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Whether you have time for a day trip or a weekend-er, these fun fall activities in and around Smoky Lake will add memorable experiences to any getaway.
Credit: Smoky Lake
We are in the midst of Alberta’s best days for fall weather. The sun still has warmth, and the warm foliage creates beautiful scenery around the riverbanks, forests, and lakes.
Alberta is home to some notable and exciting fall festivals. Take your fall travels to Smoky Lake and the surrounding areas this fall, and you’ll be able to get all of those best parts of fall in your trip. Whether you have time for a day trip or a weekend-er, these fun fall activities in Smoky Lake will add memorable experiences to any getaway.
Plan your trip around the area’s two big fall festivals, or get away whenever this season for outdoor recreation.
Great White North Pumpkin Fair & Weigh-off
At the core of Smoky Lake’s Pumpkin Fair is the annual weigh-off. Witness farmers from around Alberta and other provinces take part in showing off their biggest pumpkins of their crop. There are several other family-friendly activities planned for the day as well, like hay rides, a show and shine, a mini midway, and a petting zoo.
When: October 3 to 5, 2025
Where: Pumpkin Park, Smoky Lake
How much: free
Smoky Lake Great White North Pumpkin Weigh-off & Fair
The Andrew Garlic Festival
Celebrate another widespread and abundant prairie crop this fall with the Andrew Garlic Festival! The festival takes place mid-month and is a great way to extend your stay in the Smoky Lake area or make for a fun family day trip. The festival hosts a ton of activities and entertainment centred around family fun. These include a large farmers’ market (over 70 vendors), a parade, a petting zoo, live entertainment, and a family supper/dance.
When: October 11, 2025
Where: 23 minutes south of Smoky Lake on AB-855; Andrew Community Centre
How much: $5 per person
Visit a few of Alberta’s Big Roadside Attractions
Alberta, overall, is filled with a great number of literal World’s Biggest items, many of which are official Guinness World Record title holders. You will be able to spot many of these around Smoky Lake, all of which are within about an hour’s drive from the town. Start in Smoky Lake at Pumpkin Park, and:
- head south to Andrew to see the world’s largest mallard duck, and the Mundare sausage.
- head southeast from Smoky Lake to see the UFO Landing Pad in St. Paul, or
- east to Vilna to see the Mushrooms, or a bit further east to see the giant Glendon perogy.
Farmers’ Markets & more Local Shopping
Getting out on a shopping trip in this part of Alberta will also mean gorgeous fall day trips (if the sun is out) with colourful scenery. You can take drives to numerous small shops, get a feel for the surrounding countryside, and explore other towns.
- The Andrew Farmers’ Market runs each Saturday at the local community centre until Thanksgiving weekend.
- Smoky Lake’s Farmers’ Market runs April-December each year at the Agricultural Complex. There will be a special outdoor market during the Pumpkin Fair.
- You can hit up a few different antique shops west of the town of Smoky Lake. Stop by the Den of Antiquity, or Noreen & Friend’s Attic, both in Redwater.
Pretty Fall Paddling Spots near Smoky Lake
If you’d like to get out for a pretty fall paddle this season, east-central Alberta has several beautiful options. Use the town of Smoky Lake and the nearby campgrounds as basecamps and as a source for meals. Then, head out to the area lakes for paddling, birding, and more wildlife viewing all at once.
- Long Lake Provincial Park is about 40-minutes north of the town of Smoky Lake with a day use area and boat launch.
- The County of Smoky Lake has an online guideto canoeing or paddling the North Saskatchewan River in eastern Alberta. For example, a paddle from the Waskatenau Bridge to Warpsite is about 2.5-hours. Warspite to Metis Crossing is then another 2.5-hours or so. Lastly, Metis Crossing to Victoria Park is about an hour.
One Last Camping Trip
There are dozens of campgrounds in and around Smoky Lake. Take advantage of the final days of camping seasons at these spots with a weekend under the colourful fall leaves and bright stars.
- The Smoky Lake Golf Club & RV Resort is a beautiful piece of land with a 9-hole course and stay-and-play packages. The onsite restaurant has a stellar menu of comfort dishes if you don’t feel like cooking in the RV. May 15-October 15
- Hanmore Lake is a great place for fall camping thanks to the large mature trees which surround the small lake. Campsites are open to tents and RVs. May-October
- Paradise Cove Resort is a large campground northeast of Smoky Lake on Whitefish Lake. The Resort is open year-round on a lake which permits swimming, fishing, paddling, and motorboating. Year-round
View all the Smoky Lake campgrounds here.
Metis Crossing for Activities & Accommodations
Metis Crossing is a fun stop on a day trip or a road trip with signature experiences, dining, and accommodation choices.
- Choose between glamping, the lodge, or the campground. The centre has a general admission.
- Attend a special meal for the Pumpkin Festival with the Metis Crossing’s Harvest Dinner or Brunch.
- Book a signature experience from the fall programming while you still have time. Metis Crossing offers “Meet the Metis” every day, will have Wildlife Tours until the end of September, and Paddle into the Past until Thansgiving weekend.
Where: 17339 Victoria Trail, Smoky Lake
Quadding or Dirt Biking
Off-highway vehicle riding is popular year-round in this part of Alberta, thanks to extensive and scenic trail systems. Some of these trails can get you as far as the Saskatchewan border. So not only are the trails excellent for a day’s worth of riding, but these areas also offer staging areas and campgrounds for those embarking on overnight or weekend trips.
These trips could involve dirt biking, quadding, side-by-side riding, and snowmobiling. Aside from OHVs, areas like the Iron Horse Trail permit equestrian riding.
- There are quad and dirt bike trails in the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area, west of Smoky Lake. The loop is about 12-15 km.
- Additionally, Alberta’s Iron Horse Trail runs from Waskatenau to Smoky Lake, to the Bellis Natural Area, and even further east all the way to Cold Lake. The trail heads southeast as well to St. Paul, eventually ending in Heinsburg.
Follow the Food
Let your tastebuds be your guide through Smoky Lake County. Start in the town of Smoky Lake with the local restaurants or the guaranteed pumpkin flavours of the Pumpkin Fair. And, there are more hidden gem places to explore outside of town.
- Smoky Lake has delicious options like The Old Fashioned Bread Bakery, the Great Bear Café, Betsy’s Burger Shack, the Smoky Lake Café, or the Red Chimney Restaurant.
- There is a large convenience store, bakery, and Iron Horse Café, located in Waskatenau on the Highway.
- Porky’s Side Street Café in Vilna has a menu of filling pub food, but is a restaurant suited to families.
Stargazing
Smoky Lake County is not an official dark sky preserve. It is, however, a great place for stargazing. The smaller towns in the area and the large distances between them mean the area has very little light pollution. To get the best of the area’s night skies, stake out from the Iron Horse Trail staging areas near Waskatneau, Smoky Lake, or Ashmont.
