The 100 Wonders Project | Writing-on-Stone guide

The essential experience.

A detail that changes the visit

Rock art is vulnerable and culturally significant; use designated routes and guided access where required.

The sandstone formations of Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park — Writing-on-Stone Provincial ParkPhoto: eileenmak · CC BY 2.0

For the curious reader

History, landscape and context.

Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park is located about 100 kilometres (60 mi) southeast of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, or 44 kilometres (30 mi) east of the community of Milk River, and straddles the Milk River itself. It is one of the largest areas of protected prairie in the Alberta park system, and serves as both a nature preserve and protection for many First Nations (indigenous) rock carvings and paintings. The park is sacred to the Blackfoot and other Indigenous peoples. In 2004 Parks Canada added the park to Canada's tentative list of possible world heritage sites. The application indicated that the Blackfoot people would also like the Sweet Grass Hills of Montana included as part of the world heritage site.

Abridged background from Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, by Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and shortened; this adapted background remains under the same licence. Retrieved 23 September 2026. Source revision.

From inspiration to a practical plan

Plan your visit.

Physical demands: Badlands paths with slopes, uneven rock and summer heat; the tour route’s demands vary.
The consequential detail: Rock art is vulnerable and culturally significant; use designated routes and guided access where required.

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Through the seasons

A place in the world.

Canada.

A place in the world

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Map: Natural Earth

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In pictures.

Writing-on-Stone’s sandstone surfaces hold rock art within a continuing Blackfoot cultural landscape.

Rock carvings at Áísínai’piPhoto: Matthias Süßen, CC BY-SA 3.0

Provincial park in Alberta, CanadaPhoto: jasonwoodhead23, CC BY 2.0

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Follow the connection

Keep exploring.

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Useful links and further reading.

Choose a source for the job: official visitor information for access, the UNESCO record for the named property’s designation, and background or library resources for deeper reading.

Understand · UNESCO World Heritage Centre

UNESCO World Heritage property record

Read the named property’s significance, maps, components and conservation documents. The World Heritage boundary may cover only part of this guide’s wider destination.