Explore Alberta’s Heartland & Lakeside Beauty

Circle Tour: Nisku to Slave Lake – Heartland Towns & Lakeside Beauty

This circle tour takes you from Nisku, just outside Edmonton, to the shores of Slave Lake — one of Alberta’s largest and most beautiful lakes. Along the way, you’ll pass through prairie towns, farming heartlands, and communities rich in culture and history. It’s a route that blends small-town charm with lakeside adventure, making it ideal for road trippers, families, and weekend explorers.

🌊 Lakeside Adventure at Slave Lake

Your northern anchor point, Slave Lake, is a hub for water recreation and outdoor adventure. Spend time at Devonshire Beach, hike through Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park, or stop at the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation to learn about the region’s incredible wildlife.

In nearby Smith, the Athabasca River meets the Lesser Slave River — a picturesque spot with deep historical roots as a fur trade and transportation hub.

🪶 History & Cultural Heritage

This loop takes you past communities shaped by agriculture, Indigenous heritage, and Alberta’s growth. Towns like Athabasca and Fort Saskatchewan connect you to river trade history and early settlement stories.

Stop in Legal to admire its collection of French murals, or explore Morinville and Bon Accord, towns with strong cultural pride and vibrant community events.

🏘️ Small Town Life & Roadside Charm

From Westlock’s Pioneer Museum to Barrhead’s blue-collar grit, this drive offers endless photo-worthy main streets and prairie vistas. Don’t miss:

• Egremont’s heritage sites

• Colinton’s historic touches

• Namao’s community roots

Along the way, towns like Jarvie, Busby, and Pibroch offer friendly cafés, quiet roadside stops, and reminders of Alberta’s rural heartbeat.

🚗 Hidden Stops Worth the Turnoff

• Onoway: A gateway town with access to lakes and backroads.

• Riviere Qui Barre: A quiet hamlet with a photogenic church and surrounding farmland.

• Carvel Corner & Dapp Corner: Classic prairie crossroads where the past still lingers.

📸 Pro Tip

Plan to arrive in Slave Lake by late afternoon — sunsets over Devonshire Beach are some of the best in northern Alberta, especially in summer.

Maps: NW R1 & NW R2

Towns: Nisku, Slave Lake, Smith, Barrhead, Westlock, Devon, Onoway, Riviere Qui Barre, Jarvie, Dapp Corner, Pibroch, Busby, Carvel Corner, Alcomdale, Beaumont, Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Morinville, Legal, Bon Accord, Egremont, Namao, Clyde, Colinton, Perryvale, Rochester, Thorhild, Athabasca, Redwater, Gibbons