Location: About three hours northwest of Edmonton between Hwy 43 and 33, from southeast of Swan Hills to northwest of High Prairie; includes the west half of Lesser Slave Lake. County Population: 5900, including three large Métis settlements; Town of High Prairie: 2600. Visitor Information: Tourist booths in center of High Prairie and Swan Hills; Website: www.mdbiglakes.ca
Big Lakes County encompasses thrree million breathtaking acres offering excellent wildlife and bird viewing and all manner of recreational opportunities, including great year round fishing for northern pike and perch in its large, warm lakes. Visitors can take easy advantage of all the amenities: a variety of restaurants, a large range of accommodations and full service campsites.
Tour the museums in High Prairie, Grouard and Kinuso or take in rodeos, powwows, fairs, festivals and fishing tournaments, like the Golden Walleye Classic held each August on Lesser Slave Lake. Hilliard’s Bay Provincial Park on Lesser Slave, Alberta’s largest road-accessible lake, offers boat launch, sandy beaches and walking trails. Winagami Lake Provincial Park has wildlife viewing platforms, boat access, trails and camping facilities. Snipe and Utikuma Lakes are also very popular recreations spots.
