Mayerthorpe is a small town of 1,300 people (2016) in North Central Alberta.
Understand
Mayerthorpe is approximately 120 km (75 minutes) northwest of Edmonton along Highway 43. It is served by three major highways and is a good pit stop for travellers heading to the Alaska Highway.
History
Mayerthorpe was incorporated as a village in 1927.
On March 3, 2005, four officers serving with the Mayerthorpe and Whitecourt detachments of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were killed in the Mayerthorpe tragedy.
On July 29, 2008, the Mayerthorpe Arena was destroyed by a fire. In 2011, after three years of planning and fundraising, the new arena, now called the Mayerthorpe Exhibition Centre, was opened.
In 2016, a string of suspicious fires in the area resulted in the destruction of a CN Railway trestle bridge. The bridge was rebuilt shortly thereafter, in about 20 days.
Get in
Mayerthorpe is located at the intersection of Highway 43 and Highway 22 (Cowboy Trail). Highway 18, which passes just north of town, connects Mayerthorpe to Barrhead and Westlock and the "trail's end" of Cowboy Trail.
By bus
Get around
Being a small town, you can either drive or walk.
See
- Fallen Four Memorial Park, 4602 Denny Hay Drive, +1 780-786-4990. The Mayerthorpe Fallen Four Memorial Park was created to commemorate the sacrifice of four local RCMP Officers who died in the line of duty on March 3, 2005. 2020-05-19
- Rochfort Bridge Pioneer Museum, Rochfort Bridge (8 km SE of Mayerthorpe on Hwy 43), +1 780-785-2816. Located on the Rochfort Bridge Trading Post grounds. Wander through the original 1959-built museum, pioneer log cabin, original schoolhouse and blacksmith workshop 2020-05-19
- Rochfort Trestle Bridge, Rochford Bridge (9 km SE of Mayerthorpe on Hwy 43). One of North America’s longest wooden train trestles at long and tall, it crosses over the Paddle River valley and Highway 43. 2020-05-19
Do
- Hog Wild Specialties, +1 780-786-4627, deb.hagman@gmail.com. Produces wild boar; hunting packages available. 2020-05-19
- Mayerthorpe Golf & Country Club, Hwy 22 (1 km south of the intersection of Hwys 22 & 43), 53.935637°, -115.141444°, +1 780-786-4737. Well-maintained, 9-hole, grass greens course. With a licensed dining lounge, driving range, power carts and club rentals. Campground nearby. 2020-05-19
Buy
Mayerthorpe has a grocery store and a few small shops along 50 Street.
- Rochfort Bridge Trading Post & Restaurant, Rochfort Bridge, 53.910949°, -115.041052°, +1 780-785-3467, info@rochfortbridgetradingpost.com. Unique gift shop and restaurant, with a primitive country-style decor, is an eye-catching attraction in the small community of Rochfort Bridge. Offering a wide array of giftware, from Rocky Mountain Soaps to Western trinkets, this shop is a must stop for unique souvenirs. 2020-05-19
Eat
Drink
Mayerthorpe also has a couple of liquor stores.
Sleep
Additional accommodations are 25 minutes away in Whitecourt.
Connect
Cope
Go next