Saunders Provincial Recreation Area

Saunders Provincial Recreation Area is 30 km southeast of Nordegg. That’s if you’re driving. The recreation area is also accessible by water as it sits on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. Saunders provides easy access to the river for canoes, kayaks, rafts and riverboats. It’s a popular launch spot for those taking river trips, and the trip to Rocky Mountain house takes about eight hours by canoe. The area also includes the Saunders mine site and town site for those who want to discover a bit of Alberta’s history. The town of Saunders grew up alongside the coal mine beginning in the early 1900s and was home to some 200 people at its height. The mine closed in 1954, and only a few buildings remain today. A cairn in the park honours a ranger who died while operating the ferry that once plied the river here.