First published: 19/09/13.

Alessandro Votta 1.5

Writing-On-Stone / Áísínai’Pi

Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai’pi (Inscribed)

Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai’pi by Els Slots

This is an easy TL site to reach from Calgary, it is a 4-hours each way driving and it could be managed in a one-day road trip. I don't think there is any public transportation leading to this site, therefore a car rental is the only feasible option. The park is easy to reach even without GPS, there are plenty of road sign, once left the small town of Milk River on the hwy 501 driving east. The park is a "small replica" of the Dinosaur Provincial Park, same badlands aspect; with the landscape made of hoodoos, cliffs and the Milk river flowing in between, it would be a nice site itself, even without the "writing on stone". The visitor center is small but interesting; because of the description of the native people living in the area, it reminded me of the much bigger visitor center in Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (2 hours north of this site). There are two main trails showing the rock carvings; unfortunately one of the two trails (the longest one) is open only every second weekend, and it's possible to visit only with a pre-booked guided tour (because it goes in the restricted area of the park, for archaeological researches). The trail open to the public heads to the Battle Field scene, which is indeed interesting, but since it is dated in the late 1800's, it could not be compared to the marvelous rock carvings of Alta or Valcamonica. The site is also damaged by "contemporary rock carvings" left by people visiting the site; therefore the battle field scene carving is actually protected behind a gate. The site is home to the Praire Rattlesnake, which made me a little bit scared while walking around, especially after I had a close encounter with one of these snakes (it was funny how both of us, me and the snake, run away in opposite directions, scared of each other!!!) The best accommodation option, for who is willing to spend more than just few hours in the park, is the camping on the beach right down the visitor center. A swim in the Milk river and canoeing would be a nice add-on to the road trip.

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