PIPESTONE CREEK PARK

Located 17 km south of Wembley, Alberta off Highway 43 on gravel road is Pipestone Creek Park, situated in the Wapiti River Valley.

The land at Pipestone Creek was a meeting place for the 1st People of the area who travelled from Lake Saskatoon on the trail to Jasper, Alberta.

As far back as the 1800's, Pipestone Creek was a popular Indian campground. Tom-toms beating and dogs barking could be heard for miles. Aboriginal people made their pipes out of the argillite (river clay) found on the shores of the Pipestone Creek. In 1933 the Pipestone Creek Post Office opened with A.K.Watts, the first postmaster.

The Wapiti River flows by the park. The name Wapiti is named after the Cree word for Elk. The Wapiti River flows east into the Smoky River.

The Pipestone Creek Store once located in the area is now located in Grande Prairie at the Pioneer Museum.

A short hike on the west side of the park takes you down to Pipestone Creek where it joins the Wapiti River. The interesting cliffs are very scenic and a challenge to climb. Many hike along the creek bed, which usually dries up in the summer, to see if they can find the Pipestone Dig location.

Many people come to Pipestone Creek Park for the afternoon just to swim, while others bring their families to enjoy the outdoors, the playgrounds and the campfires. (free campfire wood) Many variety of birds in the area, as well as small fish and small snakes. With Pipestone Golf Course only a few km away, some golf during the day, and camp at Pipestone Creek Park in the evening.

A multimillion-dollar dinosaur museum has been proposed for Pipestone Creek Park. If built, it would provide a great tourist attraction with the park's bone bed being the largest fossil site in the region. It is home to one of the largest dinosaur bone beds in North America and the world's largest site of the pachyrhinosaurus.

A group gathers at a Dinosaur Dig on the banks high above Pipestone Creek to watch as Dinosaur Bones are uncovered in the summer of 1987.

Pipestone Creek Cemetery 1900-1940. 14 Graves are marked. Ik Kiskisiwin, Francios Chatelaine, Pete Chatelaine, Alice Chatelaine, Lious Karankote, Henery Stoney, Mairie Stoney, Henery Kenny, Baptiste Kenny as well as the child's graves of White, Stoney, Wilson, Kenny and Chatelaine.

The Wapiti River at Pipestone Creek Park offers hours of fun. Jetboating, canoeing and swimming are popular. Has boat launch area.

Pipestone Creek Museum located at Pipestone Creek Park at the main entrance. (Day-use area)

The adult skull and infant skull cast of the Pachyrhinosauraus are displayed at the small museum.

Enlarge Picture

Largest ever find of a Pachyrhinosauris skeleton was found on the banks of Pipestone Creek. (A short hike west of Pipestone Park)
Next to Drumheller, this is the second largest deposit of Dinosaur Bones in Alberta. A cast of the skeleton found in the summer of 2002, is displayed at the Grande Prairie Regional College and Centre 2000 Heritage Discovery Centre.

2008 EVENTS OF THE PEACE COUNTRY