Crimson Lake Provincial Park
Crimson Lake Provincial Park was officially opened in 1951; and, at that time, encompassed 688 hectares. In 1975, the addition of the Twin Lakes area provided the park with rustic camping opportunity, including recreational activity based on the lakes fishery. Crimson Lake Provincial Park has grown over the years to its present size of 3,209 hectares, providing increased protection to the wildlife and unique land base found in the area.
Five prehistoric sites have been identified within Crimson Lake Provincial Park, featuring flakes, fire-cracked rock, and raised dunes. Archaeological studies rate the park as being low in terms of archaeological significance.
We would like to thank Lesia Boyko, Department of Community Development, Government of Alberta; Phyllis Forsyth, Special Projects Officer, Clearwater County; and Myles Jensen, District Team Leader, Rocky Mountain House District, Parks and Protected Areas, for providing information for this page.
Flora
- Common Name (Order Family Genus species)
Bog Area
Sedge Bogs
- Arrow-grass (Najadales Juncaginaceae Triglochin maritima)
- Arrow-leaved Coltsfoot (Asteracales Asteraceae/Compositae) Petasites sagittatus)
- Bedstraw (Rubiales Rubiaceae Galium labradoricum)
- Buck-bean (Solanales Menyanthaceae Menyanthes trifoliata)
- Elephant's Head (Scrophulariales Scrophulariaceae Pedicularis groenlandica)
- Horsetail (Equisetales Equisetaceae Equisetum fluviatile)
- Marsh Cinquefoil (Rosales Rosaceae Potentilla palustris)
- Marsh Marigold (Ranunculales Ranunculaceae Caltha palustris)
- Mosses (Hypnales Amblystegiaceae Drepanocladus sp. and others)
- Northern Green Orchid (Orchidales Orchidaceae Habenaria hyperborea)
- Palmate-leaved Coltsfoot (Asteracales Asteraceae/Compositae) Petasites palmatus)
- Sedges (Cyperales Cyperaceae Carex spp.)
- Slender Bog Orchid (Orchidales Orchidaceae Habenaria saccata)
- Swamp Birch (Fagales Betulaceae Betula pumila)
- Willows (Salicales Salicaceae Salix spp.)
- Wire Rush (Juncales Juncaceae Juncus balticus)
Tamarack - Swamp Birch Bogs
- Black Spruce (Coniferales Pinaceae Picea mariana)
- Bog Orchids (Orchidales Orchidaceae Habenaria spp.)
- Coltsfoot (Asteracales Asteraceae/Compositae) Petasites spp.)
- Common Horsetail (Sphenopsida Equisetaceae Equisetum arvense)
- Common Labrador Tea (Ericales Ericaceae Ledum groenlandicum)
- Ladies'-tresses (Orchidales Orchidaceae Spiranthes romanzoffiana)
- Mosses (Sphagnales Sphagnaceae Sphagnum sp. and others)
- Rough Cinquefoil (Rosales Rosaceae Potentilla norvegica)
- Round-leaved Orchid (Orchidales Orchidaceae Orchis rotundifolia)
- Sedges (Cyperales Cyperaceae Carex spp.)
- Sundews (Droserales Droseraceae Drosera spp.)
- Swamp Birch (Fagales Betulaceae Betula pumila)
- Tamarack (Coniferales Pinaceae Larix laricina)
- Willows (Salicales Salicaceae Salix spp.)
Black Spruce Bog Forests
- Bishop's-cap (Rosales Saxifragaceae Mitella nuda)
- Black Spruce (Coniferales Pinaceae Picea mariana)
- Bog Cranberry (Ericales Ericaceae Vaccinium-vitis-idaea)
- Bog Orchids (Orchidales Orchidaceae Habenaria spp.)
- Bracted Honeysuckle (Dipsacales Caprifoliaceae Lonicera involucrata)
- Bunchberry (Cornales Cornaceae Cornus canadensis)
- Common Labrador Tea (Ericales Ericaceae Ledum groenlandicum)
- Feather Mosses (Hypnales Hypnaceae Hypnum spp.)
- Horsetails (Equisetales Equisetaceae Equisetum spp.)
- Low-bush Cranberry (Dipsacales Caprifoliaceae Viburnum edule)
- Palmate-leaved Coltsfoot (Asteracales Asteraceae (Compositae) Petasites palmatus)
- Peat Mosses (Sphagnales Sphagnaceae Sphagnum spp.)
- Roses (Rosales Rosaceae Rosa spp.)
- Round-leaved Orchid (Orchidales Orchidaceae Orchis rotundifolia)
- Sedges (Cyperales Cyperaceae Carex spp.)
