Fort Fork

Fort Fork, located near Grimshaw in Alberta’s Wildlands region, marks the original 1792 fur trade fort site and offers a powerful glimpse into early exploration history. Across the river from Mackenzie Cairn, a flag shows where the North West Company’s Fort Fork once stood before the river almost completely eroded the site. Sir Alexander Mackenzie wintered here in 1792, followed by David Thompson in 1802, making this a meaningful stop for visitors interested in the stories of early explorers. A cairn commemorating Fort Fork was erected on River Lot 19 in 1929 on land donated by Joseph Neff. Travellers can reflect on Mackenzie’s race along the Peace River to beat freeze-up and imagine the moment he noted the river had stopped, signalling the harsh northern winter that shaped his famed journey to the Pacific Ocean.