Endlessly Unexpected

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Culinary Experiences

Culinary Experiences

Grab a bite of the north

Fort McMurray is home to one-of-a-kind locally-owned restaurants and cafes that you simply must try.

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Indulge in some of the best cuisine Northern Alberta has to offer!

Did you know?
Household income in FMWB is more than double the national average at $210,263/year

FMWB has a wide range of restaurants in every ethnicity! Let your tastebuds explore all there is to offer.

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

START PLANNING YOUR TRIP

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Nature's Light Show

Nature's Light Show

Dancing Northern Lights

Simply look up and enjoy a front-row seat to nature’s greatest light show, the Aurora Borealis, as they dance across the sky.

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FMWB is one of the best places to see the Aurora – one of the world’s 7 natural wonders
Spectacular!
A must see for dark sky enthusiasts

HOME TO THE WORLD'S LARGEST DARK SKY PRESERVE

For those seeking the extraordinary.

Breathtaking views are yours to embrace on clear, cold nights from October to March. There are several stunning accommodations to consider:
multi color northern lights view with float plane in background
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Andrew Lake Lodge

A-Frame cabins that can accommodate up to 16 people are ideal for viewing and photographing the northern lights. Includes gorgeous lake views and the comfort of a wood-burning stove.

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Aurora Borealis Indigenous Village

Get closer than ever to the mystifying northern lights while sleeping in a heated teepee or trapper’s tent at a well-equipped camp in the remote Birch Mountains. 

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Beyond Adventures Northern Lights Experience

Get outfitted in top-of-the-line outdoor gear and strap-on snowshoes before arriving at your final destination, where you'll relax under the stars, warm up to a crackling wood stove, and enjoy some tea and pan-fried bannock.

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Wood Buffalo National Park

Wood Buffalo National Park is one of the best places in Canada to view the northern lights. Campers actively explore the Park to gaze at this astronomical portrait, and photographers from across the globe bring their best equipment in hope of capturing some truly memorable shots. @Pine Lake Cabins

Live it. Breathe it.

Revel in the beauty of our northern skies with a unique adventure, such as a dog sledding tour or camping in the world’s largest Dark Sky Preserve in Wood Buffalo National Park.

Prepare for Adventure

Get your gear and book your stay

Aurora Borealis Indigenous Village

780.788.0984

Beyond Adventures

780.381.1787

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start planning your trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Boating & Paddling

Boating & Paddling

Incredible excursions and stunning views

In a place where five rivers connect naturally and lakes dot the landscape, it’s only natural that canoe, kayak and standup paddle board enthusiasts meet on our waters. Jet boat tours are another unique way to experience the beautiful waterways of Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.

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Getting out on the water

  • several boat tour operators

  • options for beginners to experienced paddlers 

  • lots of bodies of water to explore

Explore our waterways

Jet boats, stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, canoes, and tubing – we've got your adventure covered in FMWB!
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Gregoire Lake Provincial Park

A popular area for summer excursions since it is close to the city with a large campground, public beach, boat launch, and trailer parking. Open from May to October.

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Maqua Lake Provincial Recreation Area

A secluded and majestic area where you can relax in a quieter setting. Motorized boats are prohibited.

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The Syne

Enjoy year-round recreation in the heart of Fort McMurray’s downtown core

  • calm waterway perfect for canoeing or kayaking

  • access the Clearwater River

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Clearwater River

The Clearwater River has cut spectacular gorges and waterfalls into the sandstone and limestone; the forest along its banks is still wild and is home to moose, deer, bear, wolf, lynx, geese, fox and beaver.

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Athabasca River

The Athabasca River is the longest river in Alberta (1,538 km). The first 168 km (located in Jasper National Park) are designated as a Canadian Heritage River.

If you don't have your own gear, don't worry - there are plenty of rental and shopping options.

Gearing up for adventure

Beyond Adventures

780.381.1787

Running Bear Adventures

780.714.7192

Wild Feathers Inc

780.799.5393

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start Planning Your Trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Aerial Tours

Aerial Tours

Take your FMWB experience to new heights

Experience an epic sky-high, breathtaking helicopter or airplane tour, or scenic float plane flight and discover the region from a whole new perspective. 

