Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary

Excellent place for an easy and accessible spring/summer/fall nature walk. The majority of the loop is boardwalk, which is well maintained by the volunteers. It does get quite icey in the winter.
It is a very popular place so parking is usually full on weekends and some evenings. Be sure to check the website guidelines before visiting, as this beautiful site requires care & respect!
Don't forget to bring binoculars!

Excellent place for an easy and accessible spring/summer/fall nature walk. The majority of the loop is boardwalk, which is well maintained by the volunteers. It does get quite icey in the winter.
It is a very popular place so parking is usually full on weekends and some evenings. Be sure to check the website guidelines before visiting, as this beautiful site requires care & respect!
Don't forget to bring binoculars!

Nice walking area with lots of birds and water fowl to see. Kids loved seeing all the animals and exploring the trails.

I wish people would respect the trail a bit more and not drop their garbage, especially cigarette butts on the ground.

The Clifford E Lee Nature Sanctuary

The Clifford E Lee Nature Sanctuary was opened in 1980 to conserve habitat and the associated flora and fauna. The Sanctuary is owned by Ducks Unlimited and managed by a Volunteer management committee. All the funds to run and maintain the Sanctuary come from Donations. This area is not a federal, provincial, or municipal park and as such does not get funding for maintenance from these sources.

We encourage people to come and enjoy our Sanctuary and its wildlife, but we expect you to treat it with respect and follow the rules that have been established. The rules are for the protection of the flora and fauna not to make it difficult for you to enjoy the area. Visitors need to consider the long-term effects of feeding wildlife and picking flowers and berries.

Why we have posted the rules for no feeding of wildlife (this includes the ducks and small songbirds)

1 the animals lose their instinct to feed

2 feeding often causes overpopulation as birds realize food is easy to get and then there is more competition and aggression among the animals

3 malnutrition especially in ducks as they are eating junk food, this causes the ducklings to have growth problems

4 disease- left over bits of food especially bread with duck feeding and left-over seeds go moldy and can cause birds to be come infected with diseases

5 water pollution if too much food gets left behind and with ducks more poo will be produced from eating an unnatural diet. This causes the water to become polluted

6 mixed seed left out has unusual species of plants that are not native to this area and are causing a weed issue for our management committee

7 pest attraction from food left around the sanctuary

8 predator attraction also from food

Other considerations we would like you to follow:

1. No picking or digging up flowers or plants

2. No picking berries, wildlife need these to survive winter and to bulk up for migration

3. Staying on the designated trails

4. Take out what you bring in we pay for garbage disposal

Ducks Unlimited the owner of this private sanctuary does not recommend feeding ducks. It increases the chances of negative human/wildlife encounters and can make them dependent on people for food.

Ducks and geese are well equipped to find food in a variety of habitats

Please help us keep this sanctuary natural and healthy by following the rules we have posted

The Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary Management Committee

Last year when we visit, we have taken bird seeds to feed bird. But today when we went it's says no feeding birds. Why? What happened?

Tons of birds, esp in the lakes! Also picnic benches, a beautiful boardwalk, and even a public telescope for viewing the lake. Very well maintained, clean, and lovely!

Also lots of saskatoon and raspberries along the path.

Trails are pretty short (we went on all trails and took lots of stops, and spent roughly 1 hr there), but lots to see. Nice to visit if you’re in the area. Family friendly if everyone is prepared for mosquitos.

(Just make sure you use bugspray in advance. Literal clouds of mosquitoes)

Nice nature walk that is well maintained, along the trails the have some insight on the animals that you might find along the trails. Great place to take your children and have a little picnic.

LOOKING for short hikes, family, solo. Great for a afternoon trip.
Lots of birds to show kids, easy enough for strollers, little wagons or other wheel carts, some board walks, other hard packed trails.

Close to to Edmonton, Devon, Leduc, Calmar, other locations.
Make sure you prepare for Mosquitos.
Even nice to hike in winter, if so inclined.
Don't be scared to explore some of there other surrounding areas, such as Devon, which has a variety of hiking trails, bike parks, great for family and kids.

This place is a beautiful bird wetlands area with 2 bird viewing platforms that extend into a lake. It also has a boardwalk style trail that weaves through the wetlands and on into a meadowed area. It is peaceful, spectacular and a joy to walk.

Beautiful slice of nature not far from Edmonton. You know you're in for a treat as soon as you step into the parking area and are greeted by bird songs as squirrels scurry along the ground past you. I'm very glad to have been made aware of this sanctuary by a good friend. It is definitely worth a visit and I will certainly be back.

What a nice find. Only about 25 min from the Edmonton Airport. I was able to spend some time taking photos while waiting for my friend's flight to arrive. So much better than waiting in the terminal. The boardwalk led me out into the marsh where the birds could care less if I was there. I'll be going back when I have more time to wander, see more of the area and hike more of the trails.

It’s a fantastic place to enjoy fresh air and so many varieties of birds, the boardwalk is the top, and the meadow and forests inspire the imagination to dream up stories.

My wife and I love coming to Clifford E. Lee and walking amongst the birds and squirrels. This is always the place to go if you want to see these creatures, and it was a very good time to go around 1pm before the church rush came in after their lunchtime, lol. There were chickadees, red polls, blue jays, sparrows, canada geese, and squirrels:)

Enjoyed a walk in this wonderful nature reserve Feb 23.it’s an easy walk … so many birds, waterfowl (not this time being winter) and small wildlife to view … the board walk due to freezing is a little up and down, also covered with thick layers of ice so you must watch your steps … the chickadees will come to your hand to feed but remember to only feed them healthy seeds.we carry black oil seeds in ziplock bag for our walks.the chickadees land on our hand and the squirrels scurry around our feet for black
Oil seeds … the volunteers do a great job putting out food, feeders and houses for the birds.very relaxing to stroll throughout the trails especially on a weekday.there are picnic tables, garbage cans & outhouses within the park.and limited parking especially on weekends when it’s busy.

