Seven Road Trips for Outdoor Adventures in Northwest Alberta

Alberta is one of those places that contains a multitude of surprises. For lovers of the outdoors, there's countless experiences waiting to be discovered in the province's scenic northwest. All you need is a full tank of gas and an appetite for adventure. From white-sand beaches to dinosaur digs, here's some fun ways to experience all that northwest Alberta has to offer.

Pitch a tent at Lesser Slave Lake

Located three hours north of Edmonton, Lesser Slave Lake is the second-largest lake in Alberta. What it has in store for visitors, is some of the best tent and RV camping anywhere in the province. For those who like to keep busy, the eastern shore of the lake is bursting with entertaining activities. Bison-ranch tours (at North Shore Homestead) and birding at Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation are good places to start. Sitting on the white-sand beach and gazing across the expansive body of water, you'll agree: there's nothing lesser about the lake at all.

Clear your head at Grande Cache's Labyrinth Park

Road trips are a great way to escape the everyday and gain a new perspective. And there's no better place to do that than Labyrinth Park. This winding, 21.3 m (70 ft), 11-circuit rock maze sits at the edge of the hamlet of Grande Cache. Touted as a walking meditation park, the park is strategically located on a plateau. This gives visitors a stunning 360-degree view of the surrounding Smoky River Valley. The labyrinth is open to visitors at all hours, and is a sight to experience, no matter the weather or season.

Channel your inner palaeontologist at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum

If you've got dinosaurs on the brain, then no trip would be complete without stopping at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum. Located west of Grande Prairie, the museum's Palaeo for a Day program is the perfect opportunity to try out the career you've dreamed about. You'll join a crack team of researchers and field crews and actually dig for fossils in the Pipestone Creek Bonebed. This bonebed is one of densest such sites anywhere in the world. It's a unique opportunity to gain firsthand experience in this thrilling field, not to mention a chance to discover something truly amazing. One participant in the program recently unearthed a rare dinosaur tooth thought to be 73 million years old!

Go tubing at Rotary Park in Whitecourt

Nothing says summer quite like splashing around in the water. Anyone wanting to diversify from the neighbourhood splash park ought to head to Whitecourt Rotary Park and its fantastic, family-friendly river slides. Open every summer from May long weekend to September, the human-made slide tracks are perfect for tubing adventures. The nearby playground and concession stand mean that your entire day's activities are conveniently located in one place. Make sure you bring your own tubes, though, as rentals aren't available.

Push your limits at the Canadian Death Race

When a regular marathon doesn't cut it anymore, consider one of the world's toughest ultra marathons. Extreme athletes from around the world descend on Grande Cache every summer for the Canadian Death Race. This 125-km (78-mi) footrace takes participants through a grueling journey across three mountain summits. But wait! There's a river crossing at Hell's Gate canyon and more than 5,100 m (17,000 ft) of overall elevation change to conquer, too. The first race back in 2000 attracted nearly 200 participants. These days, there's so much interest that organizers have to cap entries at 1,000.

Stock up on spirits at West of the 5th

Let's face it: road trips can be thirsty work. Luckily, there's West of the 5th, a distillery of craft spirits in Barrhead. These are no ordinary spirits, though. The innovative concoctions come alive with ingredients like Saskatoon berries, cinnamon sticks and even pickles. Best to wet your whistle on-site at the bar and restaurant (thirsty parents rejoice: there's a kid's menu, too). This way, you can sample a few of their delicious moonshines before deciding which ones to bring back home with you.

Dance your troubles away at the Borealis Festival

Billing itself as "Alberta's answer to the boutique festival experience", the Borealis Festival is a can't-miss event. Since founding in 2018, Borealis is where fans of electronic music, experimental visual art and community converge. It's a wild yet inclusive combination of music, art and free expression, all held in a picturesque setting under the stars. Borealis takes place every summer at a series of campsites on the Pembina River in Yellowhead County.