully appreciated. Yes its one of those places for me! I have intentions of returning this summer (hopefully to stay at the campsite this time) and enjoy the night sky and sounds. One word of caution however is to be aware that this is rattlesnake country when exploring the park.
I hiked amongst the stone hoodoos following the hoodoo trail. This is not an easy thing to do when packing a pack full of photographic equipment and a tripod. Some of the places along the Hoodoo trail can be quite narrow. I also found it was difficult to get any distance without stopping to take another photograph of the views that presented themselves. I attempted to capture some non-standard views of the park. Please visit my Landscapes gallery for more images from this trip.
As part two of my bucket list, I would love to have Blackfoot guide privately take escort through the park so I could capture unknown views and writings as well as the learn and blog on history and stories of this place. So if you are or know of someone I can contact to fulfill this please contact me.
Here are some of the views that presented themselves when I was exploring the park. I love the timeless presence of these stone formations and its landscape
I found this pinkish stone among the Sandstone Hoodoos. I think the stone is granite (?) but nevertheless I was compelled to capture the image.
So if you get the chance, visit and explore Writing on Stone Provincial Park. Don’t forget to bring your camera (or video recorder) and enjoy the magic too.
Keep shooting.