Crowsnest Lake and River
Last Review/Updated: May 10, 2002
© C. Wershler |
Crowsnest Lake, one of the deepest in Alberta, lies near the top of historic Crowsnest Pass. The pass area is low enough to support a montane forest of Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine, mixed with aspen groves and grassland. The area has many species of wildflowers found only in this corner of Alberta, such as umbrella-plants, beard-tongues, and yellow and red monkey-flowers.
As the lowest crossing of the Rockies in the region, the pass provides habitat for birds normally found further west, such as the house finch and the red-naped sapsucker, which is closely related to the more widespread yellow-bellied sapsucker. Numerous ducks, geese and swans can often be seen on the lake, as can loons and grebes. Look for long-toed salamanders, spotted frogs and boreal toads along wetland areas. Bighorn sheep frequently graze nearby.
The Crowsnest River has rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout, as well as bull trout and mountain whitefish.