- Small Bog Cranberry (Ericales Ericaceae Oxycoccus microcarpus)
- Three-leaved Solomon's-seal (Liliales Liliaceae Smilacina trifolia)
- Twin-flower (Dipsacales Caprifoliaceae Linnaea borealis)
- Wild Lily-of-the-Valley (Liliales Liliaceae Maianthemum canadense)
- Wintergreens (Ericales Pyrolaceae Pyrola spp.)
Lodgepole Pine-Dominant Woods
- Bearded Wheat Grass (Poales Poaceae/Graminae Agropyron subsecundum)
- Bluebell (Campanulales Campanulaceae Campanula rotundifolia)
- Blueberry(Ericales Ericaceae Vaccinium myrtilloides)
- Common Bearberry (Ericales Ericaceae Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
- Common Red Paint-brush (Scrophulariales Scrophulariaceae Castilleja miniata)
- Cut-leaved Anemone (Ranunculales Ranunculaceae Anemone multifida)
- Early Cinquefoil (Rosales Rosaceae Potentilla concinna)
- Everlastings (Asteracales Asteraceae (Compositae) Antennaria spp.)
- Fairy Candelabra ( Primulaceae Androsace septentrionalis)
- Goldenrods (Asterales Asteraceae/Compositae) Solidago spp.)
- Ground Juniper (Coniferales Cupressaceae Juniperus communis)
- Hairy Wild Rye (Poales Poaceae/Graminae Elymus innovatus)
- Milk Vetch (Fabales Fabaceae/Leguminosae Astragalus striatus)
- Prairie Groundsel (Asterales Asteraceae/Compositae Senecio canus)
- Rock Cress (Capparales Brassicaceae/Cruciferae Arabis spp.)
- Spreading Dogbane (Gentianales Apocynaceae Apocynum androsaemilfolium)
- Star-flowered Solomon's-seal (Liliales Liliaceae Smilacina stellata)
- Three-toothed Cinquefoil (Rosales Rosaceae Potentilla tridentata)
- Western Wood Lily (Liliales Liliaceae Lilium philadelphicum)
- White Camas (Liliales Liliaceae Zygadenus elegans)
- White Meadowsweet (Rosales Rosaceae Spiraea lucida)
- Wild Strawberry (Rosales Rosaceae Fragaria virginiana)
- Yellow Locoweed (Fabales Fabaceae/Leguminosae Oxytropis spp.)
Aspen-Dominant Woods
- Aspen (Salicales Salicaceae Populus tremuloides)
- Baneberry (Ranunculales Ranunculaceae Actaea rubra)
- Bedstraws (Rubiales Rubiaceae Galium spp.)
- Blueberry, Cranberry (Ericales Ericaceae Vaccinium spp.)
- Bunchberry (Cornales Cornaceae Cornus canadensis)
- Canada Anemone (Ranunculales Ranunculaceae Anemone canadensis)
- Canada Buffaloberry (Proteales Elaeagnaceae Shepherdia canadensis)
- Dewberry (Rosales Rosaceae Rubus pubescens)
- Fairybell (Liliales Liliaceae Disporum trachycarpum)
- Fireweed (Myrtales Onagraceae Epilobium angustifolium)
- Green Alder (Fagales Betulaceae Alnus crispa)
- Hairy Wild Rye (Poales Poaceae/Graminae Elymus innovatus)
- Honeysuckles (Dipsacales Caprifoliaceae Lonicera spp.)
- Low-bush Cranberry (Dipsacales Caprifoliaceae Viburnum edule)
- Pea Vine (Fabales Fabaceae/Leguminosae Lathyrus ochroleucus)
- Saskatoon-berry (Rosales Rosaceae Amelanchier alnifolia)
- Twin-flower (Dipsacales Caprifoliaceae Linnaea borealis)
- Western Wood Lily (Liliales Liliaceae Lilium phildelphicum)
- White Meadowsweet (Rosales Rosaceae Spiraea lucida)
- Wild Lily-of-the-Valley (Liliales Liliaceae Maianthemum canadense)
- Wild Rose (Rosales Rosaceae Rosa spp.)
- Wild Sarsaparilla (Ariales Araliaceae Aralia nudicaulis)
- Wild Strawberry (Rosales Rosaceae Fragaria virginiana)
- Wild Vetch (Fabales Fabaceae/Leguminosae Vicia americana)
- Willows (Salicales Salicaceae Salix spp.)
- Wintergreens (Ericales Pyrolaceae Pyrola spp.)
