Fort McMurray

Fort McMurray sits at the meeting point of Athabasca and Clearwater rivers, surrounded by dense forests and substantial oil sand deposits.

The Hudson's Bay Company established the settlement in 1870 as a fur trading post, naming it after William McMurray, their factor at the time.

The settlement maintains strong connections to indigenous Cree traditions, who first discovered the practical applications of local oil sands for waterproofing canoes.

The Fort McMurray International Airport connects the region to major Canadian cities, while Highway 63 provides direct access to Edmonton, 435 kilometers southwest.

The Birchwood Trail system extends through 135 kilometers of wilderness, offering year-round recreational activities within the municipal boundaries.

Location: Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

Inception: 1870

Elevation above the sea: 260 m

Website: http://www.rmwb.ca/

Shares border with: Wood Buffalo National Park

Website: http://rmwb.ca

GPS coordinates: 56.72639,-111.38028

Latest update: May 30, 2025 08:20