Hand Hills Ecological Reserve

Hand Hills Ecological Reserve in Special Area No. 2 in the Canadian Badlands offers backcountry hiking through protected native fescue grassland. Hand Hills Ecological Reserve features more than 130 bird species along with a variety of amphibians, reptiles and mammals in a landscape of rolling prairie. Elevations range from 815 to 970 metres above sea level, creating varied habitat for threatened ferruginous hawks and prairie long-tailed weasels. The endangered piping plover nests along nearby Little Fish Lake, while porcupine grass, June grass, spear grass and northern wheatgrass cover lightly grazed areas that echo historic bison ranges. The reserve protects one of the largest remaining tracts of fescue grassland in the world, and while backcountry hiking is permitted, no camping or open fires are allowed.