Awesome Rides for Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs)

Explore the Lakeland

Any time is a great time for off highway riding in Alberta, but fall is particularly beautiful once boreal leaves take a rest and float landward by the millions, colouring the landscape with bright yellows and oranges. Three great options to gather the group are featured here for you to plan your next off highway adventure. Off highway vehicles (OHVs) include all terrain vehicles (ATVs), four wheelers, three wheelers, dirt bikes, trail bikes and snowmobiles. Ensure you have proper vehicle registration, insurance, lights and an adequate muffler before heading out. 

While Iron Horse Trail, Elinor Lake and Lakeland Provincial Park and Recreation Area are highlighted here, additional resources are listed near the end of this article. 

Iron Horse Trail

Alberta’s Iron Horse Trail is a well known 300 kilometre multi use trail that takes riders through diverse landscapes including parkland, boreal forest, wetlands and agricultural land. Besides landscapes, you’ll see trestle bridges, historical buildings and a few big things, such as the world’s largest perogy sculpture in Glendon, St. Paul’s UFO landing pad and Smoky Lake’s giant pumpkins. Restaurants are near by for pitstops for everything from perogies, pizza and doughnuts. 

The well signed IHT runs east along the historic railway bed from Waskatenau to Abilene. From Abilene, it branches northeast to the Cold Lake terminus and southeast to the Heinsburg terminus. 

There are at least 15 staging areas including many small ATV friendly campgrounds and communities for stays and supplies. Scroll down to the map on Travel Lakeland’s Iron Horse Trail information to find out what each community offers. Not only are the communities friendly, but in the summer especially, festivals and events fill the calendar making it easy for ATVers to plan a ride around an event in Alberta’s Lakeland that’s accessible from the trail. 

Consider these: 

1. Smoky Lake Stampede 

2. Smoky Lake Pumpkin Fair & Weigh Off 

3. Fort George Buckingham House near Elk Point 

4. St. Paul LRA Finals Rodeo  

5. Cold Lake’s Extreme Mudfest  

6. Haying in the ‘30s 

Cold Lake is the northern stop on the IHT, which is also a geocaching trail. The IHT, shared in summer with cyclists and horseback riders, is an easy trail, perfect for families and groomed for winter riding. In summer, you’ll see more people walking near highlights along the trail, such as the trestle near Cold Lake and Bonnyville. For more trails in and around Cold Lake, including some with a medium to high possibility of getting stuck, visit the ATV Trails Guide Alberta site. 

St. Paul’s staging area, on the southeast arm of the trail, with its RV park and campground, has been called the “best in the Lakeland.” Groups can set up from there to take the scenic stretch of valleys, ravines from St. Paul through Elk Point to Lindbergh and Heinsburg. Take time to check out the UFO Landing Pad and some excellent eateries in St. Paul. 

In Elk Point, stop in at Magic Pizza or take buns to go from the Golden Loaf Bakery. 

For more information, check out Iron Horse Trail on the Travel Lakeland website or on Facebook. 

Other areas to ride:

1. Alberta Off-Highway Vehicle Association has info about where to ride, maps, closures and stewardship. 

2. Redwater Provincial Recreation Area 

3. North of Bruderheim Provincial Recreation Area  

4. Cold Lake has 4 Wing/Cold Lake City Trails and beyond