backcountry camping

Sweetgrass Station, located south of the Peace River on the edge of vast meadows within the Peace-Athabasca Delta, is a good destination for a wilderness backcountry trip. The trail begins on the south bank of the Peace River, at a spot known locally as Sweetgrass Landing. It proceeds south through a boreal forest mosaic for 12 km. Approximately 2 km from the Station, the hiker will come across remnants of old corrals. The corrals were built in the mid-1960s and used in the historical round-up of bison herds for anthrax vaccinations.

Accessed by a 6 km hike from Pine Lake Road, this site includes a tent pad, picnic table, outhouse and bear cache. It is situated beside a beautiful sinkhole lake.

Read more about Rainbow Lakes Backcountry Campsite

courtesy WBNP

Wood Buffalo National Park is Canada’s largest national park. It was established in 1922 to protect the world's largest herd of free-roaming wood bison, currently estimated at more than 5,000. It is the only known nesting site of whooping cranes.

Axe Handle Hill

Axe Handle Hill Park is located at the eastern end of the Town of Fort Smith between Pine Crescent and Park Drive.

When using the trails along the Slave River during the summer (May through October), it is important to be aware of wildlife, particularly black bears. Be Bear Aware. Black bears use the river as a migration route, and though human encounters with bears are rare, they do happen. Inform yourself about how to avoid an encounter with a bear, and know how to react if one does occur.

There is no shortage of outdoor activities to pursue in and around our beautiful community, regardless of the season.

Trails

Fort Smith has dozens of hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, and skiing trails, as well as trails for dog teams, snowmobiles, and off-road vehicles. We are also part of the Trans Canada Trail.

Parks