Vacation rentals in Slave Lake

The Northern Alberta town of Slave Lake is located on the southeast corner of Lesser Slave Lake, the largest lake in the region that you can access by car. At the lake’s popular provincial park, you can spend an afternoon building sandcastles on white sand beaches, take in panoramic views from Marten Mountain Viewpoint, or explore the diverse ecosystem — which includes beach ridges, blowout dunes, and marshlands. The Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park has been designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, as it receives feathered visitors of many different species, including the protected tundra swans, which flock to the lake in great numbers every spring and fall. In town, you play a round of golf, sample a craft beer at the local taphouse, or grab a bite to eat after a long day lakeside.

Slave Lake is a popular destination in the summer when warm weather and plenty of sunshine make it possible to spend entire days outside. In June, the town kicks off summer solstice with the North Country Fair Festival. July is the warmest (and and rainiest) month of the year. This is also when the Astral Harvest Music Festival takes place at the local fairgrounds.

Autumn brings a frigid chill to the air, with temperatures dropping significantly before winter arrives. By the early winter months, snowfall begins, extending from October through April, and peaking in January. The most popular way to enjoy the snow-filled winters is by finding Slave Lake cabins for rent and going on outdoor ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing expeditions.

Winter gives way to spring between April and May, and while it’s still quite cold, the freezing temperatures begin to fade. The first event to mark the changing season is the annual Songbird Festival at the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory, which occurs in late May or early June.

Marten Mountain Viewpoint

This viewpoint, located in the Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park, towers 1,000 metres above sea level. Marten Mountain offers unobstructed panoramic views of Lesser Slave Lake, along with the sand dunes and treed hills that surround it. Closer to the top of the climb you’ll find meadows with wildflowers that bloom in the summer.

Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory

Also in Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park, this nonprofit bird research and conservation centre serves to protect a wide range of boreal forest-dwelling birds. The facility is open to the public and has special events throughout the year. The trails surrounding the centre show a diverse range of habitats, including old growth forest, wetlands, lakeshore, and woodland. Bring your binoculars and be on the lookout for the great grey owl and northern hawk owl.

Gilwood Golf Club and Country Club

Take in the beauty of Slave Lake from the greens of this 18-hole public golf course located in the Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park. Tee off surrounded by protected boreal forest and Lesser Lake. This target-style course is suited to all skill levels.