Alberta Attractions: North Central Alberta tourist attractions

Blue Heron Large Roadside Attraction

Grizzly Trail Highway 33

Depending upon your location and your patience you could view bison, moose, deer, wolves, bears, lynx, beaver, muskrats, badger, and caribou.

Klondike Ferry

the Klondike Ferry is only 20 minutes from Freeman River RV Park and Campground. Take Secondary Highway 661 northeast from Fort Assiniboine and follow the signs to the Klondike Ferry. the Klondike Ferry crosses the Athabasca River near Vega, AB.

the Klondike Ferry is one of only seven remaining ferries in Alberta. the ferry operates from April to October. An ice bridge serves as the crossing during the winter months.

World's Largest Wagon Wheel and Pick Axe

A 5-minute drive from Freeman River RV Park and Campground brings you to the World's Largest Wagon Wheel and Pick Axe. the World's Largest Wagon Wheel and Pick Axe is located 5 km east of Freeman River RV Park and Campground, on the south side of Main Street, Fort Assiniboine, Alberta, next to the Fort Assiniboine Friendship Museum.

the wagon wheel is 24 feet high and the pick axe is 20 feet high. the World's Largest Wagon Wheel and Pick Axe was constructed by Studio Y Creations, out of Calgary, Alberta, of hand carved EPS foam, hard coated with SYC weather coat, and painted with an enamel finish. the frame is engineered steel. the grand opening for the World's Largest Wagon Wheel and Pick Axe was July 20, 2005.

the Wagon Wheel and Pick Axe celebrates the fact that Fort Assiniboine is the second oldest fort in Alberta. the fort was originally constructed as a Hudson Bay Fort situated along the original route from Edmonton to the Klondike Gold Rush, which took place through the years 1897 to 1902. the fort supplied gold rush stampeders with goods necessary to make the long trek to the Klondike.

Fort Assiniboine is situated along the section of the route to the Klondike that is now known as Grizzly Trail Highway 33. This route to the Klondike Gold Rush originated in Edmonton and wound its way northwest to the Klondike and Dawson City, Yukon Territory. the majority of gold rush stampeders who followed this long and difficult route to the Klondike reached the gold fields too late to stake a claim. Many stampeders gave up their quest to reach the Klondike gold fields and settled in communities situated along the route north. the wagon wheel and pick axe celebrates the pioneers and the Klondikers who built the community of Fort Assiniboine and/or stayed in the Campground.

Located next to the World's Largest Wagon Wheel and Pick Axe is the Fort Assiniboine Friendship Museum, which is fashioned after the Hudson Bay Fort that was situated there during the Klondike Gold Rush.

Blue Heron Large Roadside Attraction

A 25-minute drive from Freeman River RV Park and Campground brings you to the Blue Heron, a large roadside attraction. the Blue Heron is located 40 km southeast of Freeman River RV Park and Campground, in Barrhead, Alberta, next to the large gazebo in Barrhead's city centre.

Fort Assiniboine Sandhills Wildland Park

Wildlife species include mule and white-tailed deer, moose, beaver, mink, muskrat and river otter. Bird species include great gray owls, Cooper's hawk, pileated woodpeckers and sandhill cranes.

Enjoy miles of hiking trails, as well as quad and dirt bike trails. A small parking lot and a few picnic tables are provided at the Central Staging Campground. Trail maps are posted.

You can hike up a portion of the famous Klondike Trail, formerly used by the gold prospectors heading to Dawson City, Yukon. Trail maps are posted.

Holmes Crossing Ecological Reserve

Only 13 km southwest of Freeman River RV Park. Holmes Crossing Ecological Reserve contains some of the best, and one of the few, occurrences of transverse dunes in Canada. Its rolling landscape of stabilized sand dunes and wet depressions, along with the Athabasca River valley make this a diverse and interesting site.

Holmes Crossing Ecological Reserve is enjoyed by many visitors in all seasons. Activities include nature hikes, berry picking, picnicking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, canoeing, gold-panning, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

Jack Pine and Aspen are the major trees species. they grow in pure stands or mixed wood forests on the upland sand dunes. In moister sites along the river valley, White Spruce, Aspen and Balsam Poplar dominate, and most are frequently part of mixedwood forests. A variety of wetlands occur in the depressions between the sand dunes.

Wildlife is abundant. Deer and moose use the river valley extensively. Black bear, snowshoe hare, red squirrel and beaver are also common. Bird species are numerous and in the pine forests are common nighthawk, solitary vireo, pine siskin and purple finch.

Geographical Center of Alberta

In the Natural Campgroundsurrounding the cairn, a system of trails has been established. As you walk or ride along these trails, you will find a wide diversity of forest types and natural features typical of the mixed-wood forest across central Alberta. This variety of plant species in turn supplies habitat for a great diversity of birds and animals.

Trapper Lea's Cabin

Swan and Grizzly Bear Sculpture

the unique steel sculptures, weighing approximately 2,000 pounds, were constructed in 503 hours by Kevin Oracheski of Edmonton, Alberta. Nearly 20,000 pieces of steel make up this truly unique piece of art.

Goose Mountain Ecological Reserve

Most extensive vegetation type is coniferous forest, dominated by balsam/subalpine fir crosses, Engelmann/white spruce crosses & lodgepole pine; tall shrub communities of alder and willow occur on moist slopes.

the reason for this pocket of rare flora has to do with Swan Hills' elevation. Being the highest point in the province at 1,180 meters above sea level allows for the development of a sub-alpine ecosystem not found anywhere else on the prairies.

Public access to Goose Mountain Ecological Reserve is available via the Goose Mountain Fire Tower road from the Town of Swan Hills. This road can be extremely difficult to travel on, especially in wet weather. Use of motorized vehicles is not permitted.

Freeman River Bison Ranches

Contact: Klaus and Brita Kuelken or Peter and Doris Kuelken

Telephone: Klaus at 780-584-2407 or Peter at 780-584-2376

Website: Freeman River Bison Ranches
E-Mail: kkuelken@telusplanet.net

Location: 11 km northwest of Fort Assiniboine on Highway 33, only minutes from Freeman River RV Park.

Woodlands Bison Ranch

Contact: Ken or Gail Olson

Address: Box 200, Fort Assiniboine, Alberta, Canada, T0G 1A0
Telephone / Fax: (780) 584-2482

Website: Woodlands Bison Ranch
E-mail: kgolson@telusplanet.net

Location: 5 km east and 3 km north of Fort Assiniboine, only minutes from Freeman River RV Park.