Grimshaw

Grimshaw a town of about 2,700 people (2016) in the Peace River Country region of Alberta, best known for being mile zero of the Mackenzie Highway.

Understand

The confluence of the Smoky and Peace rivers in the Peace River Wildland Provincial Park

Grimshaw developed as a community centre for a rich mixed farming district. Its economy has transformed to become a distribution centre for northern Alberta.

By virtue of being the original starting point of Highway 35, which leads to the Northwest Territories, Grimshaw is called Mile Zero of the Mackenzie Highway.

History

The name of the town was derived from Dr. M.E. Grimshaw, a pioneer doctor from Kingston, Ontario who settled in Peace River (then known as Peace River Crossing) in 1914. He practised in the area for many years and served in the local government at the county and the village levels until he retired from politics as the mayor of Peace River in 1922.

Get in

By car

Grimshaw is 511 km (318 mi) northwest of Edmonton, 172 km (107 mi) northeast of Grande Prairie, and 26 km (16 mi) west of Peace River, along Highway 2. It is about five hours drive northwest of Edmonton and two hours northeast of Grande Prairie. Highway 35 (part of the Mackenzie Highway) comes in from Northwest Territories, terminating 5 km north of Grimshaw, where Highway 35 meets Highway 2. Highway 2 connects the end of Highway 35 to Grimshaw and that 5 km section is also part of the MacKenzie Highway.

Grimshaw can be accessed via Highway 2 from Edmonton, or by travelling Highway 43 to Valleyview and then Highway 49 – the latter is a faster and shorter route.

By plane

• 1 Peace River Regional Airport (YPE ^IATA) (15 km (9 mi) east of Grimshaw on Hwy 2). Regular scheduled air service and charter service provided by Northern Air provides direct passenger flights from Edmonton International Airport, Peace River and Calgary International Airport. (updated Apr 2018)

By bus

• Northern Express bus service from Grande Prairie and High Level is suspended as of Jan 2021.

Get around

Grimshaw has no public transit system.

See

• 1 Historic Mile 0 Mackenzie Park (Tom Baldwin Memorial Arboretum), 5020 55 Avenue (corner of Hwy 2 & Hwy 2A in Grimshaw). Mile Zero monument of the Mackenzie Hwy; features a small park and visitor information centre. (updated Oct 2018)
• Lac Cardinal Regional Performing Arts Society, 5007 47 Avenue. Perform at the Elks Hall, productions for adults and for children. (updated Apr 2018)
• 2 Lac Cardinal Pioneer Village Museum (in the Lac Cardinal Recreation Area, access from either Hwy 2 or Hwy 685), ☏ +1 780-332-2030. Late May-early Sep: Th-M 11AM-5PM. This museum represents life in the 1920s and 1940s. Buildings include four furnished houses, bakery, municipal office, church, community hall, school, blacksmith, general store, fire hall, carpenter shop and a library. A replica train station serves as the office and gift shop. The museum’s farm site includes a barn, farm equipment display and road building equipment. By donation. (updated Apr 2018)

Do

• 1 Lac Cardinal Recreation Area (9 km west of Grimshaw; accessed from either Hwy 2 or Hwy 685.). Along the eastern shore of Lac Cardinal with fire pits, playground area, camp kitchen, outhouses, and campground. (updated Oct 2018)
• Mighty Peace Golf Club, 833056 Range Rd 231 (2 km south of Hwy 2 between Grimshaw and Peace River.), ☏ +1 780-332-4653. (updated Oct 2018)
• 2 Peace River Wilderness Park (6 km east of Grimshaw along Hwy 2A and Rge Rd 233). Day-use area with picnic tables, fire pits, outhouses (wheelchair accessible) and several man-made ponds stocked with rainbow trout and grayling (no swimming or boats). (updated Oct 2018)
• 3 Peace River Wildland Provincial Park, ☏ +1 780-624-6468. Peace River Wildland Park protects forest and grassland habitats around the confluence of the Peace and Smoky rivers. Road access is limited although the Peace River Wildland Provincial Park features a number of trails for hiking, off-highway vehicle riding and snowmobiling. There are also viewing points around in the park. Random backcountry camping is permitted; however there are no developed camping facilities in the park. (updated Oct 2018)
• 4 Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park (10 km northwest of Grimshaw), ☏ +1 780-624-6125. Located on the shores of Lac Cardinal, this park protects diverse forest habitats and offers excellent recreation and wildlife viewing. Water-based activities include swimming, boating, water-skiing, sailing and windsurfing. (updated Oct 2018)
• Multi-use trail system. There is an extensive multi-use trail system for pedestrians and bicycles throughout the town including the dykes within the river valley that form part of the northern leg of the Trans Canada Trail. The trail runs from Calgary and heads north through Edmonton to the Peace River area through Grouard. Between Grimshaw and the Town of Peace River is the 29-km-long Friendship Trail. (updated Apr 2018)

Eat

• A&W, 4521 51 Street, ☏ +1 780-332-1870. Su 7AM-10PM, M-Sa 6AM-10PM. Fast food, burgers. (updated Oct 2018)
• KFC, 5003 51 Street, ☏ +1 780-332-1300. Su noon-10PM; M-Sa 11AM-10PM. Fast food, chicken. (updated Oct 2018)
• Norm’s Pizzazz, 5715 51 Street, ☏ +1 780-332-1121. Pizza, comfort food, breakfast & brunch. (updated Oct 2018)
• RJ’S Diner & Pizzeria, 5302 51 Street, ☏ +1 780-332-1577. (updated Oct 2018)

Sleep

Hotels & motels

• Mile Zero Motor Inn, 5904 51 Street, ☏ +1 780-332-4606. (updated Oct 2018)
• Pomeroy Inn & Suites, 4311 51 Street, ☏ +1 780-332-2000, toll-free: +1-888-432-1411, fax: +1 780-332-2001, gm@pomeroygrimshaw.com. (updated Oct 2018)

Camping

• 1 Lac Cardinal Recreation Area (9 km west of Grimshaw; accessed from either Hwy 2 or Hwy 685.). 16 camping sites (no reservations taken) $10. (updated Oct 2018)
• 2 Queen Elizabeth Campground (Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park) (10 km northwest of Grimshaw), ☏ +1 780-624-6125. 56 campsites, 42 with power, tucked into the forest along the lake shore. A group campsite can be booked for large gatherings. Equipped with fire pits, picnic tables, potable water and washrooms. (updated Oct 2018)

Lodging

• Peace Valley Guest Ranch, Grimshaw, Alberta, ☏ +1 780-332-7444, +1 780-617-4270. Check-out: 11AM. Working cattle ranch in valley on the Peace River, cabins with bedding and towels provided. Main cabin dining room serves T-bone steak with all the trimmings. Coffee, snacks, fresh cinnamon buns. Hot biscuits and cocoa around the camp fire at sunset, pancakes and sausages at breakfast. River cruises on a jet boat, equestrian trail rides. 

Go next

Routes through Grimshaw

Grande Prairie ← Fairview ←	W  E	→ Peace River → Edmonton
Yellowknife ← High Level ←	N  S	→ END