Wild Sculpture Trail

Information

This trail is located within the Sundance Provincial Park. Because it is within Sundance Provincial Park, the GoA is the owner of the trail system. However, West Fraser operates the Emerson Lakes Campground and this trail under a Facilities Operating Agreement with Alberta, and are responsible to some degree regarding the maintenance of this trail system. While the trail at one time, went all the way to the end of Sundance Lake (about 9 kms), in 2010, the GoA made the decision to stop maintaining the trail past the two-km mark, as it was this first two-kms where most of the use of the trail took place. This portion of the trail accessed the hoodoos, which is a key feature and attraction of the provincial park. West Fraser has maintained this first two kilometers since 2000.

Historical Information

Beginning in 1973, West Fraser tree planters – mostly university students - were offered the opportunity to spend a week each summer working on the development of hiking trails in the Forest Management Area. Jack Wright, then head of inventory and management for the Company, oversaw this program.

For years, he had been thinking about the recreational potential of the Sundance Valley with its network of lakes and spectacular wind-sculpted hoodoos. The Company first became aware of the features of this valley in 1961 when permanent sample plot crews established plots within it. Wright subsequently took the area out of the forest management planning landbase with the expectation that someday the Company would develop it for recreation. It was not until 1969, when the new Emerson Creek Road was constructed, that this would become possible. The first trail crew began work in 1973.

This program became a core activity of West Fraser’s Forestry Department that brought much recognition and appreciation to the Company. For years after, tree planters were given a one-week “break” from their tree planting duties and assigned the onerous but enjoyable task of hand-building a network of hiking trails on the Company’s industrial forest. This continued until the mid-1980’s when Company planting crews were replaced with contractors.

Work on this first trail, a flagship of the Company’s trail program, continued every year until 1979 when the trail network was completed to the Sundance Creek outlet at the far end of Sundance Lake, 9 km from the trailhead. Later (1993), Junior Forest Rangers built a short spur from that terminus to a road and parking area on the west breaks adjacent to the outlet of the lake. The completed network included trails down the valley adjacent to the lakes and hoodoos, and loops up from the valley and along the East breaks from whence hikers can enjoy a spectacular view of the valley, lakes and hoodoos below. Small creeks drain into two small lakes (Beaver, Little Sundance) and one larger one (Big Sundance). On these there were primitive campsites (pack in, pack out) with fire pits and tables.

The Wild Sculpture Trail and the entire Sundance Valley was officially declared a new provincial park in 1999 – named the Sundance Provincial Park. In 2001, the West Fraser legally took on the responsibility for the management and maintenance of the Wild Sculpture Trail.

Trail Maps

The Wild Sculpture Trail is on the popular “Trailforks” app, but one must search “Wild Sculpture Hoodoo Trails”.

See West Fraser’s “Wild Sculpture Trail” map.

See Sundance Provincial Park map.

There is also information of this trail on Alberta Park’s website and the AllTrails website (www.AllTrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/wild-sculpture-trail).

Safety

This is a wilderness trail. Please be prepared and use the trail at your own risk. Remember- YOU are responsible for your own safety. As in all wilderness settings, bears and cougars may be encountered at any time. To reduce the chance of an animal encounter, make plenty of noise to alert animals to your presence and carry bear spray. NEVER feed or approach a bear.