With the arrival of spring, the dark forests around Gibbons – a town 30 kilometres north-east of Edmonton – don't just ring with the call of the birds. They echo with the roar of the dinosaurs. That's because Jurassic Forest, a vast prehistoric reserve in the woods, has its home here. And, unsatisfied with the usual lifeless models found in many dino parks, this is a “Jurassic park” where life has been breathed into its giant occupants. Using the latest animatronics, dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops move, stomp, call and even fight.
Jurassic Forest only opened its gates to visitors in 2010, but it has already impressed visitors with its advanced robotic dinosaurs. They have been carefully located throughout its ancient woods for the maximum surprise and thrilling impact. Over 50 models have now been installed, mainly dinosaurs from 230 to 66 million years ago. But they also include some of the giant mammals that replaced them and the birds that evolved from them.
There are two trails that wind their way through the woods, and you can have a guide on hand to explain the fascinating story and life history of each dinosaur. You can expect to see the Stegosaurus, with its giant diamond-shaped plates along its back, the soaring, winged Deuteron or the frighteningly vicious Utahraptor.
You can also learn more about these long-lost creatures at the visitor centre, which has interactive exhibits and educational displays. For the younger children, Jurassic Forest has a dinosaur playground, where they can clamber over an Apatosaurus or slide down a T-Rex. There is also a hands-on experience to be had at the Dinosaur Dig site, where you can uncover your own dino bones. And if you're brave enough, you can spend a night out under the stars – listening to the shrieks and roars of its prehistoric inhabitants – at one of the park's camping sites.
