Whitecourt

Whitecourt is a town of 10,200 people (2016) in Central Alberta.

Understand

History

The first Hudson's Bay Company trading post was established in 1897, and the first permanent resident settled in 1905. In 1910, with the expansion of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, immigrants were encouraged settle in the inhabited area between Edmonton and the Peace River Country. The name "Whitecourt" was chosen in 1910 by Walter White, the postmaster of the young community.

Geography

Whitecourt is located at the confluence of the McLeod and Athabasca Rivers and has three identifiable geographic components:

• Valley: includes the town centre, the Athabasca Flats residential area, sawmill, and pulp mill
• Hilltop: includes the Hilltop and Southlands Estates residential areas, the Hilltop industrial area, and a 2.5 km highway commercial strip along Highway 43
• West Whitecourt: between the McLeod and Athabasca Rivers, includes an industrial area and a 1.0 km highway commercial strip along Highway 43

Get in

By car

• Whitecourt is along Highway 43 (CANAMEX Corridor) and is the main route between Edmonton and Grande Prairie, the Alaska Highway (which travels to the Yukon and Alaska), as well as the Mackenzie Highway (with connects to the Northwest Territories).
• Highway 32 connects travels south to Highway 16 east of Edson and north to Swan Hills.

By plane

• 🌍 Whitecourt Airport (YZU  ^IATA) (Located 6 km southwest of Whitecourt on Hwy 32). Northern Air provides regular service to Calgary and Peace River.  

By bus

Red Arrow and Northern Express offer service to Edmonton and Grande Prairie.

Get around

See

• Forest Interpretive Centre & Visitor Centre, 3002 33 Street, ☎ [phone]. Exhibits explore and explains the role of the forest; also a meteorite display and outdoor heritage buildings. Amenities include: a Visitor Information Centre, public washrooms, free WiFi, meeting rooms, sani-dump station, outdoor picnic area, playground and walking trails. (updated Oct 2018)
• Industry Tours (through the Whitecourt and District Chamber of Commerce), [phone]. Get an insider's look into the operation of Millar Western Forest Products and Alberta Newsprint Company. (updated Oct 2018)

Nearby

• Fallen Four Memorial Park, 4602 Denny Hay Drive, Mayerthorpe (Approximately 45 km southeast of Whitecourt in Mayerthorpe), ☎ [phone]. The Mayerthorpe Fallen Four Memorial Park was created to commemorate the sacrifice of 4 RCMP Officers who died in the line of duty on March 3, 2005. (updated Oct 2018)
• Fort Assiniboine Museum, Hwy 661, Fort Assiniboine (Approximately 90 km northeast of Whitecourt in Fort Assiniboine), ☎ [phone]. Constructed in the classic Hudson’s Bay-style of a trading post and reflects the fur-trading times that helped to establish the area. (updated Oct 2018)

Do

• Snowmobiling, toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. With a large network of groomed trails and an annual snowfall of 174 centimetres, Whitecourt is known as the Snowmobile Capital of Alberta. (updated Oct 2018)
• Cross Country Skiing, toll-free: [phone]. Whitecourt has 4.5 km of groomed trails for classic and skate skiing located on the Whitecourt Golf & Country Club course. Carson Pegasus Provincial Park, located 10 km north on Hwy 32 north, is also a well known and used trail system. (updated Oct 2018)
• Hunting, toll-free: [phone]. Whitecourt and Woodlands County boasts a variety of big game trophy hunting for elk, moose, mule deer and whitetail deer. They also have excellent opportunities to hunt for bear, wolves, and cougars. There is also a variety of game bird species, including geese and ducks. (updated Oct 2018)
• 🌍 Eagle River Casino (8 km northwest of Whitecourt at the Hwy 43/32N jct.), ☎ [phone]. Located on the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, the Casino features 250 slot machines, 12 table games, 6 poker tables, and Timbers Bar & Grill. (updated Oct 2018)
• 🌍 Whitecourt River Slides (part of the Whitecourt Rotary Park) (Located at the north end of 51 Streetin downtown Whitecourt). Open during the summer months for family enjoyment. The water feature includes two man-made creeks with a series of pools and drops for tubing and play, with a shallow basin and beach at the end of the creeks. (updated Oct 2018)
• Whitecourt Golf & Country Club, 1 Flatts Rd, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Par-72, 18 hole layout with restaurant and lounge facilities. (updated Oct 2018)

Buy

• Downtown Whitecourt. Browse the specialty and boutique shops. A variety of shopping including gift shops, clothing stores, and craft stores; also home to larger retailers such as Wal-Mart, Home Hardware, and Canadian Tire. (updated Oct 2018)

Eat

Drink

Sleep

• Alaska Highway Motel, 3511 Caxton Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Canada's Best Value Inn, 3415 Caxton Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Cloud 9 Inn, 3359 Caxton Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Glenview Motel, 3547 Caxton Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Days Inn & Suites Whitecourt, 5406 Caxton Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Green Gables Inn, 3527 Caxton Street, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 4721 49 Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Imperial Suites, 3331 35 Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Kanata Inns, 3315 33 Street, toll-free: [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Lakeview Inn & Suites, 3325 Caxton Street. (updated Oct 2018)
• Microtel, 4915 49 Avenue, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Quality Inn, 5420 47 Avenue (Hwy 43 north between the Athabasca and Mcleod Rivers), ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• The Ritz Cafe & Motor Inn, [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Royal Oak Inn, 3305 Caxton Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Snuggle Inn, 5028 50 Avenue, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Super 8 Motel, 4121 Kepler Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Travelodge Conference Centre & Suites, 5003-50 Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Western Budget 1 & 2, 3504 Kepler Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)
• Western Budget 3, 3301 35 Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)

Connect

Go next

Go next

Routes through Whitecourt

Grande Prairie ← Valleyview ←

NW  SE

→ Merges with → Stony Plain → Edmonton