Fauna
- Common Name (Order Family [Subfamily] Genus species)
Birds
Bog Area
- Bohemian Waxwing (Passeriformes Bombycillidae [Bombycillinae] Bombycilla garrulus)
- Bonaparte's Gull (Charadriiformes Laridae [Larinae] Larus philadelphia)
- Boreal Chickadee (Passeriformes Paridae Parus hudsonicus)
- Chipping Sparrow (Passeriformes Emberizidae [Emberizinae] Spizella passerina)
- Common Goldeneye (Anseriformes Anatidae [Anatinae] Bucephala clangula)
- Common Loon (Gaviiformes Gaviidae Gavia immer)
- Common Snipe (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae [Gallinagoninae] Capella gallinago)
- Connecticut Warbler (Passeriformes Parulidae Oporonis agilis)
- Dark-eyed Junco (Passeriformes Emberizidae [Emberizinae] Junco hyemalis)
- Gray Jay (Passeriformes Corvidae Perisoreus canadenis)
- Great Blue Heron (Ciconiiformes Ardeidae Ardea herodias)
- Greater Yellowlegs (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae [Tringinae] Totanus melanoleucus)
- Le Conte's Sparrow (Passeriformes Emberizidae [Emberizinae] Passerherbulus caudacutus)
- Northern Three-toed Woodpecker (Piciformes Picidae [Picinae] Picoides tridactylis)
- Northern Waterthrush (Passeriformes Parulidae Seiurus noveboracensis)
- Olive-sided Flycatcher (Passeriformes Tyrannidae Nuttallornis borealis)
- Palm Warbler (Passeriformes Parulidae Dendroica palmarum)
- Red-winged Blackbird (Passeriformes Icteridae [Icterinae] Agelaius phoeniceus)
- Ring-necked Duck (Anseriformes Anatidae [Anatinae] Aythya collaris)
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Passeriformes Regulidae Regulus calendula)
- Rusty Blackbird (Passeriformes Icteridae [Icterinae] Euphagus carolinus)
- Sandhill Crane (Gruiformes Gruidae [Gruinae] Grus canadensis)
- Solitary Sandpiper (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae [Tringinae] Tringa solitaria)
- Sora (Gruiformes Rallidae Porzana carolina)
Lodgepole Pine Dominant Woods
- Canada Jay (Passeriformes Corvidae Perisoreus canadensis)
- Chipping Sparrow (Passeriformes Emberizidae [Emberizinae] Spizella passerina)
- Dark-eyed Junco (Passeriformes Emberizidae [Emberizinae] Junco hyemalis)
- Hermit Thrush (Passeriformes Turdidae Hylocichla guttata)
- Pine Siskin (Passeriformes Fringillidae [Carduelinae] Spinus pinus)
- Western Wood-Pewee (Passeriformes Tyrannidae Contopus sordidulus)
- Yellow-rumped Warbler (Passeriformes Parulidae Dendroica coronata)
Aspen Dominant Woods
- Black-capped Chickadee (Passeriformes Paridae Parus atricapillus)
- Blue Jay (Passeriformes Corvidae Cyanocitta cristata)
- Cedar Waxwing (Passeriformes Bombycillidae [Bombycillinae] Bombycilla cedrorum)
- Evening Grosbeak (Passeriformes Fringillidae [Carduelinae] Hesperiphona vespertina)
- Great Horned Owl (Strigiformes Strigidae [Buboninae] Bubo virginianus)
- Great Gray Owl (Strigiformes Strigidae [Buboninae] Strix nebulosa)
- Least Flycatcher (Passeriformes Tyrannidae Empidonax minimus)
- Pileated Woodpecker (Piciformes Picidae [Picinae] Dryocopus pileatus)
- Red-breasted Nuthatch (Passeriformes Sittidae [Sittinae] Sitta canadensis)
- Red-eyed Vireo (Passeriformes Vireonidae [Veroninae] Vireo olivaceus)
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Passeriformes Emberizidae [Cardinalinae] Pheucticus ludovicianus)
- Ruffed Grouse (GalliformesTretraonidae Bonasa umbellus)
- Tennessee Warbler (Passeriformes Parulidae Vermivora peregrina)
- Western Wood-Pewee (Passeriformes Tyrannidae Contopus sordidulus)
- White-throated Sparrow (Passeriformes Emberizidae [Emberizinae] Zonotrichia albicollis)
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Piciformes Picidae [Picinae] Sphyrapicus varius)
Mammals
Bog Area
- American Beaver (Rodentia Castoridae Castor canadensis)
- Jumping Mouse (Rodentia Zapodidae Zapus princeps)
- Moose (Artiodactyla Cervidae Alces alces)
- Red Squirrel (Rodentia Sciuridae Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
- Shrews (Insectivora Soricidae Sorex spp.)
Lodgepole Pine Dominant Woods
- Mule Deer (Artiodactyla Cervidae Odocoileus hemionus)
- Red Squirrel (Rodentia Sciuridae Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
Aspen Dominant Woods
- White-tailed Deer (Artiodactyla Cervidae Odocoileus virginianus)
