Northern Lights & oil Sands

Start by heading east through Lamont County, which is the Church Capital of Alberta. Travel from Edmonton, east along National Highway 16 (Yellowhead), though Elk Island National Park, the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, and on to Mundare, home of the Basilian FatherÕs Museum. Travel north on Highway 855 to Andrew, then east. Turn north at Highway 857, travel to Highway 28, turn east. Travel along Highway 28 to Highway 36, turn north, and travel to Lac La Biche. Travel west along Highway 55 to Highway 63. Turn north onto Highway 63. This will take you all the way to Fort McMurray, hub of the Athabasca Oil Sands. Spend an evening under the stars, watching the aurora borealis (northern lights), and during the day tour through the award-winning Oil Sands Discovery Centre, or tour the Syncrude or Suncor plant sites.

Travel back to Edmonton, south via Highway 63, then Highway 55 to Athabasca, once a vital link to the north. Provincial Highway 2 from Athabasca will bring you to St. Albert, where you can visit the Father Lacombe Chapel, before returning to Edmonton. Distances: Edmonton to Mundare 78 km (46 mi). Mundare to Lac La Biche 277 km (172 mi). Lac La Biche to Fort McMurray 291 km (181 mi). Fort McMurray to Athabasca 306 km (190 mi). Athabasca to St. Albert 146 km (91 mi).