Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park, just outside of the town of Lac La Biche in Alberta, is one of our favourite provincial parks to visit. The park comprises eight islands, with the largest, called ‘Big Island’, being home to the campground, facilities, developed trails, and beaches. You can drive to the Big Island via a 2.5 km causeway.
The island is nearly surrounded by sandy beaches, features multiple trails weaving through a 300-year-old forest in the centre, and a large campground with private sites, all within walking distance to a sandy beach and a playground.
We visit Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park every summer, and have explored most of the Big Island many times. Here is our guide to the park, and how you can plan a memorable, adventurous and relaxing retreat to this Lac La Biche gem.
Indigenous People of Lac La Biche.
Lac La Biche County is situated at the crossroads of three treaty territories, including Treaty 6, Treaty 8 and Treaty 10. In fact, the south shore of Lac La Biche is in Treaty 6, and the north shore is in Treaty 8. It is also situated on the lands of District 19 of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. The area continues to be home to Indigenous people, and we recognize their vital contributions of culture, history and perspectives—past, present and future.
Neighbours to the park, you’ll find three First Nations communities: Beaver Lake Cree Nation, Heart Lake First Nation and Whitefish Lake First Nation. There are also two Métis settlements: Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement and Kikino Métis Settlement. These communities have produced numerous Indigenous-led businesses, including tourism ventures that offer visitors rich cultural and educational experiences. You can easily include these experiences in your trip to the region.
Find Indigenous experiences in Lac La Biche.
Camping in Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park
Camping
The campground at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park offers six smaller loops near the south shore of the Big Island. Each loop has pit toilets, potable water and garbage facilities. They are all connected to trails that lead down to a trail parallel to the shore and to the beaches. In my opinion, it is the best car camping in Lac La Biche.
At the entrance of the campground, you’ll find the camp registration office that has a small store and an ice cream shop. They also sell ice and firewood by the tote. In that building, there are modern washrooms with flush toilets, hot showers and laundry facilities. There is also a fish cleaning station across the road from the campground office and washroom building.
The campground provides access to Camper’s Beach, a beach that is mainly used by those staying in the campground. This helps reduce the crowds, as most day visitors use the beaches near the day-use area. At Camper’s Beach, you’ll find pit toilets, a playground, and potable water. There is also an accessible path to the beach and a life jacket loaning station.
Tipi Comfort Camping
Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park offers a unique comfort camping experience in tipis! Each tipi is equipped with four single raised platform beds that can be rearranged and access to a private bathroom with running water. You’ll also have access to a full-service, enclosed cook-house, barbecue and outdoor fire pit.
What to bring:
- Food and drinks
- Bedding (pillows, sleeping bags, sheets, comforters, etc.)
- Towels and toiletries
- Lawn chairs or camping chairs
- Clothing, footwear, bug spray and sunscreen
- Flashlight
You can also rent original Hudson Bay bedding instead of bringing your own. Be sure to reserve your bedding when you make a reservation.
Connect with the Lac La Biche Canadian Native Friendship Centre to discover the Indigenous cultural experiences and programs available at the park during your visit. Call 780-623-3249.
Cabin Comfort Camping (Summer and Winter)
Sir Winston Churchill Park also offers cozy cabins for comfort camping, year-round. The cabins are fully furnished (bedding not included), and include beds (combinations of queens, doubles and bunks). They also have a living room, kitchen and some of the cabins have washrooms and showers. The ones that don’t have easy access to a shared shower and bathroom facility at the Cabin Registration Building. There are two pet-friendly cabins available.
Like tipi comfort camping, you’ll have to bring your own food, water, bedding, and other supplies.
There are also RV sites located near some of the cabins for extra guests for an additional fee. You can bring a 30- to 50-foot water hose and an extension cord to hook up to an RV. RV sites are only available in the summer.
Things to do during your visit to Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park
Beaches and swimming
Lac La Biche is a large lake with clear water and beautiful, naturally sandy beaches. There are three public beaches in the park to enjoy.
Day Use Beach: This long stretch of beach on the east side of the park offers a playground, picnic shelters, pit toilets, a life jacket loaner station and plenty of space to have fun in the sun! The day-use beach is a great place to go if the wind is blowing in from the west, as it will be sheltered and calm here.
Boardwalk Beach: Though less accessible, this beach is definitely a favourite of ours. It’s on the northeast shore of the Big Island and accessible via a trail from the parking lot to the beach. It is a wilder beach and less visited, so a great place to enjoy some peace and quiet on a summer’s day. There are no services at the beach, but there are pit toilets and garbage cans at the parking lot.
Camper’s Beach: As mentioned, Camper’s Beach is located near the campground on the southwest corner of the park. It has a playground, pit toilets, a life jacket loaner station, a sandy beach and an accessible path to the water.
