North Cooking Lake Natural Area

An okay-ish in and out trail. The first kilometer is wide and groomed; after that it's walking through a narrow singletrack path through bush. (Not that you can bike through that.)There is a beautiful wetlands area about a kilometer in. And it's secluded and not busy at all, which is nice.That said, it wasn't a particularly fun walk. I may re-visit the area during hunting season, though; there are deer in the area.

North Cooking Lake Provincial Natural Area is an interesting and diverse park in Strathcona County, Alberta, Canada, just east of Edmonton. This park offers diverse vegetation and includes a mixture of wetlands, forests and prairie grasslands. The area is situated in the Beaver Hills/Cooking Lake Moraine and is a combination of rolling hills, ridges, depressions, gullies and plains. There is an extensive network of hiking trails and is most colourful in Autumn with the forest ablaze in painted glory. There are many ponds, bogs, aspen/spruce forest, meadows and spruce/tamarack forest. In this area are unique patches of ostrich ferns, and greenery with the spruce bogs having an almost rain forest quality to them. The tamarack trees are an interesting explosion of gold as they are part of the only family of deciduous and needle/cone bearing trees in the world. This is a remarkable and fantastic place for anyone looking for a day trip just east of Edmonton.

Trails are not long and do not loop, so you have to come back the same way you came. No picnic tables. But the trails are wide and easy to walk.Dogs are allowed.

A quiet place for walking and hiking, and less popular that it will be less people around and keep distance. The trail path is well maintained, very wide and clean. It located by a drive way nearby, so you can still hear the traffic and trains. Nevertheless, overall it has great atmosphere to be. Another point, the entrance and sign is not very clear to see on the road when you drive pass.

Amazing walking trails. Lots to explore. No exception to motor vehicles. Walk in only.Whatever you Pack in pack out. We want to keep it as natural as we can.

Lots of trees and can get far from the noise of the highway. An escape from the rat race

Good place to stay #van but dirty

Used to travel this trail a lot. First time back in 10 years. Much of the trail has been reclaimed by beavers. Still a beautiful area and I recommend highly. Noted a hawk and 5 different duck species. Have seen moose, deer, and a great horned owl in the past. Bring your insect repellent.

Nicely groomed trails through forests and wetlands.

Great place to hike. But when hunting season please stick to main trails thank you!