EdsonandAreaVisitorGuideand17 2016 | Page 6

DISCOVER EDSON & AREA Edson is a thriving community in the heart of Yellowhead County that has much to offer residents and visitors alike. The landscape consists of primarily boreal forest with sand hills and muskeg (low-lying bog). Wildlife native to the area include bear, moose, deer, wolf, fox, rabbit and a wide variety of avian and aquatic life. Located almost exactly between the world-class destinations of Jasper National Park and the City of Edmonton, Edson is a natural, and welcome, stopping point for travellers and a retail destination for many surrounding communities. Twinned Highway 16 (the Yellowhead Highway) runs through Edson and Yellowhead County from east to west. The highest point on the Yellowhead — Obed — is between Edson and Hinton and has an elevation of 1 163.9 m (3 818.88 ft). The Town of Edson (population 8 646) is located in the McLeod River Valley, immediately east of the Canadian Rockies foothills at an elevation of 925m (3035ft) — near the center of Yellowhead County (population 10 469). 4 www.gallowaystationmuseum.com The historic Coal Branch can be reached from Edson via Highway 47 to the south. Highway 32 connects Edson and Whitecourt to the north. O: EDSON kTm 8 Hinton 8 rt 105 km u o c White 62 km Jasper 1 n 202 km Edmonto 3 km ache 23 C Grande km 2 8 3 ie Prair Grande m 2k Banff 45 495 km Calgary km urray 632 M c Fort M l High Leve urray Fort McM 63 High Prairie Grande Prairie Slave Lake 43 33 a Athabasc 40 Grande Cache rt Whitecou 40 Hinton Jasper Cadomin 43 n Edmonto 16 16 EDSON 2 22 93 63 11 ise Lake Lou Banff 20 Red Deer Calgary 1 Brooks 1 2 e Lethbridg 5 3 Medicine Hat Photo by A.J. Simmons www.ajsimmonsphoto.com