Family Campout – Meeting Creek, Alberta, Canada

Every year we try and meet up with family for an August long weekend camp out. We are pretty much guaranteed a terrific time, lots of chatting and laughing, lots of food, and an occasionally rainstorm. This year did not disappoint.  The camp out was held on a ball field in Meeting Creek, smack dab in the middle of the beautiful Alberta prairies.

Campground: Meeting Creek Ball Field
Location:  Meeting Creek, Alberta
Site: NA
Cost: $10 ($CAD)
Services:  dry camping
Comments: A nice, quiet, beautiful location for a group get together. Well, it was quiet until everyone arrived! The grounds were nicely mowed and the mosquitoes held themselves back a bit to ensure we enjoyed ourselves.

Our site by the grain elevators

Our site by the grain elevators

Our site by the grain elevators

Early morning coffee before the crowd arrives

Our early morning view before the crowds arrive

Out site as seen from the south over the field of wildflowers

There was a nice turn out over a 5 day period with people coming and going. Some of us choose to stay the entire time to ensure we didn’t miss anyone. Families took turns every morning preparing breakfast for everyone and there was a big, way too big if that is possible, potluck on Saturday night. We did not get the “Snowbirds” to entertain us this year as someone must have forgotten to call and reserve them (wink, wink,….). Instead we settled for local entertainment.

And, of course, there was the annual rainstorm which happened right in the middle of the Saturday night potluck. It was short and sweet and gave people ample opportunity to wash dishes in the rain whereby saving on their fresh water tanks (those clever relatives).  The storm was soon over and the sun popped out against the black sky just in time for sunset and a campfire. A great time.

A view of the camping area from the ball field

Man’s Night Out – except for the photographer. When the singing got to be loud I headed for bed.

Rigs are arriving

A meeting of minds

The grain elevator after the storm

The sun breaks out after the storm but the sky remains black.

The sun breaks out after the storm but the sky remains black.

The ball field is right in town next to the grain elevators and the old train station which is available to tour.

The grain elevator at sunset

The tracks and the train depot

The train depot at sunset

The grain elevator at sunset

The tracks at sunset

The surrounding area has some peaceful gravel roads for walking or biking, a lovely nature trail, a creek, a few hay fields, sheep, horses, hawks, and herons. A great place to relax with the family for a few days.

Entertaining the local cattle

Hay bales in the area

Riding bikes around town

Nature park in town

Flock of sheep

The crick – Meeting Creek

The surrounding countryside

The local cattle with canola fields in the background

Alberta Canola Fields

The hawk which fly over us many times each day

Horses in the area

Nature Park in town

Typical Alberta prairie scene

And before we knew it it was over. We stayed alone the last night with a special gift from our brother-in-law, a pile of wood for our last campfire. THANKS! And as the campfire burned we got not only one rainbow across the sky but a double rainbow. A perfect ending to a perfect trip.

All by ourselves

Rainbow

Our last campfire

What was a bustling community a few hours prior, this area has now become a ghost town. The Party’s Over!