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“I’ve never done that before and I can’t wait to do it again”
- something we hear a lot

McMurray Aviation Tours

See unique, secluded places that have no road access

Did you know?
The third largest oil reserves in the world are in FMWB

McMurray Aviation thrives with experience in the remote wilderness.

  • All aerial tours run from 40 to 80 minutes

  • Flights are available to Fort Chipewyan and over 17 fishing lodges throughout Northern Alberta & Saskatchewan.

  • Flights over the Athabasca Sand Dunes (both the Alberta & Saskatchewan sides)

  • The Gregoire Lake Adventure includes a water landing in Gregoire Lake. Jump off the aircraft floats for a nice swim.

  • Custom charters are available! From dropping you off at a northern lake for a swim to taking you into the backcountry and dropping you off with your canoe or kayak.

Multiple award-winning helicopter companies
Spectacular sightseeing of the boreal forest
An ever-changing landscape
Estimated to be about 8000 years old, the Athabasca sand dunes are a result of glacier melt. As the glaciers receded, meltwater washed enormous quantities of sand, silt and sediment from local sandstone into Lake Athabasca.
Each year the dunes expand, engulfing the surrounding boreal forest up to 1.5 metres each year.

It’s the best way to see it all, and there are plenty of professional operators offering affordable rates.

Find an aerial tour

McMurray Aviation

780.791.2182

Phoenix Heli-flight

780.799.0141

Canadian Helicopters

780.429.6900

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start planning your trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Culture

Culture

The Heart of FMWB

Our museums spotlight historical collections and informative, interpretive displays. Local productions and traveling shows alike can be seen at these venues, with theatre, comedy, film, and dance all being featured.

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A PLACE OF INDIGENOUS STRENGTH

The strong Cree, Dene and Métis communities here are rich in collaborative spirit and historical, cultural and economic importance.

Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo is a gathering place of people from here, there—everywhere. We are a source of meaningful, transformative ideas because of our diversity of culture, ethnicity and language.
Population of 111,687
People from over 60 countries
80 languages spoken
6 first nations
5 Metis Local Councils
1 Metis Community Association
Did you know?
Average age of residents is the lowest in the country at 34 years
Did you know?
The remains of Alberta's oldest plesiosaur was found in FMWB, the marine reptile lived 115 million years ago!

Explore our museums and theatres

Outdoor festivals, theatre and music is a shape of a well lived life in FMWB!
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Fort McMurray Heritage Village

This 6.6-acre site contains seventeen historic buildings and a collection of large artifacts, offering an opportunity to experience the vibrant days of fur trading, lumbering, fishing, early aviation, and life on the rivers.

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Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum

​The museum’s native and historic displays depict the key role Fort Chipewyan played in Canada's early exploration and fur trade.

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Fort McMurray Heritage Shipyard

Come and learn why Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo is known as the "gateway to the north” and discover the region’s decades-long history as a transportation hub, an essential link on the cargo routes north via the Athabasca River and onto the Arctic.

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Keyano Theatre & Arts Centre

Since its official opening on September 5, 1980, Keyano Theatre has been the centre of community engagement, creativity and entertainment.

We are home to a vibrant arts and cultural scene.

Get Involved

Arts Council Wood Buffalo

587.674.1625

Multicultural Association of Wood Buffalo

780.791.5186

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start planning your trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Dog Sledding

Dog Sledding

Unleash the adventure

A team of amazing canine athletes will tour you across the frozen landscape through forests of pine and birch, as your ears are filled with vivid stories of the land and our region’s rich cultural history.

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Take a tour with Atim Ostogwan

Operated by Robert Grandjambe in Fort Chipewyan, take in the splendor of the endless boreal forest nestled within the warmth and comfort of a handcrafted sled. Learn about the rich Indigenous history and stories that permeate our land.

Why "Alaskan" Sled Dogs?
Some kennels still concentrate solely on pure-bred sled dogs (Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes or Canadian Inuit Dogs), but the majority of modern sled dogs are truthfully 'genetic mutts'! The name that is most commonly used to refer to them as a group today is 'Alaskan Huskies'.
The history of dog sledding
As far as archeologists can tell, dog sledding was invented by the native and Inuit people in the northern parts of modern Canada, and it then rapidly spread throughout the continent.  

Let the spirit and energy of the dogs and the incredible history behind dog sledding move you. Here are some tour operators worth checking out.

