Getting here

It may surprise you how easy it is to get to Athabasca Country.By Car- Connecting highways are #2, #55 and #813. From Edmonton, the Town of Athabasca is just 90 minutes North on Highway 2. From Fort McMurray, highway #63 will take you through the eastern part of the region.

By Bus- Greyhound Canada makes scheduled stops in Athabasca, Atmore, Rochester, Grassland, Wandering River and Boyle.

By Plane- The Athabasca Airport (CYWM) is a registered Aerodrome located approximately 1.5 km east of Athabasca on Hwy 55, and approximately 1.5 km north on Range Road 221. Muskeg Creek Taxi is available (24 hrs): 780-675-9171. Magic Wand Taxi is available Mon to Sat 7am to 9pm and Sun 7am to 6pm: 780-675-0302. Any questions or concerns regarding the Athabasca Airport please contact: Paul Bell, Manager of Facilities, Parks and Recreation, Athabasca County by phone at 780-675-2273, or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Weather and climate
Take a Sunlight Vacation in Athabasca Country. Located at 54o 49' North and 113o 31' West, Athabasca Country is bathed in beautiful warm light, well past 10 p.m. on most summer nights.
While the winter months bring temperatures that dip low enough to create opportunities for wonderful winter activities, summer in Athabasca Country is nothing short of comfortable. The average temperature in July is 16°C, and even those occasional days of 34oC are followed by evenings that are breezy and cooler.
At 533 meters (1, 749 feet) above sea level, Athabasca Country enjoys an average annual 382 mms of rain and 122 cms of snow.
Daylight hours range from 17hours and 23 minutes of sunlight on June 21 to 7 hours and 18 minutes of sunlight on December 21. Check out daily sunlight hours.

People
An increasing number of people are discovering the magic of living in Athabasca Country. As of the 2006 Census, 10,321 people live within Athabasca Country's 6,126 km2. Of those, 2,734 (2008 census) live inside 17 km2 of the Town of Athabasca.

Industry
The economy of Athabasca Country is diverse. Major employers include a university, a pulp mill, a sawmill, and oil and gas exploration companies. Traditionally, farming has, and continues to play, an important role in the community and the economy, producing wheat and grain, dairy, beef, poultry, and hogs, as well as other specialty items like honey, buffalo, wild rice, alpacas and other specialty fibers.

History -
In a time not so long ago, Athabasca was the world's most extreme adventure destination. Elements of the rough and tumble history of this area includes some of Western Canada's most colourful characters; dramatic stories of adventure and survival, triumph and sometimes heart-wrenching failure; and miles of incredible scenery.

Go where they have gone. Walk the paths they walked. Learn more about their incredible stories and the incredible places where it all happened. Click here to go to our heritage page which tells you more about our history and related attractions.

City Distance to Athabasca (km)