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Few animals are more emblematic of the majesty of North America than the bison. Once roaming vast swaths of North America in the millions, this massive, woolly, horned beast can now only be found in some isolated pockets, including Yellowstone National Park. This iconic 2-million-acre reserve in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho is home to over 5,000 bison, making it the largest free-roaming herd in the U.S.
However, bison don't just inhabit the United States. If you head north across the border into Canada, you'll find them there as well, in places far less famous than Yellowstone. In fact, Canada has a number of parks and reserves with some impressive herds of this powerful North American creature. This should come as no surprise, given that the Great White North is larger than its southern neighbor (and with far fewer people), so if you're interested in spotting bison without the crowds found at America's oldest national park, give these spots your consideration.
Read more: Hawaii's Most Dangerous Wildlife And How To Avoid It On Your Vacation
Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta/Northwest Territories
Situated in far northern Alberta and spilling over into the Northwest Territories, at a whopping 28,310 square miles, this is Canada's largest national park and is named for the around 3,000 wood bison that call the reserve home. This subspecies differs from its southern cousin, the plains bison, in that the animals are larger (the bulls top out at 2,250 pounds), darker, have shorter beards, and bigger humps. The park protects a significant portion of the Northern Boreal Plains ecosystem, which is also home to species such as wolves and whooping cranes.
Elk Island National Park, Alberta
Just 35 minutes east of the city of Edmonton — home to North America's second-largest shopping mall — this park is a true gem. Not only does it boast deep forests, wetlands, shimmering lakes, and around 50 miles of hiking trails, but you'll also find around 600 plains bison and 400 wood bison roaming the reserve. "We visited in mid September and were greeted by hundreds of bison minutes after entering the park," wrote one visitor on Google Maps, while another remarked, "Absolutely beautiful national park."
Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, Northwest Territories
Created in 1963 to protect 18 of the last remaining wood bison, this 6,200-square-mile reserve is home to the Mackenzie Herd, one of Canada's only genetically pure and disease-free groups of wood bison. Around 850 animals live in the vast sanctuary today, though they're easiest to spot along Highway 3, which connects the nearby town of Fort Providence to Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories. This means driving carefully is a must, and while you're there, make sure to stop off at the Great Slave Lake — North America's deepest lake with clear water and islands.
Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan
Nestled just a stone's throw from the U.S. border in southern Saskatchewan, this park protects 350 square miles of untouched prairie. This, of course, is prime habitat for plains bison, and Grasslands National Park is home to a population of 400 to 500. However, you'll find other fascinating things at this reserve, including dinosaur fossils, and it's sometimes possible to accompany working paleontologists on a dig. "Great visit, felt like a safari, full of wildlife," reported this visitor on Google Maps. This sentiment was echoed by a reviewer on Tripadvisor, who wrote, "The vastness of the landscape, the sky, and nature here is magical."
Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba
Riding Mountain National Park is the easternmost site on this list and, in some ways, the most distinctive. A 1,864-square-mile oasis of forest, grassland, and lakeshore surrounded by farmland, the park is known for its abundant wildlife, including lynx, moose, elk, and especially black bears. However, you'll also find a small herd of plains bison here near Lake Audy that can be observed from a viewing platform overlooking the enclosure. This should be more than enough to scratch your itch for seeing these magnificent creatures up close in a beautiful natural environment.
Syncrude Canada lease area, Alberta
You may not think a mining site would be the best place to spot wildlife, but this operation near Alberta's Fort McKay is home to a free-roaming herd of wood bison on reclaimed land. Syncrude has reclaimed nearly 10,000 acres of land that now support around 300 of these massive mammals, which can be spotted from a designated viewpoint. Around 30 bison were originally introduced from Elk Island National Park, and the herd is thriving. For more chances to see wildlife in Canada, check out Baffin Island, a remote gem with adventurous parks and stunning glacier landscapes.
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Read the original article on Islands.
