by Laura Weed
Nestled in an Edmonton area boreal forest, Jurassic Forest is an exciting new Alberta attraction. After nearly two years in the making, Jurassic Forest – located about 20 minutes northeast of Edmonton on Hwy 28A and Township Road 564 – opened to the public on July 30, 2010.
Finding Jurassic Forest does not have to be another adventure. While on Hwy 28A, be sure to turn at the Goose Hummock Golf Resort sign. I mentioned the problem of signage to Michelle, one of the park’s staff. She said, “Yes. We are working on this and should have more signs very soon.” Glad to hear it.
Speaking of signs, there are very unusual signs in Jurassic Forest. Posted along the 2.5 kilometre walking trails are the warnings “Stay on the walking trail, unless you want to be eaten.“ You likely won’t see these signs anywhere else!
As an adult visitor, I was surprised to see such realistic looking dinosaurs move. And roar. When one roared, a chorus of other dinos roared and the sound echoed through the 16 hectare forest. A chill went up my spine. Was this what it would have been like?, I wondered.
Children along the walking trails were very excited about this unique dino experience. A girl asked her dad about the differences between vegetarian and meat eating dinos. And a boy asked me, “Have you seen any pterodactyls yet?” I shook my head, but added that they might be here. Later on I did see pteranodons in Jurassic Forest. Thanks to staffer Michelle, I learned that apatosaurus is the correct name for the dino I used to call brontosaurus. Over half of the large 40 park animatronic dinos had to be set in place by helicopter. For a descriptive list of Jurassic Forest dinosaurs, visit jurassicforest.com
If you’re not wild about dinosaurs, you can still learn about the over 140 indigenous plants, animals and insects in this spectacular forest. The park also has a gift shop, snack shop, and dino-themed playground. And picnic tables are conveniently located near the playground. For a unique adventure for the entire family, I recommend visiting Jurassic Forest. It’s an adventure you won’t soon forget.
