Wildlife Sanctuary

The Sheriff Creek Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected habitat for birds, mammals and reptiles.  This 182-hectare area features many different plant and animal species that are native to the Elliot Lake area. The sanctuary features water, wetland, forest, field, meadow and escarpment habitats.

It is located at the edge of the city on Milliken Mine Road on the route to the Fire Tower Lookout.  The Sanctuary offers free parking and includes wonderful trails that provides for a light hiking opportunity.

Sanctuary Trails

BEAVER MEADOW TRAIL – RED TRAIL (3.1 KM, DURATION 1 – 2 HRS)
From the parking area trail head follow the causeway around past the first viewing blind and across 2 bridges then turn right to a bench overlooking a small pond. A short distance on your left is the access to the second viewing blind. Immediately on your right is the access to the Yellow Trail. Continue along past another short side trail which overlooks a Beaver pond then up to a walk around gate where you bear left down to the stream. Further along through mixed forest is an open field & the second entrance to the Yellow Trail. Continue left here through the forest, then following left along the edge of the large open field crossing Sheriff Creek at the far end then through a stand of birch returning over a series of boardwalks back to the main entrance. 

TAMARACK BOG TRAIL – BLUE TRAIL (2 KM, DURATION 30 MINS – 1 HR)
Access this trail from the Yellow Trail at the Blue Trail marker on your right. It traverses some wet and rocky sections through conifers along the Tamarack Bog coming into an open hydro corridor with a rock outcrop on the left. Re-entering the forest it connects to the Horne Lake trail on the right where you can overlook Horne Lake & the Tamarack Bog from the bridge. It then follows beside Horne Lake with some rugged sections before a steep climb along an old road through deciduous forest crossing the hydro corridor again and into an open field where it rejoins the Yellow Trail. The trail section from the loop to
the Sherriff Creek shoreline is a simple there and back additional 2 km which
adds another 30 min – 1 hour to your hike.

UPLAND FOREST TRAIL – YELLOW TRAIL (2 KM, DURATION 30 MINS)
Off the Red Trail just past the end of the causeway on the right is a set of stairs marking the entrance to the Yellow Trail. A short distance on the right is the entrance to the Blue Trail followed by a walk around gate at the junction of the Yellow loop trail. Taking the trail to the right we pass a small wetland on your left and climb through a deciduous forest to an open field where the second junction of the Blue Trail is located. Go left here down the old road across a short bridge ending at a small beaver pond. Follow the trail to the right over a boardwalk and bridge coming to an open field where it briefly joins the Red Trail & returns to the walk around gate.

Species of wildlife

You can find lots of different species at the Sheriff Creek Wildlife Sanctuary throughout all four seasons. By hiking through the trails, you can catch glimpses of different animals and plants.

At the sanctuary, you may see:

• Birds, such as finches, woodpeckers, pine grosbeaks, woodcocks, waterfowl, wood ducks, mergansers, ring-necked ducks, sandhill cranes, sparrows, warblers, swallows, flycatchers, northern harriers, broad-winged hawks, eagles, Caspian terns and more
• Frogs and spring peepers
• Wolves
• Moose
• Fishers and beavers
• Snowshoe hares
• Painted turtles
• Butterflies and dragonflies
• Plants and flowers, such as wild orchids, nodding trilliums, water lilies, wild sarsaparilla, yellow loosestrife, milkweed, duck potato, tamarack and many more