Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve

Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve, located in Alberta’s West Country near Clearwater County, offers quiet trails through protected grasslands and forests. About an hour’s drive from Nordegg, this ecological reserve safeguards fragile montane habitats where rare plants and wildlife thrive. Visitors can follow scenic paths across open plains and through forested areas, taking in sweeping views and a sense of wide-open space. The area includes gravesites that make the landscape significant to Indigenous peoples, adding cultural meaning to a day on the land. In addition to hiking routes like the trail to Siffleur Falls, select areas are open to mountain biking and horseback riding, giving outdoor enthusiasts more ways to explore.