Learn about Indigenous connections
Immerse yourself in the history of daily life at Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site, then visit Jasper National Park to star-gaze and learn about the Indigenous connections to these lands. The Métis helped form 19th-century alliances between First Nations communities and the Hudson’s Bay and North West companies, longtime competitors during the fur trade.
Immerse yourself in the history of daily life at Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site, then visit Jasper National Park to star-gaze and learn about the Indigenous connections to these lands. The Métis helped form 19th-century alliances between First Nations communities and the Hudson’s Bay and North West companies, longtime competitors during the fur trade.
If you’re a day tripper…
Your day adventure draws upon what truly makes Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site so personally enriching: the deep imprint left through one-on-one storytelling with the site’s Métis and First Nations interpretive staff. Two favourite learning opportunities include Indigenous Traditional Games, where the site’s interpreters teach essential skills, such as observation, intuition, and hand-eye coordination, and the Dream Catcher Workshop, where you will create your own masterpiece with hoops, feathers and beads.
If you’re an overnighter…
Immerse yourself further into Métis and First Nations history and cultures at Rocky Mountain House and learn details about the two companies competing for the fur trade and their Indigenous partners. Participate in the Traditional Games or Dream Catcher Workshop, or make advance reservations for other heritage interpretation programs, such as the Drum and Song demonstration, a fireside experience featuring a local Indigenous drummer and storyteller.
Stay onsite in an authentic Métis Trapper Tent and sleep soundly in these canvas, wood-framed homes used in settlements or along traplines. It holds up to 5 people and includes a Fur Trade Camp Kit, complete with bison hide, period cooking kit, utensils, and flint/steel fire-starting kit, bannock mix, trapper’s tea, spices, oil and soap. Authentic Tipis and Trapline Cabins are also available on site.
If you’re a weekender…
DAY 1: Choose your favourite experiences at Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site, including an overnight stay in a trapper tent, tipi, or trapline cabin.
DAY 2: Explore Rocky Mountain House’s hiking and biking trails, such as the David Thompson Trail (3.2 km loop), a tranquil, restorative and close to nature hike near the North Saskatchewan River. A must-visit is the Follow the Bison Herd interpretive station where stories of Indigenous Peoples following the movement of bison, and how bison are integral to their cultures and way of life, are shared.
End your day by driving 330 km to the townsite in Jasper National Park and take part in one of two evening programs. Option 1 is a Dark Sky watching experience at the Jasper Planetarium, which includes aspects of Alberta’ Indigenous culture. Option 2, the Wapakwanis Plant Walk, is an enriching evening event by a fire with a knowledge-keeper who shares a deeper understanding of Indigenous life through traditional foods and medicines, as well as story-telling, singing and drumming, and the opportunity to learn beautiful phrases in Cree, and other languages which the Métis may speak.
DAY 3: On your final day, consider a visit to the Jasper Yellowhead Museum and Archives, which houses various fur trade-related objects, and other artifacts that help explain historic activity and trade in the area.
Sign up for a tour of Maligne Valley and take in the sheer beauty of the sacred place the Stoney Nakoda People refer to as ‘Chaba Imne’ but what the settlers came to call ‘Maligne’ Lake.
Learn more about Indigenous peoples and cultures
Parks Canada works with Indigenous partners to provide Indigenous tourism experiences at national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas across Canada. Discover vibrant First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures as you hear their stories and learn about their experiences and traditions first-hand. Find more Parks Canada itineraries from coast to coast to coast; everything from the best day trips, to weekend getaways and one-week vacations.