This Map Shows You The Best Places To View The Northern Lights In Canada
Nature's light show.
The Northern Lights are one of the world's most fascinating natural phenomena. Canada's northerly position is ideal for getting as close to the action as possible, with the light show being visible across the entire country on some occasions.
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Stargazing enthusiasts will appreciate this handy interactive map by Canadian Geographic that charts the best places to catch the Northern Lights during the solar maximum. Below is a list of all the places they've featured:
British Columbia
Muncho Lake Provincial Park
- Located along the Alaska Highway crossing into northern BC
- Lights reflect off of Muncho Lake at the Northern Rockies Lodge
Dawson Creek
- Located far from the city, enroute to the Alaska Highway, away from the cloudy weather on the coast
- Perfect for spending a night under the Northern Lights
Alberta
Fort McMurray
- Located on the 56th parallel, which is under the aurora zone
- Several light tourist operators available
Athabasca
- Home to 18 stations in North America dedicated to studying the Northern Lights
- The countryside offers the clearest skies for viewing
Edmonton
- Despite being an urban centre, the Northern Lights sometimes make an appearance above the city's skyscrapers
- The night sky must be clear for the Northern Lights to be visible
Saskatchewan
Air Ronge
- The Paws and Paddles Wilderness Tours company offers dogsledding tours for the Northern Lights
- The northeastern town of Melfort has also been dubbed "The City of the Northern Lights"
Manitoba
Churchill
- A town that sits under the auroral zone and witnesses more than 300 nights of the Northern Lights each year
Ontario
Lake Superior
- The northern shore of Lake Superior (in the town of Silver Islet) has dark skies that provide a perfect backdrop for Northern Lights viewing
Manitoulin Island
- The Northern Lights reflect off of the water of Lake Huron
Torrance Barrens
- A designated dark sky preserve with night skies devoid of pollution and full of geomagnetic forces
Moose Factory
- The Cree Village Ecolodge sits on Moose River and receives beautiful displays of the Northern Lights at night time
Quebec
Kuujjuaq
- Located in the northern region of Quebec which sits under the auroral oval
- Several cozy villages area available for Northern Lights viewing
@canuckingaroundNova Scotia
Tobeatic
- A wilderness reserve in the southeast that doesn't receive intense displays of the Northern Lights but still catches glimpses of it due to its characteristically dark skies
Prince Edward Island
PEI National Park
- Experiences strong geomagnetic pollution on some nights that is visible due to low pollution in the skies
Newfoundland and Labrador
Battle Harbour
- A natural historic site open from June to September that lacks light pollution and offers clear views of the Northern Lights
Happy Valley-Goose Bay
- Located on the Trans-Labrador Highway
- The main hill at the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club is a popular spot for Northern Lights viewing
Yukon
Whitehorse
- Though most of the territory receives decent displays of the Northern Lights, Whitehorse contains most of the viewing tourism companies, such as the Northern Lights Space & Science Centre
Northwest Territories
Yellowknife
- Located directly beneath the aurora oval and provides unobstructed views of the Northern Lights
- Check out Aurora Village, a resort dedicated to Northern Lights recreation
Nunavut
Iqaluit
- Sits slightly north of the auroral zone and has little sky pollution to damper the view of the Northern Lights.