Dawson Creek: Trails, Recreation and History

Dawson Creek offers a variety of ways to enjoy a well-rounded stay: trails and outdoor recreation sit alongside art, railway history and seasonal presentations. These experiences are tied to specific locations; one historic site is in the wider region. You can plan your days around whether you want to be active outdoors, visit exhibitions or explore history at several sites.

Trails and outdoor activity

Dawson Creek has more than 4.5 kilometres of trails. The Dawson Trail runs through the community and is part of the Trans Canada Trail. For planning purposes, these are two different points of reference: the trails in Dawson Creek overall and the Dawson Trail, with its connection to the Trans Canada Trail. This lets you distinguish the local trail network from the named trail without attributing the entire trail length to the Dawson Trail.

The Dawson Creek Disc Golf Course is located in Barbaree Park. Its scenic, beginner-friendly course has 18 holes and runs alongside the creek. With its defined number of holes, disc golf is a structured outdoor activity; the location by the creek gives the course its own character.

Other recreational options have different formats and their own locations: the pump track in Rotary Recreation Park is at 1949 Alaska Avenue. In Kin Park, the Outdoor Fitness Park has 16 user-friendly stations for working out outdoors. Together with the disc golf course, these offer a range of different activities—from the course and pump track to workouts at the stations.

Art and railway history

The Dawson Creek Art Gallery is housed in a converted grain silo. This brings the gallery visit and the distinctive building together in one place. The gallery often offers family-friendly exhibitions and activities; for families looking to include art in their travel plans, it is one possible cultural stop.

At the Northern Alberta Railway (NAR) Station Museum, visitors can board historic railway cars and explore exhibits about pioneer life. A visit combines exhibitions with the opportunity to step inside the historic cars—two different ways to experience this museum.

From May to September, Dawson Creek’s tourism team offers caravan presentations about the history of the Alaska Highway. If these presentations are important to your trip, plan your visit during this period and check the specific dates in advance. The Kenn Borek Aquatic Centre in Dawson Creek adds a 25-metre swimming pool to the range of options; its length is a specific point of reference for anyone looking to include swimming in their plans.

A look beyond the community

In the wider region, Walter Wright Pioneer Village is a historic site exploring the history of early pioneers in the Dawson Creek area through the construction period of the Alaska Highway. This adds a regional perspective to the history of the community. When looking for a vacation rental in Dawson Creek, you can take this distinction into account as you plan: should the focus be on attractions within the community, or would you also like to include the history of the wider area?

Explore more destinations

Explore more destinations: Fort St. John, Taylor, Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, Pouce Coupe, Hudson Hope.

Back to the main travel overview: Peace River.