Kakina Natural Area

Back to Northwest Quadrant – YEG-Ville.

The crown portion of the site is small, only 160 acres. Situated South West of Kakina Lake, the local landowners appear to have added to its size by keeping their properties in a natural state. As a result, the wood area is larger than just the Crown Land.

The lack of estate communities near the property means that it is not riddled with ATV tracks – the good news. The bad news is that there are no defined trails in the area other than deer tracks.

The Fast Facts

  • OFF-TRACK
  • Visit if interested in a Wilderness experience
  • No Washrooms.
  • Not Kid Focused
  • High Beginner due to Navigation and bush craft

A Good Stumble

This area is a good place to go if you are looking for a ‘stumble’ in the woods as a forested area would have looked say 100+ years ago. You should be comfortable navigating in a forest without a trail and be prepared to bush whack a little bit. The deer trails wind their ways and follow their own logic. There is no ‘destination’ as such in Kakina – just a bit of time spent in a time machine and what this area would have looked like to the First Nations or the initial settlers. As this is Crown land, exercise caution in hunting season.

As for the name, the natural area is presumably related to the nearby lake which was recorded in the 1904 field notes of the Dominion Land Survey as “Lake Kakinasakahigan” [Note: sakahigan means “lake”]; the name was later shortened by the surveyor. The name began appearing on Department of the Interior maps by 1917 and was formerly adopted in 1950 by the federal government [1].

Typical bush seen in the Kakina Natural Area
The trail (or lack of it) in Kakina Natural Area.
  • Name/Owner: Kakina Natural Area / Crown Natural Area
  • Is it Worth It and Why Go Here?: Yes, if you enjoy a stumble in the forest; otherwise, no – not for the person wanting to get out for a simple trail walk.
  • Map Reference, Location and WGU:
    • Central Alberta Backroads Map Book, p. Wabamun Lake (p. 44), Cell F1.
    • 53′ 51″ -114′ 12″. 770 is paved most of the way North. Plan to park on the side of the rural road.
    • Wayne Gretzky Driving Time & Distance: 1 hour(s) 2 Min(s) & 84 Kilometers
  • Difficulty Level & Safety: High Beginner mostly due to the technical challenges of walking along deer tracks. No significant safety considerations ASSUMING you are comfortable navigating with a compass or GPS. Exercise caution in hunting season.
  • Links: See Notes and References.
  • The Drive Out: The drive is through farm country so far untouched by suburban sprawl. Try Highway 642 which will take you through the Alexander Reserve and past Sandy Lake.
  • The Other Shoe: Hunting in season and mushroom gathering.
  • Kid Rating: Not kid friendly but a place every child should visit a few times in their lives to better understand nature.
  • Frank’s Trip Notes
    • First done: 2020-12-20. Pleasant and warm with low light conditions.

Notes and Reference

  1. Kelland, Roland. “Potter Asks – Origin of Alberta Place Names West of Edmonton and North of Hwy 16,” December 21, 2020.

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