The Cottonwoods trail is a nice easy loop in Dinosaur provincial Park. And if you visit in November, you might have the entire trail to yourself.Of if you are lucky, share it with the locals.Of course, being in Dinosaur Provincial Park the scenery is the cool badlands type you would expect.So what is the story here? In the prairies, water is very limited, and trees tend to only grow near rivers and streams. This cottonwood forest would have been right near the river’s edge initially but the river then moved away from the trees. It is estimated this tree is about 200 years old. For some perspective, it was likely a sapling as the first European explorers started to reach what is now Alberta.The trail continues to the Bow River. Where you can see new trees growing near the rivers edge. After passing the river the trail loops back around to the parking lot. Dinosaur Provincial Park is open year-round, so make a winter visit and avoid the summer crowds.
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