5 Reasons You Need to Visit the Iron Horse Trail in 2018

The Iron Horse Trail is an epic trail spanning almost 300 kilometres. It runs through northern Alberta and is actually a piece of the much larger Trans Canada Trail.

You may wonder what’s so great about a simple trail and why you should visit it. A visit to this trail is far more than just a trek through the woods. Here are 5 reasons to add the Iron Horse Trail to your bucket list.

The Iron Horse Trail is a Great Challenge

We mentioned that the trail is 300 kilometres long, right? For the die-hard outdoorsy, athletic types this poses an exciting challenge.

Imagine biking or cross-country skiing the full 300 kilometres! That’s a pretty epic challenge with some awesome bragging rights attached.

You Can Learn About its History

The Iron Horse Trail started out as a railroad line. As such, it connects various interesting small towns across northeastern Alberta.

All along the way, there are historical attractions that you can stop and check out. Local community members maintain these points of interest as a source of local pride.

You Can Spot Awesome Wildlife

As you can imagine, there is a lot of wildlife to see. Travelling along the trail gives you a chance to safely get into more wilderness areas.

Lucky trail users will get to see deer and even majestic moose. Of course, birds abound so avid birdwatchers will have found their paradise.

Don’t forget to bring along a good camera. Nature and landscape photographers will have no shortage of epic subjects to photograph.

You Can Visit All Year Round

You’re not limited to a certain time of year. Of course, some seasons are more conducive to certain activities. But you can visit the trail itself and do something all year round.

Summer activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, and ATV riding. You can even take a historic trip in a covered wagon!

Communities along the trail hold lots of events throughout the year that you can take part in. One of the most well-known is the Iron Horse Ultra 100 Marathon. Whether you want to join or cheer on the participants, it’s a fun time.

In the spring there is usually a lot of mud from melting snow. Make sure you don’t go too early if you’re planning to bike. Parts of the trail may be firm but many areas will be difficult to manoeuvre. This will both slow you down and tire you out faster.

Also, keep in mind that you are kind of in the middle of nowhere for much of the trail. If you plan to go biking, be sure to bring a basic repair kit.

Lots of folks also enjoy the trail during the winter. It is perfect for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

The Land of Big

This part of Alberta has been nicknamed the Land of Big. It won’t take long for you to figure out why. You’ll see everything from giant pumpkins to mammoth mushrooms!

Go Check It Out!

There’s so much to explore! Check out our resource page to start planning your trip today!