Drive the circle tour from High Level
Visit an authentic northern trading post
Circle tour
Located halfway between Edmonton and Yellowknife, High Level is a place where visitors have plenty of time for exploring with the extended daylight hours during the summer. Although High Level was only settled in 1947, there are many historic sites to visit in the area as well as unlimited opportunities for enjoying the outdoors.
“We always talk about the circle tour when making suggestions to visitors,” said Darlene Anderson of the Mackenzie Crossroads Museum and Visitor Centre.
The first stop on the circle tour is Fort Vermillion, a quaint hamlet on the banks of the Peace River and only a 45-minute drive. One of the first settlements in Alberta, it was originally a trading post. The Heritage Centre at La Crete is the next stop before continuing on to the La Crete Ferry at Thompkins Landing and returning to High Level for the evening.
The RV can be used for this one-day trip, or leave it behind in the campground and use your tow vehicle for an even more enjoyable tour. Take the time to have lunch along the way and enjoy the wide open spaces.
“Of interest to visitors is the great outdoors,” said Anderson. “The large empty spaces are fantastic and many people from the cities aren’t used to having the space here or having the benefit of the solitude of the outdoors.”
She also said that during the summer months there might be two hours of darkness each night, sometimes making it difficult to sleep, and that most local people have blackout curtains. However, there are more hours in the day to do things so there are definitely benefits.
Hutch Lake
Although the campground at Hutch Lake, 35 kilometres from High Level, is rustic, it’s an ideal place to spend the day boating, fishing, swimming, playing horseshoes or having an exhilarating game of beach volleyball. Enjoying the crackling of a campfire is the just the thing to end the day, especially if there are wieners and hotdog buns for everyone to devour.
A golf course the whole family can enjoy
Golfing is always an option and most kids are eager to learn. Play 18 holes at the Fox Haven Golf and Country Club three kilometres north of town for a challenge for both the beginner and the experienced golfer. With a driving range, restaurant and a full service campground, Fox Haven is a destination the whole family will enjoy. Don’t forget the extended daylight hours make it possible to tee off at 5:00 a.m. or even 9:00 p.m.
Visit an authentic northern trading post
At the Mackenzie Crossroads Museum, the primary exhibit is set up as a northern trading post. This is a replica of a store from the late 1800s where customers could purchase supplies similar to the collection of 16,000 food and medicine containers on display. The kids will enjoy dressing up in period clothing, having their pictures taken and even learning how to use a rotary telephone—something they have probably never seen.