Dog Sledding Tours

Atim Ostogwan

780.697.3830

Controlled Chaos

780.742.3045
Family dog sledding in the winter

Mush McMurray

780.881.7518

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start planning your trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Fishing

Fishing

Cast into the Northern blue

If your dream is to snag a trophy walleye, wrestle a pike or land a giant northern Alberta lake trout, fishing in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo will have you hooked.

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Fishing Highlights

  • Lakes and rivers are easily accessible for day trips 

  • Fish from shore or by boat for pike, walleye, perch, trout and Arctic grayling

  • Remote fly-in fishing lodges in abundance

  • Book a jet boat fishing trip

  • Ice fishing trips are available from December to February

Fish Fact
The largest Northern Pike weighed in at 38 lbs and over 4 feet long!

Find a fly-in fishing lodge

The ultimate fishing experience

Man fishing off of float plane

Andrew Lake Lodge Camps

780.722.5062

Gypsy Lake Lodge

780.284.2775

Lloyd Lake Lodge

780.235.6301

Pearson Lake Lodge

780.399.3066

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start planning your trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Golfing

Golfing

Life on the links

Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo has many great golf courses to suit all skill levels. Plus, with our long, glorious summer days, you can get a lot of golfing in.

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Golf Highlights

  • spectacular scenery

  • challenging holes

  • opportunities for wildlife sightings

Golf courses

Plan your visit with enough time to experience all of our breathtaking golf course locations.
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Fort McMurray Golf Club

One of the top public courses in Northern Alberta and previous host of professional and national championship events, Fort McMurray Golf Club is not to be missed

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Miskanaw Golf Club

The par-71 course features stunning views of the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers, a driving range, practice facility, and the Seventy Two Kitchen & Patio overlooking the signature 16th hole's island green.

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Rotary Links Golf Course

This 9-hole Les Furber-designed links course provides a unique challenge in the region with its wide-open spaces and plenty of water in play. Includes a restaurant, patio, and driving range.

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Vista Ridge Golf Course

This 12-hole course has larger cups on the greens, family-sized four-seater golf carts, and reasonable hole distances – fun for the whole family and for golfers of all handicaps.

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start planning your trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Explore Trails in the Boreal Forest

Explore Trails in the Boreal Forest

The best adventure is always the next

Outdoor enthusiasts from around the world visit every year for some of the best northern hiking, biking, and skiing trails in Canada.

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Expansive, well-maintained trail system
400+
Hectares of parks
Developed in the region by members of Canada’s Oil Sands Alliance
980+
Distinct environmental technologies

Explore our backyard

There are vast trail systems offering short or long distances with various levels of difficulty.

Birchwood Trails

  • over 135 kilometres of all-season trails

  • great for bird watching, berry picking, biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing

  • home to Canada’s largest outdoor exercise equipment circuit

Horse River Valley Trail

  • self-guided walking tour with an excellent view overlooking the Horse River

  • hike circuit: 1.5 hours

  • steepness of the trail can be challenging

DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A WATERFALL IN FMWB?

1.4KM Hike off Timberline Drive. Crosses Conn Creek.

If you don't have your own gear, don't worry - there are plenty of rental and shopping options.

Gearing up for adventure

Ptarmigan Nordic Ski Club

780.381.1434

Stratosphere Sports

780.804.3480

Vista Ridge

780.743.8651

Beyond Adventures

780.381.1787

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start planning your trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Off the Beaten Path

Off the Beaten Path

Experience something truly wild

For the adventurous spirit, experience the less-traveled corners of the Canadian North and create memories that will last a lifetime.

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indigenous standing under teepee
person kayaking on a lake while the sun is setting

Fort Chipewyan

In 1788, on the traditional territory of the Cree, Dene, and Métis people, a North West Company trading post was established. Nestled at the southwestern corner of Lake Athabasca, the community of Fort Chipewyan still exists today.

Notable experiences:

  • Discover time-honoured traditions and a natural, authentic way of life

  • Visit the Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum

  • Enter Wood Buffalo National Park

Did you know?
Fort Chipewyan is the oldest settlement in Alberta, formed in 1788.

The Winter Road

Fort Chipewyan is roughly 300 kilometres north of Fort McMurray. The community can only be accessed by plane or boat in the summer or by an epic winter road in the offseason.

