WESTLOCK, AB Natural wonder Find winter fun on cool trails by TANYA LAING MOORE
Located 85 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, Westlock is a small town with a large appreciation for snowmobiling adventure. Home of the Pembina Drift Busters snowmobile club, the community is the 2007 host of the Alberta Snowmobile Association’s annual jamboree.
Westlock offers sledders panoramic scenery and over 150 kilometres of groomed trails from which to enjoy it. Primarily agricultural, the area surrounding Westlock provides riders with opportunities for ditchbanging, open-throttle charges across vast fields, and slower treks through wooded trails.
While there are several scenic trails from which to choose, sledders have the chance to enjoy some of the natural splendour surrounding Westlock along the West Loop, which winds past the Black Bear Grazing Provincial Reserve. The topography of this region features mid-boreal mixed forest with rolling hills and some steep inclines. Wildlife is plentiful on the trail, and snowmobilers will enjoy the opportunity to observe elk and deer in the bush. There is a picnic area along the trail and a warm-up cabin near the staging area.
