Categories: Travel

You can explore sand dunes and ride one of Alberta’s last cable ferries in this town

Photo Via LightField Studios/Shutterstock

There’s a little corner of Alberta where you can ride through sand dunes and cross the Athabasca River on a ferry. Located about an hour northwest of Edmonton, Barrhead is a town surrounded by lakes, forests, and trails, with plenty of things to see and do both in town and throughout the surrounding areas.

Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Barrhead.

What to expect in Barrhead

What is the history behind Barrhead?

According to Better in Barrhead, the town’s history dates back to the early 1900s, when settlers began moving into the area and establishing farms. The town was named after Barrhead, Scotland, after early settler James McGuire suggested the name.

Barrhead later grew with the arrival of the railway in 1927, which helped establish the community as an important centre for the surrounding agricultural region.

What are the Vega Sand Hills?

One of the most unexpected things to find around Barrhead is a landscape covered in rolling sand dunes. The dunes were left over from the last Ice Age, when meltwater carried huge amounts of sand into the area and deposited it in ancient glacial lakes. Once the lakes drained, strong winds picked up the exposed sand and shaped it into the dunes you can still see today.

The Vega Sand Hills are a designated natural area, and the nearby Holmes Crossing Sandhills are protected as an Ecological Reserve.

What can I do at the Sand Hills?

According to Better in Barrhead, the Vega Sand Hills have various trails branching off from the main corridor, with opportunities to explore the area on horseback, by ATV, or on foot.

What else can I do in Barrhead?

The sand dunes aren’t the only reason to make the trip to Barrhead. There are a handful of outdoor activities and local attractions worth adding to your itinerary, especially if you have a full day or weekend to explore.

Thunder Lake Provincial Park
- If you want to spend some time by the water, Thunder Lake Provincial Park is about 21 kilometres west of Barrhead, and is home to a sandy beach, a boat launch, and trails where you can walk or bike around the area. You can also go boating, fishing or spend the night at the campground, which has more than 125 powered and unserviced sites.
  - Where: Directions to Thunder Lake Provincial Park
Klondyke Ferry
- Take a short ride across the Athabasca River on the Klondyke Ferry, one of only seven remaining ferries in Alberta. The cable-operated ferry carries vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians across the river and connects the area near Vega with the Fort Assiniboine Sandhills.
  - Where: Directions to the Klondyke Ferry
Barry’s Ultra Motorsport Park
- If the Vega Sand Hills have you wanting even more off-road adventure, BUMP is another great spot to check out. The motorsport park has several styles of motocross tracks along with more than 40 kilometres of single-track trails through the County of Barrhead.
- Where: Directions to Barry’s Ultra Motorsport Park

Where is Barrhead?

Barrhead is located in north-central Alberta, along the Paddle River. The town sits at the junction of Highway 18 and Highway 33, also known as the Grizzly Trail, putting it within easy reach of several communities in the Edmonton area.

According to Better in Barrhead, the town is about an hour from Edmonton, with Westlock roughly 25 minutes away, and about 35 minutes away from Spruce Grove. If you’re coming from Calgary, the drive is approximately 3.5 hours.