It's a nice board walk and natural forest area. Lots of bird sightings and small animals. Parking is limited.

First time there. Easy to find. Lots of walking trails and different views. Great in winter. Lots of birds to feed. Will come and eat out of your hand. But they will only eat bird food. They don't like meat.no matter how long you stand there holding a weiner in your hand.

My favourite place for a casual walk, and a lovely place to see squirrels, rabbits and chickadees year round. Make sure to take any trash home with you as the garbage cans are rarely changed, it's volunteer run only.

Took my kids (7 and 8 years old boys) and was amazed that they were able to stay quiet and still long enough for birds to eat out of their hands. They loved it

Had a wonderful walk with my wife fed the birds from our hands and got to feed and pet a squirrel

Super pretty for photos or a nice family walk through nature. The whole boardwalk is about 1km. So easy to walk for anyone
Lots of ducks!

This is such a cool spot to bring the kids. Bring some bird seed. The kids will feel like a Disney princess when the birds come eat out their hands.

It was a gorgeous location. It was really clean, no garbage laying around. And u could barely hear the traffic, just nature.

A great place to enjoy nature and explore the trails. My daughter loves all the ducks Coors and especially the chickadees. Everyone we've met on our visits is very friendly and the trails are wonderful. A BIG thanks to the volunteers that maintain this wonderful place. Thank you.

Great place. Bring some bird seed and be patient, they'll eat right out of your hand.
They have portapotties set up but they stink and such, make sure your kids 'go' at home before you come.

This privately maintained and run nature sanctuary is a nice place to go for a leisurely walk. A good portion of the walking trails are raised plank walkways and viewing platforms.

There is a variety of wildlife ranging from squirrels and birds to deer, coyote and moose. The squirrels and birds are used to human contact and will often approach you looking for a snack if you stop in one place for a few minutes. However, please read the sanctuary's website on rules regarding feeding wildlife before you do.

The sanctuary has only a couple of outhouses, so visit the restroom before you arrive. It does have a small picnic area near the entrance if you're interested.

Beautiful spot away from the city. Nice walking paths. Feed the chickadees from your hand. Ducks like treats to.

Pretty good trail for family walks. Stroller accessible and all boardwalks in excellent condition. Parking was the only thing bad here.

Great place for a walk and to take some pictures. Ducks are definitely coming back compared to a couple of years ago.

The biggest problem.no parking! There's room for 5 or 6 cars and they say no parking on the main road, so I have to keep turning around and leaving.even though lots of people park on the main road anyway. Not as nice when there are a lot of people there.

Great place to bring young kids, short loops that can bring you back to the car if necessary or continue further afield. Watch the little ones near the water though!

One of my favorite places to go for a nice easy walk. Boardwalk is great for viewing the waterfowl, lots of baby ducks when I went!

We love this place, it’s a great little retreat from the city. There are so many types of ducks and birds. Parking is easy and there are bathrooms on site. It’s clean and tranquil… when my kids aren’t there…

This is a gem of a place to go for a nature walk. Lots of waterfowl for sure. Many tree birds too. Have a good look at the map as I took a wrong turn and I went way off of my intended route.

Nice place to take a relaxing walk in the woods. The boardwalk offers an interesting view of the marsh.

Beautiful nature reserve, with lots of little animals and birds. Very quiet and away from road noise. Pretty ponds in summer

Such a magical place. Birds are out of my kids hands, we saw an abundance of wildlife. Very kid friendly!

Love this place for a peaceful nature walk, chickadees are super friendly and love sunflower seeds. My kids really enjoy this place.

The birds here are very tame, if you hold still long enough they will come feed out of your hand in the winter time. Great way to spend a few hours.

So beautiful! All raised boardwalk in the trees and gives lovely views. Several lookouts and a few path options. Bring some birdseed with you!

J'ai adoré! Sécuritaire, propre et facile. Emmener des graines, les oiseaux viennent vers vous.

A nice place close to the city. Easy trails for kids. Definitely worth checking out. You can cover all the trails in a few hours.

I love this place so much! So peaceful and beautiful. The birds eat seeds right out of your hand!

Took my brother-in-law for a walk and had the chickadee 's eating out of our hands. Cool experience.

Great trails and we'll groomed and kept. There are few out houses, it's a good idea to bring you own TP

Beautiful walking trails and nature paths. Untouched nature and a great way to get out of the busy life of the city. Conservation at its finest.

A great walk for your family! We went on a beautiful summer day and everyone had fun. There are lots of wildflowers and my kids enjoyed spotting birds and squirrels. We have one child in a stroller and were pleased that we could push the stroller on all the paths.

I have been visiting this spot for over 20 years. If you want a beautiful walk this is the place. Several trails to choose from. Great for kids to explore. You can see several ducks and other birds on a good day. Worth the drive.

A wonderful place for birding, walking the dog, enjoying the fresh air and peaceful sounds of nature.

Lovely short shaded nature trail. Track in great condition. Fairly popular spot on a sunny day. Lots of Mosquitoes.

Great place to explore nature. Became a life long bird watcher and gained a huge appreciation and love for the Edmonton area from my time here.

Incredibly well-maintained trail with a loooong boardwalk that seems to run forever! This is a great trail to introduce someone who's not really keen on getting her shoes dirty to the beauty of nature reserve. Look beyond the trees by the path and might be able to see the whole shoe store for the little fairies)

This place is a great short nature walk just outside of Edmonton. There is observation places that you can watch the birds from or just sit and read. Volunteers clear the board walk in the winter so it is accessible year round. It's free so you can visit without breaking the bank.