I visited Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park on a roadtrip through southern Alberta in August 2021. In our itinerary, it was sandwiched between Dinosaur Provincial Park and Waterton Lakes National Park. On the way to the site, we took a diversion to Medicine Hat and Red Rock Coulee (interesting ochre rock concretions in the middle of the prairies). Please note that if you follow this route, there will be no gas stations after Medecine Hat. We learned this the hard way and almost ran out of gas. A long diversions to Bow Island and Route 3 was necessary. Rarely have I felt more in the middle of nowhere than in this remote corner of Alberta.

But back to Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park. We had a nice camping spot to spend the night after our long day on the road and before the next day's sightseeing. The park is very well laid out, with access to the Milk River for swimming and with shelters for rain protection and cooking (very handy on a stormy evening!). For our second day in the park, and a real day of sightseeing, we opted for the Rock Art in Áísínai'pi tour. In August 2021, this guided tour of the Archeological Preserve cost $19 per person. We met our guide at the visitor centre (where trilingual Unesco plaques and bilingual inscription certificates are located) at the appointed time and boarded the bus to the reserve. Visitors who preferred to follow the group in their cars (and thus avoid contact in times of pandemic) were also allowed to do so. Our guide was not a member of the First Nations, but she had a strong interest and respect for them.

During the approximately one-hour tour, our guide presented five rock art panels and offered explanations on the meaning and history of each of the petroglyphs and pictographs. The culture and ancestral rites of the Blackfoot were well explained, as was the influence of the European conquest and the recent history of the site up to the beginning of the 20th century. All of these elements are visible in the rock, whether it is through the engraving of a buffalo, beaver, warrior or deity, or through the signatures of RCMP officers posted near the border at the turn of the century. The story of the two Model T Fords is particularly interesting and illustrates the spiritual importance of this site to the Blackfoot.

After the tour, we were dropped off at the Police Coulee Viewpoint and returned along the Matapiiksi (Hoodoo) Interpretive Trail. A pamphlet guides the hiker along this trail and provides a wealth of information. However, the rock art sites in this portion of the park are fewer, less impressive and of a lower quality than those in the Archeological Preserve. The Battle Scene, though large and detailed, is disappointing. Perhaps the light was not favourable (the sky was grey because of the forest fires and the air smelled of smoke), but this petroglyph is very pale and difficult to appreciate. The 1.000 to 2.000 year old dancers at Stop 7 are probably the most interesting of the trail.

However, what is really remarkable along this trail is the landscape. I always find it difficult to grasp the cultural significance of associative cultural landscapes and this one is no exception. However, its natural beauty is unmissable! The Milk River and its tributaries have carved out a series of canyons lined with steep walls and hundreds of phantasmagorically shaped Hoodoos. I spent an amazing morning walking this trail and the scenery outweighed the search for time-worn petroglyphs. As highlighted by previous reviewers, the area below the visitor centre is also an incredible playground for enjoying hoodoos.

All in all, I think this site would have been stronger if it had been listed as a mixed site. The natural element is inseparable from the Blackfoot culture. The story told by the site would have been more complete and it would have earned an extra star in my rating system. This was my first rock art site and I was not flabbergasted by the engravings. Yes, they are generally well preserved, tell a fascinating story and are well presented by the park staff. However, you won't be shouting Wow!