David Thompson Country

Alberta Parks

Road Trips

Scenic Highway 11 follows the fur trading trails of David Thompson, the fearless explorer who mapped Canada from the Great Lakes to the Pacific. As you travel east from Rocky Mountain House, fields and plains meet foothills and forests threaded with rivers and jewelled with lakes. Further west, majestic mountains rise up from untouched wilderness areas along the province’s deepest and bluest manmade lake.

Spanning all the way to the Jasper-Banff highway, more than 20 provincial parks and recreation areas offer an incredible variety of outdoor adventures. Stop for a picnic at a spectacular viewpoint. Spend a day at the beach, or riding your bike down a forested trail. Or plan to stay awhile - camping, hiking, paddling, fishing, birdwatching or gazing at the stars and soaking up nature’s beauty.

Plan Your David Thompson Country Trip

There’s camping for every taste in David Thompson Country - whether you bring your RV or sleep under the stars. Camp near the playground at Crimson Lake Provincial Park or ride mountain bike trails right from your campsite at Fish Lake Provincial Recreation Area. Reserve a group camping area for a family reunion or company party in one of seven David Thompson Country parks offering group camping. Or camp with your horses at Crescent Falls.


Must Sees

Parks

Explore and Discover

Take a day or a week to discover this glorious and still relatively unexplored part of the province. And don’t forget your camera!

Bike, hike, ski or saddle up to ride hundreds of kilometres of exhilarating trails. Take in a nature talk at Crimson Lake Provincial Park. Try some fishing or birdwatching for family fun. Or hunt for outdoor treasure at one of the geocaches in the area.

Soak up some fur trading history at Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site, explore Alberta’s coal mining heritage at Nordegg or grab your paddle and retrace David Thompson’s journey along the North Saskatchewan River. You can camp at a provincial campground each night along the way.

For more information on travel in the area, check Travel Alberta.

Activities

Do you love roughing it in the backcountry? Or is armchair fishing more your style? There’s an outdoor adventure for everyone in David Thompson Country! Drive, bike, paddle or hike your way through this glorious landscape. Or take the kids to the beach at Crimson Lake Provincial Park.

Updated: Feb 22, 2024