Hope to one day see the Northern Lights above Wild Rose Country? While it’s possible, you’ll have better luck taking a drive away from the hustle and bustle.  Luckily, Alberta has several Dark Sky Preserves where you can make a wish!

From meteor showers to supermoons, stargazers are in for a treat—as long as they know where to go.

Not sure where to look up?

Here are just a few of the most spectacular places to stargaze in Alberta:

Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve

A 300 sq km destination with plenty to see! With minimal light pollution, the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve is an “exquisite spot to view the wonders of the night sky.” Here, guests can bring some snacks, their friends, family, or special someone and count the stars, watch a meteor shower, or see the Aurora Borealis in all its colourful glory.

“Minimizing light pollution within the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve ensures the night sky is preserved for all Canadians to discover and enjoy,” says Parks Canada.

“Managing lighting practices also protects local wildlife that can be seriously affected by artificial lighting.”

Sounds magical!

Where: See directions here
Distance from Calgary: 330 km
Distance from Edmonton: 42 km

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

Feeling adventurous? In Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, guests are encouraged to explore over 50 kilometres of trails perfect for hiking and mountain biking and should bring their sense of wonder!

Located on either side of the Saskatchewan and Alberta border, Cypress is credited for being North America’s first fully recognized dark-sky preserve.

Thanks to its high elevation and lack of urban pollution, this is another incredible place to see the stars!

Where: See directions here
Distance from Calgary: 359 km
Distance from Edmonton: 590 km

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park

Day or night the Waterton International Dark Sky Park is a beautiful place to visit.

Located in Southern Alberta, this cross-border destination is the world’s first trans-boundary IDA International Dark Sky Park

Here, visitors can see the moon in great detail, The Northern Lights (if they’re lucky) and, The Milky Way, which, as explained by Parks Canada “stretches across the sky like a vast river of stars and can be easily seen with the naked eye.”

Where: See directions here
Distance from Calgary: 272 km
Distance from Edmonton: 563 km

Wood Buffalo Park

Bigger isn’t always better, but it’s definitely more impressive!

Located in Northern Alberta, Wood Buffalo National Park is the largest dark sky preserve in the world. Whether you love to hike, bike, bird watch, or camp, we’d definitely recommend staying past sundown to see the stars, the moon, and on special occasions, a dazzling display of green and purple ribbons.

Want to stay the night? This is certainly not a day trip!

Luckily, visitors can rent a Pine Lake Rental Cabin—the “perfect place in which to doze off after a night filled with magic.”

Where: See directions here
Distance from Calgary: 749 km
Distance from Edmonton: 443 km

Ready to hit the hills, valleys and mountains? Pack a snack and enjoy!

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Cassandra Stefanic

Regional Editor, Prairies –Cassandra is a Calgary-based journalist with a deep appreciation for music, film, food, travelling, and storytelling. When she’s not chasing a story, writing, or editing, you’ll likely find her in the mountains, binge-watching a new series, at a speakeasy, cooking, or getting lost in a Taylor Swift re-record.

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