Rural Road Trip Feature Parish - St. Patrick's, Whitecourt

St. Patrick’s Anglican Church, located two hours northwest of Edmonton, serves the community of Whitecourt and the surrounding area. The parish of St. Patrick’s spends much time reaching out to those in need with loving service. You will find St. Patrick’s at 4003 - 52 Avenue. Stop by the church when you arrive in town and take a selfie in front of the church! While you are there take a walk around to the backyard and enjoy a prayerful walk through a recently installed labyrinth. The community of Whitecourt has many fun things to see and enjoy while visiting. Here are a few of the locals’ favourite places to spend time:

• Rotary Park: complete with a splash park, playground, off-leash dog park, stocked fishing pond and walking trails, you will also find a section of the park converted into a lazy river. Bring your swim gear and a tube and enjoy floating around the park!
• Boat Launch: located where the wild rapids of the Athabasca River and the calm still waters of the McLeod River meet you are sure to see rafters and kayaks enjoying the waters of these rivers. You will also find another park complete with picnic tables, shelters and fire pits. Pull out your picnic basket and enjoy a meal with your crew before heading out of town on one of many glorious hikes!
• Hard Luck Canyon is a site that you don’t want to miss. You’ll need to journey out of town to access it, but it’s worth it. Head out of town on Hwy 32 for about 20 minutes and follow the signs to the access point. Once there you’ll leave your vehicle behind and walk through the woodlands until you arrive at a long set of stairs that will take you to the base of the canyon where you can walk around and explore. Don’t forget to check out the waterfall while you’re down there! **Please Note: When visiting Whitecourt, please adhere to the guidelines mandated in Alberta. Stay 6ft apart. Wear a mask. Stay home if you are sick.