The area around the Central Staging Area in the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Grazing, Wildlife and Provincial Recreation Area was used in 2025 the Canadian Orienteering Championships, for the Middle and Long distance events.
Central Staging Area is about 50 to 60 minutes east of Edmonton, south of Elk Island Park.
This knob and kettle terrain is characterised by rolling hills and depressions filled with water creating wetlands, small lakes and streams. The area has a diversity of vegetation including boreal mixed wood forest dominated by aspen with patches of white spruce. The understory may include Alberta wild roses and shrubs, and stinging nettles and thistles grow well in some small clearings.
Beavers have been very active in some areas on the Cooking Lake/ Blackfoot PRA map, and care should be taken to avoid tripping and falling on the pointed stumps. The beaver dams may be a little challenging to cross with unsure footing.
Blackfoot is a Grazing reserve with many fields cleared for pasture, with clumps of forest.
