Experience Newell County’s Beaches and Badlands
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Kinbrook Island Provincial Park
In Newell, the experiences you can have are as diverse as the landscapes. Enjoy beach time, boating, and birding at Alberta’s largest manmade lake; then head to Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and hike in the badlands. Learn about the area’s rich history at the Brooks Museum, and try some homemade ice cream. Just 2 hrs from Calgary - we recommend staying a while to catch all the sights! Here’s how to spend a fun weekend in Newell County. Day 1: Soak up some sunshine at Kinbrook Island Provincial Park It is an oasis on the prairie, on the shores of Lake Newell. With a sandy beach and warm water, and well-serviced campground, we look forward to camping here each summer. As we cross the causeway, we leave farmland behind, and are greeted by wetlands and towering cottonwoods. We spot cyclists on the marsh trail and dozens of birds in the water. From our lakeside campsite, the beach beckons. The kids set up the tent, put on their swimsuits, and pump up their floaties in record time. “Can we go now, Mom? Puh-leaaaaaase?” I chase after them with sunscreen and towels, past the swingset, and claim a piece of sand.
Brooks Aqueduct
We’ve discovered the sweet spot - when daytrippers have gone home and campers have left for dinner - so the beach is quiet. Between burying each other in sand, floating, and paddling out to the buoys, time flies. The only distractions are American white pelicans flying overhead (you don’t see those every day!). After a late dinner, we walk the 4.5 km Marsh Trail. The flat interpretive trail circumnavigates wetlands which are home to tons of birds and wildlife. Sunset finds us back at the beach with sand in our toes and wind in our hair. While the kids (attempt to) do cartwheels, fishermen cast from shore and a family plays volleyball. It’s the perfect place to be on a warm summer evening. For reservations visit albertaparks.ca Day Two: Explore Dinosaur Provincial Park This Park boasts “the greatest number and diversity of late Cretaceous fossils in the world” and is only 40 minutes from Kinbrook Island Provincial Park. After picking up snacks in Brooks we make our way to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for fossils.
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