Elk Island was first established as a game sanctuary in July 1906, then as a Dominion Park on March 13, 1913 (later becoming a National Park in 1930 with the establishment of the National Parks Act).

Elk Island National Park is Canada's only entirely fenced national park.

Annual visitation to the Park is approximately 200,000 people per year, with the majority of those visitors being Canadians of whom more than half are Albertans.

Elk Island is 194 square kilometres (75 square miles) and is divided by Highway 16 (TransCanada Yellowhead Highway).

The Park protects the Southern Boreal Plains and Plateaux Natural Region - a transitional zone between the aspen parkland to the south and the boreal forest to the north.

The variety of habitat and extensive wetland area provides a wonderful opportunity to view 253 species of birds (137 breeding species), in particular waterfowl.

The Park plays an important role in the reestablishment of threatened species such as the trumpeter swan and wood bison.

Elk Island National Park is knob and kettle topography rising thirty to sixty metres above the surrounding plains of Alberta.

Temperatures: Mean minimum daily temperature for December (coldest month) is -16C / 3F, mean maximum for July (warmest month) is +22C / 73F.

There are 224 known aboriginal archeological sites identified in the Park.

Alberta's official bird ...