Nordegg – an Alberta gem – the Casual Backpacker

a happy dog squints on a sunny rock beach at Abraham Lake, Alberta

Aug 5, 2025

Tall grasses in shades of pale yellow and indigo sway in a warm summer breeze at sunset in Nordegg, Alberta with a quiet mountain in the background — A solo summer’s evening walk in Nordegg, Alberta. I was drawn to the purple shade I found in the tall grass amidst the classic pale yellow. An indigo sky over a sleepy mountain made for the perfect backdrop.

An unexpected mountain town in Alberta

A Southern prairie girl myself, I had never been to Nordegg and quite honestly had never heard of the place. My partner has cousins all across the province and for their annual summer gathering they chose Nordegg. Without doing any research, we packed up our two dogs in the truck and headed North, stopping to pick up his sister along the way.

We embarked on a long, familiar prairie drive for five ir so hours and just before we reached our destination, we entered the mountains. I lived in Calgary for several years and I have been to Kananaskis and the Banff/Canmore area many, many times. This had a cool, more quaint feeling to it and had a particularly sleepy and welcoming vibe.

We arrived at our accommodations – a group of tiny homes with a shared yard for the dogs and a lovely fire pit. We were met with rain in July, supposed to have been Nordegg’s hottest month, but the cool, wet atmosphere had its own charm.

Our tiny home was lovely and gorgeous – we stayed in the Eagle home which was dog friendly and had a great atmosphere.

Beehive Bungalows

We spent the first night chatting and catching up around the fire, with hikes and walks planned for the next day with hopefully a little less rain.

a lone brown mushroom pokes through the forest floor with fully grown pine trees towering overhead — At Crescent Falls, not far from Nordegg, Alberta. This little guy caught my attention, nearly camouflaged by the moss and pine needles

Crescent Falls

We drove to Crescent Falls in anticipation of a hike to the waterfall but were met with some trail closures. Walking the road down to the falls was a little less exciting, but the walk back up the steep hill was enough to get our sweat on. A refreshing light rain met us at the waterfall.

The falls were gorgeous, with views from the top as well as a staircase with several flights down to the base of the first section of the falls. I stayed back with one of the pups who was too nervous to walk down the stairs, which were backless and made of textured metal. The brave dog joined the family for the descent and got some lovely views and a nice climb back to the top.

a brown mix-breed dog looks up to her family at the side of a waterfall that she was too scared to view from below — My dog, Pinecone was too afraid to take the stairs to the base of the falls. We opted to wander until the family joined us at the top

Crescent Falls pours over the edge of a rock canyon, with a forest of pine trees in the background — Pinecone and I enjoyed a view of the top of the waterfall, where the river begins to flow over the edge at the first of two sections of the falls. Let’s just say we did not get the money shot.

We walked around the day use area at Crescent Falls, which was lush and lovely and had a little creek that connected with the river. Our next stop on the drive back to Nordegg was Abraham Lake.

Abraham Lake

The things you don’t know until you get out and see them for yourself! Abraham Lake is a massive, stunning lake in Northern Alberta that I had absolutely no idea existed. I was so shocked to see how expansive and gorgeous it was.

Our dogs ran down the rock beach to get to the water, which admittedly was a little rough on this gloomy afternoon. Mountain views in the background, the sun peaking through dark storm clouds overhead. We were almost too warm when the sun beat down on us and so frigid when it tucked away in the clouds.

We stayed here for quite some time, marvelling at the view and taking in what would wind up being the only sunshine we got that weekend. The waves lapping up onto the shoreline, the moody horizon – these are the peaceful moments I live for.

Miner’s Cafe and the Beehive Artisan’s Market

Starving from our morning adventure we all made our way to Miner’s Cafe, which I had heard was a must. I ordered a warm bowl of soup and had to try their famous pie, which I did not regret! This place is popular – there was a line-up to the front door when we got there – but it moved quickly and it was worth the wait.

Miners Cafe

Afterward I wandered over to the Beehive Artisan’s Market where I took my time looking at the sweet little gifts and handmade goods. I love a good maker’s market and this one did not disappoint! They had a great selection of outdoor themed books as well.

Beehive Artisans Market

Miner's Cafe in Nordegg, Alberta with its patio illuminated on a summer evening — Miner’s Cafe after hours – they had a sweet little patio so perfectly illuminated as I went past on my evening stroll.

A weekend to remember

We spent the rest of our time going on little walks, appreciating the views with our pups, and taking the time to connect with the family. We had so much fun chatting and talking about relatives since passed, and those who were still around and crazy as ever. I am relatively new to this bunch and I had such a good time learning about everyone’s quirks and old stories.

We made so many memories on this weekend trip – well worth the 11 hours of driving (If you’re a prairie girl like me, you know these long boring stretches of highway aren’t part of the adventure). I can’t wait to get back to Nordegg one day, hopefully on a sunny, warm summer weekend so we can see what else this quaint little town has to offer!

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