Hand Hills Ecological Reserve is an Alberta Parks ecological reserve in the Central region. The official page places it approximately 28 kilometres southeast of Drumheller, adjacent to the northwest shore of Little Fish Lake.
Alberta Parks currently shows a fire ban. The activity list is backcountry hiking and no-fires use, with no developed day-use area count.
Hand Hills is a protected grassland and wildlife site, not a developed recreation area. Alberta Parks states that overnight camping and open fires are prohibited in ecological reserves and that there are no facilities on this site. Camping facilities are available at nearby Little Fish Lake Provincial Park.
Access is also specific. Visitors should park at Little Fish Lake Provincial Park and hike to the north end of the lake to access the reserve. Public access in the reserve is restricted to foot only, although motorized access is sometimes permitted for grazing lessees to reach grazing reserves.
The natural-region description is rich. The site sits on lower south slopes of the Hand Hills upland, with elevations from 815 to 970 metres. Threatened ferruginous hawks and prairie long-tailed weasels occur here, and endangered piping plover nests along Little Fish Lake on the edge of the reserve. More than 130 bird species occur in the area.
Plan around foot-only backcountry hiking, grassland habitat study, birding, wildlife viewing, Little Fish Lake access planning, and strict ecological reserve rule compliance.
Confirm fire bans, foot-only access, no-camping rules, Little Fish Lake parking, weather, maps, advisories, emergency planning, and Alberta Parks instructions.
