Northern Explorers Magazine shares stories, tips and practical guides for active travellers and outdoor adventurers of all ages and abilities. Our team consists of adventurers, active travellers and local explorers with a knack for writing and sharing experiences. If you want to explore Canada, start planning your adventure here.
Waterton Lakes National Park is one of Alberta’s five national parks, located in the southwest corner of the province. It offers pristine lakes, sweeping mountain vistas, waterfalls, hiking trails, campgrounds, the famous Red Rock Canyon, the historic Prince of Wales Hotel, and the quaint Waterton Village. The park’s land area is relatively small compared to...
The Piney Point Trail is in Beauvais Lake Provincial Park, southwest of Pincher Creek, Alberta. Beauvais Lake Provincial Park is accessible year-round and offers outdoor activities in the winter and shoulder seasons. View from the Piney Point Trail, Beauvais Provincial Park The Piney Point Lookout hike travels through the forest and traverses pretty little meadows as...
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail traverses the forests and beaches of Vancouver Island’s southwestern coast. Its trail takes you through massive cedar groves, across rocky coastal areas, sandy beaches, and (almost inevitably) through sucking mud. Over three to five epic days, you’ll experience the rugged beauty of Vancouver Island. With two forest sites and four...
Chester Lake: A go-to snowshoe (or hike) in Kananaskis Country, Alberta The Chester Lake Trail in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park stands out as a go-to hike in Kananaskis, especially in the winter. The trail gives the best samplings of scenery in the Canadian Rockies, including Christmas card spruce and pine trees, snow-covered meadows and a beautiful frozen lake with...
In the heart of the East Kootenay’s, Cranbrook, BC, makes a great home base for outdoor winter activities. The winters are mild here, and the town is accessible by a small international airport and has a range of accommodation options suitable for every budget. It’s also located on the Powder Highway, known for heavy snowfalls, alpine snow sports and winter...
Every fall, an influx of polar bears come to the area near Churchill, Manitoba, to wait for the sea ice to form on Hudson’s Bay. Polar bears are known as the “Lords of the Arctic,” a regal description of these mighty creatures that roam this remote area of Canada. Though Churchill isn’t quite in the Arctic geographically, its popularity...
Looking for an affordable, fun, and accessible cold-weather activity to stave off the winter blues? Try snowshoeing! Unlike cross-country skiing and snowboarding, which require expensive gear just to get started (not to mention the cost of a ski hill pass!), you can use most of your cold-weather hiking gear for snowshoeing. You’ll need a pair of snowshoes...
Edmonton, Alberta, is known for its cold winters, but that doesn’t deter locals from celebrating and making the most of the chilly season. This northern city embraces winter, and there are plenty of things to experience and do in the snow, including skiing in Edmonton. The North Saskatchewan River valley is the largest urban parkland in North America and home to four...
The Cave and Basin National Historic Site should be on your list of places to visit at Banff National Park. It offers natural wonder, history, and Indigenous significance and is vital to Canada’s national park history. This site was the first ever federally protected reserve in Canada and the birthplace of the country’s national park system. Plus, admission to the...
Pukaskwa National Park is located on the northeast shore of Lake Superior in northern Ontario. This smaller national park is packed with backcountry adventures, family-friendly hikes, breathtakingly beautiful beaches, rugged and wild shorelines and the legendary history and culture of the Anishinaabe people. Pukaskwa National Park is in the Robinson-Superior Treaty...