A Unique Dome Stay and Wildlife Experience at Métis Crossing, Alberta: Photos of the White Bison, the White Elk, the Percheron Horse and Unhindered Views of the Sky!

February 18, 2024

Metis Crossing Night Sky, Lodge and Wildlife Park Malik Merchant and Shirley Pallister — Malik Merchant and wildlife park guide Shirley Pallister pictured in front of a white bison taxidermy at the beautiful Métis Crossing Gathering Centre; February 12, 2024. Photograph: Metis Crossing Staff Member/Malik Merchant Collection.

Since arriving in Alberta just over two years ago, I have had the distinct pleasure and honour of visiting extraordinary cultural and historical places reflecting the life of the indigenous people of Canada, including the Siksika First Nations Blackfoot Historical Park and the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump World Heritage Site (about which I still have to create a story). Both these are close to Calgary.

Métis Trail is a major road running through the North-South corridor of Calgary, and I use it almost daily. But how did I end up at Métis Crossing, near Smoky Lake, some 420 km north-east of Calgary? Well, a Global News Video entitled White Bison Becomes Sign of Hope for Alberta’s First Nation, about a ranch farm near Calgary hosting 2 rare white bison motivated me to find out more about the animal. After all, I had seen the Plains Bison during my two visits to Elk Island National Park but had never heard of white bison until this farm story.

A search about the white bison led me to the website of Métis Crossing, which has a wildlife park with huge paddocks hosting the plain, wood and white bison, elks and Percheron horses! The night sky, after visiting the Dark Sky Festival in Jasper, has intrigued me, and Métis Crossing offers accommodation in its main lodge building as well as outstanding “boutique style” living in domes with unhindered views of the night sky. Being spontaneous, as I am, and with promises of clear skies I took off for Smoky Lake!

Enjoy this small selection of photographs about my unforgettable 2-day stay in Smoky Lake and Métis Crossing.

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Smoky Lake Pumpkin capital of Alberta — *Pumpkin Park, Smoky Lake, Alberta, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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CN rail station Smoky Lake Alberta Canada — The CN Museum at the Historic Canadian Northern Railway Station building constructed in 1919, adjacent to Pumpkin Park, Smoky Lake, Alberta, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos. For description please click Historic Places

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*The mighty North Saskatchewan River flowing through Métis Crossing, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Metis Crossing Smoky Lake Alberta, Wildlife Park with White Bison, White Elks and Night Sky — *Sign at the intersection leading to *Métis* Crossing*, *February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Dining Metis Crossing — The Bistro at the main Lodge Building of Métis Crossing offers spectacular views of the North Saskatchewan River and fantastic dining options. It also has a large outdoor patio, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.

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North Saskatchewan River flowing by the grounds of Métis Crossing — The author/photographer of this piece stands on the snow surface of the North Saskatchewan River flowing by the grounds of *Métis* Crossing, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.

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Metis Tea welcome — *A table with tea varieties to accord visitors a warm *Métis* welcome at *Métis* Crossing’s Gathering Centre, February 12, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Gathering Centre Metis Crossing — *Gift store at *Métis* Crossing’s Gathering Centre offers an assortments of cards, books, artifacts and edible items, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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*Spacious, beautiful and unique Dome accommodation at Métis Crossing, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Domed accommodation Metis Crossing Malik Merchant Simergphotos — A beautifully appointed room with unhindered views of the sky in domed accommodation at *Métis* Crossing. Not shown is a large kitchen space with superb amenities and a boutique style bathroom with a walk in shower. February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.

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This barn at Métis Crossing is dedicated to the people of Alberta to commemorate the 100th anniversary as a proud member of the Canadian Confederation. It contains informative *Métis* *cultural and historical displays, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Museum Metis Crossing — *Métis* *cultural and historical displays in the commemorative 100th anniversary barn at *Métis* Crossing, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos*.

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New Moon Metis Crossing — Photographed from a rural road near *Méti*s *Crossing, the (new) moon is illuminated at 5.7% on February 11, 2024, at 5:53 PM. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Abandoned red barn Metis Crossing Smoky Lake — *An abandoned barn on a rural road near *Métis* Crossing, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Victoria Settlement Church Metis Crossing — *A church on the grounds of the historic Victoria Settlement located near *Métis* Crossing, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Victoria Settlement Hudsosn's Bay Metis Crossing — The site at the historic Victoria Settlement grounds where the Hudson’s Bay Co. in 1864 established a trading post to compete with free traders operating near the New Methodist Mission. It is located near *Métis* Crossing, February 11, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.

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Wood Bison at the Métis Crossing Wildlife Park SimergPhotos Malik Merchant — *A herd of Wood Bison at the *Métis* Crossing Wildlife Park, February 12, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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White Elk at the Métis Crossing Wildlife Park SimergPhotos — *A rare view of a White Elk at the *Métis* Crossing Wildlife Park, February 12, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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White Bison at the Métis Crossing Wildlife Park Simergphotos — *White Bison at the *Métis* Crossing Wildlife Park, February 12, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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*White Bison at the *Métis* Crossing Wildlife Park, February 12, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Plains Bison at the Métis Crossing Wildlife Park — *Plains Bison at the *Métis* Crossing Wildlife Park, February 12, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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White Bison at the Métis Crossing Wildlife Park — *A distant view of a herd of White Bison at the *Métis* Crossing Wildlife Park, February 12, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Percheron Horse at the Métis Crossing Wildlife Park, Simergphotos — *Percheron Horse at the *Métis* Crossing Wildlife Park, February 12, 2024. Photograph: Malik Merchant/Simerg Photos.*

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Please visit my HOME PAGE for more exciting stories and photographs from Alberta, other provinces in Canada, and from around the world.

Date posted: February 18, 2024.

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We welcome feedback/letters from our readers. Please use the LEAVE A REPLY box which appears below. Please share this article link with your friends and family members. Before departing this website, please visit our Home Page for links to our fantastic photo essays. Please also visit this blog’s sister websites Simerg for Insights from Around the World and Barakah for pieces on His Highness the Aga Khan, members of his family, and the Ismaili Imamat. The editor may be contacted at mmerchant@simerg.com.

Category : Nature and Space, Travel Essays, Wildlife

Tags : Alberta, Canada, Culture, Domed Living, History, Metis Crossing, North Saskatchewan River, Smoky Lake, Wildlife Park

← Portraits of the Bison: A Winter Day at Elk Island National Park

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One thought on “A Unique Dome Stay and Wildlife Experience at Métis Crossing, Alberta: Photos of the White Bison, the White Elk, the Percheron Horse and Unhindered Views of the Sky!”

kamrudinrashid on February 19, 2024 at 1:37 am said:

“A Unique Dome Stay and Wildlife Experience at Métis Crossing, Alberta: Photos of the White Bison, the White Elk, the Percheron Horse and Unhindered Views of the Sky!” – A Marvelous post with pictures.

This is indeed one of the unique natural beauty of Canada and also the marvels of nature, which we have eluded to in the past.

Sincerely hope and pray that all your readers across the world are able to go through this post in the context of appreciating and understanding the marvels of “Mother Nature”.

Please keep on posting such inspiring and educational; blogs in the future.

Kamrudin A. Rashid
Toronto, Ontario,
Canada
February 19 2024

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