Fort Chipewyan
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Fort Chipewyan is a hamlet on the western shores of Lake Athabasca 250 km north of Fort McMurray, Alberta. It had a population of 852 in 2016.Understand
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Get in
By plane
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phone: +1 780-791-2182address: Fort McMurrayFour flights daily from Fort McMurray.
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phone: +1 867 872-2216address: Fort SmithThree flights weekly from Fort Smith (NWT), three flights weekly from Edmonton via Fort McMurray.
By car
Travel overland to Fort Chipewyan is only possibly via seasonal ice roads which cross a pair of frozen rivers in winter. A Fort Chipewyan Winter Road hotline at +1-866-743-6111 provides road information.There is one fuel station between Fort McMurray and Fort Chipewyan (a Petro-Canada in Fort McKay's industrial park) and virtually no services.
When crossing ice bridges (river crossings), go the speed limit! If you go too fast, you may create an underwater wave which can travel ahead of you and break the ice once it reaches the other shore.
By boat
It is possible to reach Fort Chipewyan from Fort McKay in summer by boating the Athabasca River; the Slave River leads from Fort Chipewyan to Wood Buffalo National Park and Fort Smith, NWT.Get around
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Fox Taxi
phone: +1 780-697-2352address: 105 Lepine Av -
Sun Taxi
phone: +1 587-601-0496address: 140 MacKenzie King Rd -
Tuccaros Taxi Service
phone: +1 780-697-3400address: 112 Adam St
See
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Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum
phone: +1 780-697-3844address: 109 Mackenzie AveA replica of the Hudson's Bay Store created by the Fort Chipewyan Historical Society to commemorate the post's 1988 bicentennial. -
phone: +1 780-743-7437Small ecological reserve established on Lake Athabasca to protect a major breeding colony of Caspian terns, a "vulnerable species".
Old Fort PointThe site of the first Fort Chipewyan established in 1788 by Roderick Mackenzie, southeast of Fort Chipewyan. It is designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Historic places in the community include the site of the third Fort Chipewyan established in 1803, the Anglican Church built in 1880 and Day School built in 1874, and the Roman Catholic Mission Church built in 1909.
Do
- Visit Wood Buffalo National Park, the largest national park of Canada, which is about the size of Denmark. It is home to the world's largest herd of free roaming wood bison, estimated at more than 5,000. It is one of two known nesting sites of whooping cranes. Access to the park from fort Chp is via the winter road, or by motorboat or canoe in summer.
Events
Fort Chipewyan Winter CarnivalLate February; jigging, trap-setting, snowmobile racing, and moose calling.
Buy
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phone: +1 780-697-3687Come and marvel at the prices in this grocery store $10 for four tomatoes, seedless grapes for $13 -- and see why high food prices are an issue in northern communities.
Eat
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phone: +1 780-697-0233address: 108 Flett St
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Miss Mah's
address: 164-188 MacKenzie Ave
Drink
Athabasca Cafe & Dining LoungePub & bar.
Sleep
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phone: +1 780-697-3010address: 116 Wylie Ave
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Johnny Michaels B & B
phone: +1 780-697-3947address: 210 Evans Cres -
Wah Pun Bed & Breakfast
phone: +1 780-697-3030 -
Willie’s B&B
phone: +1 780-215-4369address: 118 McDonald St -
Dene/Cree Hotel
phone: +1 780-697-6000
Go next
- Wood Buffalo National Park is at the northern edge of Alberta; access is from Fort Chip or from Fort Smith (NWT).