Elk Island National Park, park in central Alberta, Canada, 20 miles (32 km) east of Edmonton. Established in 1906 as a game preserve, it is one of Canada’s smaller national parks, with an area of 75 square miles (194 square km). The park is mostly forested but has facilities for prairie grazing. Astotin Lake is the chief resort area. The park is fenced and protects a large herd of buffalo, as well as wapiti, deer, and moose, and is home to some 200 species of birds.