Remote location
The thrill of getting there

Fort Fitzgerald

With world famous rapids, Fort Fitzgerald is an incredible destination for novice to extreme kayakers and traditional canoeists. Fort Fitzgerald is the region's smallest and most northern community. The city of Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories is the nearest urban centre, located 25 kilometers away.

Wood Buffalo National Park

WBNP is home to the world's largest free-roaming herd of buffalo and over 200 species of migratory birds, including the rare whooping crane. 

Located between Alberta and the Northwest Territories, this national park offers extraordinary remote hiking and camping in the muskeg and boreal forest.

Established in 1922
Wood Buffalo National Park is Canada’s largest national park,
which is a UNESCO world heritage site and home to the world’s largest herd of free-roaming bison

Dark Sky Festival

Every year in mid-to-late August, the Dark Sky Festival welcomes night sky enthusiasts from around the world.

Richardson Backcountry Camping

Access the most northern lakes in Alberta and the largest sand dune complex in Canada—the Athabasca Sand Dunes. Enjoy well-maintained trails while you experience true backcountry camping with no facilities or campgrounds.

Pack the essentials:

  • first aid kit

  • compact tool kit

  • trail map

  • tow strap, winch & extra fuel

  • food and water

  • body protection including a helmet, goggles, and gloves—just in case.

  • camping gear & wilderness survival kit with bear deterrents.

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start planning your trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Winter Magic

Winter Magic

Winter is definitely the most wonderful time of the year.

You'll find many incredible opportunities to enjoy the magic of a Canadian winter—including snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, skating, stargazing and so much more.

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Highlights

Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo is home to a number of indoor and outdoor ice surfaces offering skating, hockey, and plenty of family fun. You can enjoy:

  • a skate or a game of shinny on one of the 7 lit, boarded outdoor rinks

  • a twirl around the Skating Path at MacDonald Island Park

  • a glide through holiday-lit trees at the Lion’s Park Skating Trail

MacDonald Island Park is Canada’s largest recreation centre

We can guarantee snow- and lots of it

In the north, during the winter months, the days can be short with the sun setting early and rising late. This is the time to be cozy, or to get out and attend the community events that take place to celebrate our beautiful winter landscape.

Have a great pair of winter boots
Don’t skimp on these, they are well worth the investment.
Bundle up and enjoy the snow!
There are so many activities to do regardless of the temperature.
Utilize some of our amazing facilities.
Get yourself a pass and stay warm, even in the cold.

If you don't have your own gear, don't worry - there are plenty of rental and shopping options.

Get Geared Up!

Beyond Adventures

780.381.1787

Ptarmigan Nordic Ski Club

780.381.1434

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start planning your trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.

Off-Roading

Off-Roading

Rev Up The Thrills

Just outside the city limits, you’ll find ATV staging areas, ready for you to rip out for an afternoon of excitement. Or, take a day trip and explore the boreal forest backcountry.

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WHETHER ON ATV, DIRT BIKE, SNOWMOBILE OR SHERP...

River valleys, old railway beds, cutlines, forest, hilly terrain and creeks are yours to discover

snowmobiling across snowy terrain
snowmobiling up a mountain hill

Extensive trail systems

Riding conditions are generally excellent – your off-roading experience can be self-guided or part of a planned experience. Warm-up shelters and fire pits are located on many trails in the winter (don't forget your Snodrifter's Trail Map).

Winter in the wild
mid-December to April
January is the coldest month, with an average low of -22C

Explore our Backyard

Richardson Wildland Provincial Park 

Richardson River Dunes Wildland Provincial Park is home to the most northern and pristine lakes in Alberta and home and the largest sand dune complex in Canada—the Athabasca Dunes Ecological Reserve (walk in only access.) 

*This area is very sensitive and must be used with extreme caution as threats of wildfire, bears, changing weather conditions and lack of phone or emergency services.

ATV on mud trail
100% Wilderness | zero wifi
Get back into nature

If you don't have your own gear, don't worry - there are plenty of rental and shopping options.

Gearing up for adventure

McMurray Sno-Drifters Association

780.792.7603

Pioneer Offroad Rentals

780.715.1567

Yeti Roughrider Rentals

780.799.1702

Come for the beauty, stay for the adventure, and leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Start planning your trip

Visit fmwb.ca to learn more.