Note: Like most lakes in Alberta, Lac La Biche can get blue-green algae blooms. Though rare, you shouldn’t swim or wade in an active bloom. Thankfully, if there is algae at one beach, it’s likely not at another!
Hiking and biking
There are several trails throughout Sir Windston Churchill Provincial Park, and you can explore the entire island on foot! While the trails were built for hiking, bikes are permitted. Essentially, some trails circumnavigate the island, while others cut through it. This park is home to an old-growth forest, and many trails offer sweeping views of the lake, making exploring these trails a must. Here are a few to check out:
Long Point Trail. 2.5 km: Probably the most popular trail in the park, the Long Point Trail winds through mixed forest towards the westernmost tip of the island. The trail offers several viewpoints and wide open views of the lake from a high vantage point.
Boardwalk Trail, 1.4 km: The boardwalk trail goes through the part of the park that was never touched by wildfires, allowing hikers to take in the vibrant 300-year-old forest. It follows a boardwalk for some of the way, as it meanders through swampy grasslands.
Old Growth Alley. 6 km: Hike the perimeter of the island on the Old Growth Alley Trail! It will give you the best of the best in the park, including shoreline and forest views. It connects to Long Point and Boardwalk Trails, the Pelican Islands Viewing Platform and all three public beaches.
Bear Safety: Lac La Biche is in bear country. Stay safe by hiking in groups, making noise and keeping small children close. Always keep a clean campsite; don’t leave food unattended, and dispose of garbage and recycling in the designated facilities.
Paddling and boating
Kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddleboarding
Paddling is one of our favourite things to do at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park. You can launch at the main boat launch, Camper’s Beach or the Day-Use Beach. The good thing about the park being an island is that if it’s windy on one side, you’ll find calm waters on the other!
Our favourite route is paddling around the entire Big Island. You can launch your canoe or kayak from the campground and circumnavigate the entire island. When we do it, we’ll stop at all the beaches for picnics and swims, making a whole day of it. To get through the causeway, paddle two-thirds of the way down it, and you’ll find a bridge that offers passage through. In high-water years, we were able to paddle through to complete the circuit. In other years, a short (but mucky) portage was necessary.
Paddle Rentals: During the summer, kayak, canoe, and stand-up paddleboard rentals are available at the campground store and office. All rentals come with safety equipment.
Boating and fishing
There is a public boat launch located midway down the causeway where you can launch your motorboat. People use their boats for skiing, tubing, wakeboarding and fishing.
Walleye and Northern Pike are the two fish species anglers are after. You can catch large, healthy pike and walleye in the summer and via ice fishing in the winter. Be sure to carry a valid Alberta fishing license and know the seasonal fishing regulations for Lac La Biche.
Birdwatching
There are a lot of birds in this park! It provides a healthy habitat for over 230 bird species. You might find Blackburnians, warblers, crossbills, thrusts, sparrows and birds of prey like bald eagles, osprey, and several owl species.
The park also offers opportunities to see waterfowl and gulls, as several colonies are located on the other islands within the park. The Pelican Islands, which are two small, barren islands just off the north shore of the Big Island, are usually crowded with massive white pelicans. There’s a viewing platform with binoculars just off Boardwalk Beach. You can also paddle up to Pelican Islands, but be warned, they are very stinky!
Winter activities in Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park
Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park has a lot to offer in the winter season. The park is open year-round and offers overnight stays in the cabins. You can also come for a day trip and enjoy numerous outdoor activities in the snow.
Winter Hiking and Snowshoeing: The trails in Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park are ideal for winter hiking and snowshoeing. You can also snowshoe along the beaches and on the vast expanse of the frozen lake. You can rent snowshoes from the Bold Centre multiplex in Lac La Biche.
Cross-country Skiing: About 6 km of trails are groomed and maintained for cross-country skiing. Ski rentals are available from the Lac La Biche Ski Club in town.
Ice Fishing: Lac La Biche is open for ice fishing, and you can catch walleye and northern pike. Be sure to check recent fishing regulations and carry your Alberta fishing license. Alberta Parks doesn’t monitor ice conditions, so please ensure it is thick enough before stepping on the ice.
Comfort Camping Cabins: 10 of the comfort camping cabins remain open through the winter. They offer a cozy retreat and a good home base for these winter activities and adventures.
Getting there
Sir Winston Churchill Park is located just 5 km east of the community of Lac La Biche on Highway 881, and north on Provincial Park Road.
From Edmonton: Take Highway 15 out of town and follow it northeast. You’ll turn right on Highway 37, turning right again to get on Highway 825 north. Follow that until you reach Highway 28 and turn west. You can head north on Highway 36, which leads directly into Lac La Biche. Then follow the signs for Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park.
