Location: On Mackenzie Highway #35, just north of the town of Peace River, 250 km northeast of Grande Prairie, 600 km northwest of Edmonton. Population: 3556; town of Manning: 1164. Visitor Information: Manning Tourism Information Centre:
300 Main Street (Hwy 35)
Manning, AB T0H 1M0; Phone: (780) 836-2334
Situated in the center of the Mighty Peace Country, the County of Northern Lights is home to dense boreal forest, majestic rivers, abundant wildlife and secluded lakes. Four season leisure pursuits include golfing, hiking, camping, wildlife watching, fishing, water recreation, hunting, skiing at Manning Ski Hill and snowmobiling in the County’s vast recreation areas. Local museums and annual events celebrate the aboriginal and pioneer heritage of the area.
The town of Manning offers several accommodation options and full-service camping facilities. Manning hosts the
Battle River Fair and Rodeo the third weekend in July and the Battle River Pioneer Museum Pancake Breakfast and Antique Tractor Parade in August. The Hamlet of Deadwood hosts Deadwood Daze in mid-June.
Now a thriving farming community, Keg River is the original site of the Slavey and Cree Indian summer villages where the Hudson Bay Company began to work the area in the late 1800s, and is so named for the kegs of brew found in the nearby river. Located nine miles further north, the Metis settlement of Paddle Prairie takes its name from the paddles and canoes left behind when the Slavey and Beaver People moved north during an extended dry period.
Situated between Manning and Keg River, Twin Lakes Provincial Recreation Area and Notikewin Provincial Park offer scenic, private camping sites and top notch hiking trails in an area frequented by moose, wolf, bear, deer, fox and an estimated 200 species of birds. Twin Lakes is well stocked with rainbow trout, with an ice fishing derby near the end of March. Camping is also available at the Provincial Recreation Areas of Leddy, Figure Eight and Sulphur Lakes.
In partnership with other regional municipalities, the County of Northern Lights hosts the exciting annual “Paddle the Peace” event in August. Visit facebook.com/paddlethepeace for more information.
