Forestry Trunk Road — Hwy 734 Wildhorse Creek to Beaverdam Flats (Alberta)

North of the Berland River country, Highway 734 threads through classic Alberta foothills — rolling spruce ridgelines, open willow flats thick with moose sign, and the kind of two-track side spurs that don’t show up on Google Maps. The Wildhorse Creek to Beaverdam Flats section specifically runs through active wildlife corridors where wolf, elk, and black bear crossings are a daily reality in shoulder seasons. The road surface alternates between solid packed gravel and clay-over-hardpan that turns glass-slick in rain — and it rains here, a lot. Side spurs to the river bottom involve short but steep descents and crossings that require a genuine read of water level before you commit.

Stock 4WD with high clearance handles this in dry conditions, but lockers and recovery gear are not optional for the wet season. This is a multi-day run if you’re exploring side spurs — fuel in Grande Cache before heading north, as there is nothing between settlements. No permits required on the Trunk Road itself. Alberta’s Switzer Provincial Park sits adjacent and adds a staging option. Cell service is nonexistent. Bring a sat communicator. This stretch of Trunk Road is the real deal — remote, unpolished, and honest about what it asks of you.