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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Tofield
Go for half a day as a stop on Highway 14 between Edmonton and Wainwright: birding at Beaverhill Lake, a meal, then move on. Skip as a base.
Tofield is a town of about 2,000 people 68 km east of Edmonton at the junction of Highway 14, 834 and 626, with no bus or train and no scheduled flights. Its pull is Beaverhill Lake birding and a cheap, quiet prairie stop; most travellers see it in a few hours on the way to Elk Island or Wainwright.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- May–Sep (birding peaks May–Jun and Sep)
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (lows near −17 °C (1 °F), icy roads)Dec–Feb (lows near 1 °F (−17 °C), icy roads)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$90–140 excl. bed · Mid C$150–230 excl. bed · High C$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Health Link Alberta (24 h nurse line) 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and a bakery item | C$4–8 |
| Diner breakfast | C$12–20 |
| Chinese or pizza main | C$15–25 |
| Draught beer at the Tofield Hotel bar | C$7–9 |
| Fuel, per litre | C$1.40–1.70 |
| Motel room, one night | C$95–180 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YEG · Edmonton International
- About 1 h 15 min by car via Highway 14 and Anthony Henday; no bus link to Tofield.
Typical fares
- Fuel Edmonton → Tofield → Edmonton
- about C$25
- Elk Island day pass
- about C$11 per vehicle
- Motel room, one night
- C$95–180
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. There is no bus or train from Edmonton or anywhere else, and Tofield Airport has no scheduled flights. The town itself is walkable in 15–20 minutes; Highway 14 is a two-lane road with passing lanes and fast trucks.
See and do
Known for
- Beaverhill Lake birding
- Prairie town stop on Highway 14
- Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village nearby
- Railway history
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Elk Island National Park | Drive Highway 14 west, then Highway 16; about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village | Drive Highway 16 east of Elk Island | About 1 h |
| Vegreville | Drive Highway 14 east, about 45 min | About 45 min |
| Wainwright | Drive Highway 14 east, about 1 h 30 min | About 1 h 30 min |
| Vermilion | Drive Highway 14 east then Highway 41 south | About 1 h 45 min |
Sleep
- Town centre (50 St / 52 Ave)
- Tofield Hotel and Beaverhill Motel; walkable to cafés and the IGA.
- Beaver County, west of town
- Footloose Caboose Lodge, about 19 km (12 mi) out on Highway 14 and 833; open May–October.Footloose Caboose Lodge, about 12 mi (19 km) out on Highway 14 and 833; open May–October.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you— |
| Where is the highway? | Where is the highway?— |
| Is it far? | Is it far?— |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card?— |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- No public transport in or out: without a car you are stuck.
- Winter driving: black ice, drifting snow and moose or deer on Highway 14 at dawn and dusk.
- Cell coverage is patchy on the back roads around Beaverhill Lake.
- Beaverhill Lake water levels vary; some years the shore is mudflats, not water. Check locally.
Tofield is a quiet prairie town and violent crime is rare. The real risks are winter driving on Highway 14, wildlife on the road at dawn and dusk, and long gaps between services.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tofield yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Beaverhill Lake birding
- Prairie town stop on Highway 14
- Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village nearby
- Railway history
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Town of Tofield: www.tofieldalberta.ca
- Travel Alberta: www.travelalberta.com
- Parks Canada — Elk Island National Park: parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/elkisland
- Wikivoyage: Tofield, revision 5240702 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5240702
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tofield
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulates in Tofield; the US consulate-general and most others are in Edmonton or Calgary. Check the address before you go.
English is the working language; a few Cree place names survive locally (Maskawan, Amisk, Ketchamoot).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tofield). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.