Summer Activities and Adventures in Strathcona County

There is plenty of natural beauty to unearth and discover while visiting Strathcona County. The area is surrounded by numerous protected areas which house an array of wildlife, plant life, and tall forests. To find the best of these areas, you can explore on foot, bicycle, canoe, paddleboard, kayak, or you can just sit back and look up on a clear night: much of Strathcona County is covered by the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve which not only helps in the further protection of these natural areas, but also gives us something incredibly beautiful to look at.

You have several accommodation options as well between campsites and RV resorts, or you can come to Strathcona County to try glamping for the first time. But if your vacation/day trip is to be centred more on shopping, culture, or history, a visit to the small towns can bring you to excellent dining, Farmer’s Markets, and antique shops.

Canada Day Celebrations

There are numerous celebrations and festivities going on across Strathcona County, and they have created a guide for you and your family, so you don’t miss anything. They have a calendar of events from all the county towns spanning the entire weekend. And of course, there will be fireworks to see!

Visit the Protected Natural Areas for Wildlife Viewing

Strathcona County’s many protected provincial Natural Areas provide an array of outdoor recreation like canoeing or kayaking, wildlife viewing, birding, hiking, and picnics. These wildlife habitats are rich in diversity from their plants and trees to their critters large and small. Watch for: deer, hares, weasels, squirrels, migratory birds, songbirds, birds of prey, coyotes, moose, and more.

Parkland Natural Area: Between RR 201 & 202, Beaver County
North Cooking Lake NA: 52209 Range Rd 213, Strathcona County
Antler Lake Island NA: canoe/kayak access only from the Hamlet of Antler Lake
Hastings Lake Islands Natural Area: canoe/kayak access only from AB-14 to Range Rd. 210
Sherwood Park Natural Area: 52118 Range Rd 231, Sherwood Park
Northwest of Bruderheim NA: AB-30 to Township Rd. 564A East; to Range Rd. 211 South, Fort Saskatchewan
Wanisan Lake Natural Area: 52065 Range Rd 204, Strathcona County

Qualico Patio Series

Enjoy two-act live music featuring an eclectic variety of pop, jazz, world, Celtic, folk, blues and country from local and touring musicians at the patio next to Broadmoor Lake. Food and beverages are available for purchase too.

Address: Broadmoor Lake Park, on the north side of Festival Place, 100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park.

Half-moon Lake Resort

The Half Moon Lake Resort is somewhere you can come, camp, and enjoy all sorts of amenities and activities within walking distance of your campsite. The park’s small crescent-shaped lake is great for a relaxing paddle, while onshore you can get in a game of mini golf or beach volleyball, take a nature walk, or relax on the sand.

Address: 21524 Township Rd 520, Sherwood Park

From: June – October 15

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Hit the Spray Decks

Splash and spray parks are the perfect low-stress way to cool the whole family off, and there are four within Strathcona County from which to choose. In addition to splashing around, you can plan a picnic for the day and enjoy the greenspaces around the parks. Listen for the ice cream trucks while you’re here, too.

Summerton Spray Deck: 95 Glamorgan Dr, Sherwood Park
Clover Bar Spray Park: 875 Jim Common Drive, Sherwood Park
ReMax Spray Park in Broadmoor Lake: 2001 Oak St, Sherwood Park
Arkann Spray Park in Ardrossan: 80 First Ave, Ardrossan

Disc Golf

Disc Golf is, in case you are curious, part golf, part frisbee, part basketball. The course is laid out like a golf course, but instead of clubs and balls, you’re just shooting a frisbee with the aim of getting it in a basket that is a fair distance away. And the Strathcona Wilderness Centre has a course built especially for Disc Golf where you can bring your own equipment, or rent at their Information Centre for $4/disc. There is no fee for using the course.

Address: Strathcona Wilderness Centre – 52535 Range Road 212, Ardrossan

Canoeing and Kayaking

There are several small lakes in Strathcona County which make for a great paddle. A few of them can be found within the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot PRA like Islet and Hasting Lakes. This is an excellent place for those who already own paddling equipment, or for those renting from closer to home. Astotin Lake at Elk Island National Park is another great lake to explore and has a rental facility on-site!

Places to Canoe or Kayak:

Antler Lake
South Cooking Lake
Islet Lake
Astotin Lake Elk Island National Park
Hastings Lake

Places to rent:

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Camping

No matter the type of camping you prefer to experience, you can easily find somewhere to rest your head after exploring Strathcona County’s other attractions. For glampers and comfort campers, Elk Island Retreats is a popular destination. There are also a few cozy RV resorts in the area, and some more rustic camping opportunities like the Strathcona Wilderness Centre’s tent sites.

Strathcona Wilderness Centre (year-round), 52535 Range Rd. 212, Ardrossan
Elk Island Retreats (March – November 11), Elk Island National Park via AB-16
Astotin Lake Campground (May – Thanksgiving), Elk Island National Park via AB-16
Lindbrook Stargazer Campground (May 21 – September 5)
Kawtikh RV Retreat (June – September 30), 51380A Range Rd. 205 Sherwood Park

Hiking

Between all the natural areas, and parkland in Strathcona County, you have numerous options for a nice walk, hike, or bike. The Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail, part of the Strathcona Wilderness Centre, is a shorter trail with interpretive markers all along to help educate on the wildlife in the area. The Cooking Blackfoot PRA in Strathcona’s south can provide hiking trails of all different lengths, taking you through meadows, wetlands, and diverse forest.

Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail

Address: 1 km south of Township Road 530 (Baseline Road), on the east side of the Strathcona Wilderness Centre

Cooking Lake-Blackfoot PRA

Address: Range Road 210, Beaver County

Stargazing

Those who live in or near the Strathcona County area can consider themselves lucky to be so close to a Dark Sky Preserve. The important protected areas, which can be found all around Alberta and Canada, help to preserve the habitats of nocturnal animals by keeping out city light pollution. And in turn, we get an amazingly clear sky at which to gaze on warm summer nights.

Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Centre

Learn about Alberta’s rich Ukrainian history through this immersive Heritage Centre just off of the Trans Canada. The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Centre is a living history museum, meaning you’ll witness costumed interpreters acting out the Ukrainian pioneer life! There are several historical buildings to explore and guide yourselves through, a new summer feature exhibit, and places to grab a meal or snack.

Address: Hwy 16 East, Lamont County

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Birdwatching

Alberta has a rich and varied bird population, and you can spot many of them around the quiet trails of the Natural Areas, wildlife reserves, and other forested paths of Strathcona County. You could spot a massive number of bird species while exploring these trails and will encounter different birds depending on the time of day. Watch for: birds of prey like hawks, ducks and geese in the ponds, owls at dusk and dawn, and listen for the songbirds.

Ministik Bird Sanctuary
Hastings Lake
South Cooking Lake Natural Area

Bruderheim Heritage Trail

Take a walk through the natural and cultural history of Bruderheim, Alberta, on their self-guided Heritage Trail. You’ll get to tour the historical and preserved buildings of the town, learn about their famous meteorite encounter, and find yourself a place to snack.

Paintball

The massive Sniper Paintball Course in Ryley is a perfect day trip adventure for you and your friends or family. Challenge one another to paintball games and the smaller activities around the park. You can also camp next to the park after your long day of running their course! (not in Strathcona County)

Address: 50111 Range Rd 180, Ryley

Country Picnic

Find yourself a shady spot in the trees, and set up for the day with a picnic, lawn games, and maybe a fire when the sun begins to set. You have several great picnic site options between Sherwood Park and Elk Island, and between Tofield and Bruderheim. Some offer just picnic tables and nearby washrooms, while some have grills and fire pits too.

Farmers’ Markets

Shop for all types of goodies, meats, house décor, garden décor, bath and body products, and try the various food trucks at one of Strathcona County’s Farmers’ Markets this summer.

Ardrossan Farmers’ Market

Address: 61 Ave., Ardrossan
Hours: Tuesdays 4:30-7:30pm
Open: June 1 to September 28
Alberta Approved Farmers’ Market: yes

Salisbury Farmers’ Market

Address: 52337 Range Rd 232
Hours: Thursdays 4-7:30pm
Open: year-round
Alberta Approved Farmers’ Market: yes

Sherwood Park Farmers’ Market

Address: 160-201 Festival Way
Hours: Wednesdays 2-7pm
Open: year-round
Alberta Approved Farmers’ Market: yes

U-Pick

Gather the freshest ingredient for your next dessert or preserves at one of the many u-pick farms and orchards around Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan. These farms are ready to welcome you in so you can pick your own saskatoon berries, cherries, apples, Haskap berries, and more.

Prairie Berry Farm (saskatoons, cherries), 51220 Range Rd 213, Sherwood Park
Attracted 2 Apples (>12 varieties of apples), 54264 Range Rd 213, Fort Saskatchewan
Creekside Berry Farm (saskatoons), 53418 Range Rd 231, Sherwood Park
The Berry Farm (black currants, Haskap, crab apples, strawberries), 52002 Range Rd 232, Sherwood Park

Barr Estate Winery Inc. Tour

Take a scenic summer walk through the Barr Estate Winery Orchards and fields while enjoying the wine they go into making. Barr Estate is a working sheep and fruit farm who specialize in black cherries, rhubarb, and raspberries.

Address: 51526 Range Rd 231, Sherwood Park

Self-Guided Art Adventure

There is so much art to see in Strathcona County that you may want to go on a self-guided art drive, rather than walk. But if you’re looking for a quick walk, Sherwood Park’s Heritage Mile is dotted with 5 different public pieces. Your adventure should take you to Broadmoor Park Lake next, where you can take in murals and sculptures. There are a few rural destinations to see as well, and Strathcona County has it all mapped for you.

Antiquing

Are you on the hunt for something unique, or something you’ve been dying to find for years? The huge number of antique shops east of Edmonton may have what you’re looking for and then some. Go East of Edmonton has created a mapped-out antiquing guide that will take you through Strathcona County, and could take you as far east as Hardisty, Wainwright, and Marwayne. Happy hunting!

Distillery Tours

Savour the sweetest part of Alberta-the honey, the fruit, and the grains- through a distillery tasting or tour. Some of these tours take you out onto Alberta’s scenic farmlands and orchards while you sip on their homegrown spirits and wines.