[8] The Boreal Forest Natural Region is characterized by short summers and long, cold winters.

[9][10][11] Under the OneEarth classification system (previously World Wildlife Fund), the park is in the Mid-Canada Boreal Plains Forests ecoregion of the Mid-Canada Boreal Plains & Foothill Forests bioregion.

[12][13] The park contains vast deciduous, mixedwood, and coniferous forests interspersed with extensive Wetlands.

[14]: 51  The Athabasca Plain Natural Subregion is dominated by extensive jack pine forests.

It is made up of dry, sandy plains, dune fields, and gravel-cored hills.