Athabasca Dunes Ecological Reserve

Your first glimpse of the Athabasca Dunes might cause you to rub your eyes—not because there’s sand in them, but rather in sheer disbelief. It’s hard to believe this landscape, which is more suited to the Sahara Desert, is found in the northwest corner of Alberta. But, after blinking, you can safely trust your eyes. The Athabasca Dunes are about 8 km (5 mi) long and 1.5 km (1 mi) wide. The highest are 12 m (39 ft) tall, and kames—ridges of sand formed by retreating glaciers—are among the largest in the world, standing some 60 m (195 ft) high. The dunes shift south approximately 1.5 m (5 ft) annually, slowly filling small lakes, swallowing jack pine forests and leaving behind a barren plain. The Athabasca Sand Dunes Ecological Reserve sits within Maybelle River Wildland Park 200 km (125 mi) north of Fort McMurray. The ecological reserve offers excellent birdwatching. Common species include loons, nighthawks and terns. You might also spot pine martens, moose and mink in the area.