Elk Island Retreat

If your looking for a great staycation or even from out of town, this is a fantastic little spot!
We randomly decided to stay on a whim to just get out of the house for a night and have a fire and we stumbled upon gold.
We stayed in the frog cabin and it was delightful! It was clean and cozy and atmosphere was superb. There's outhouses located everywhere so nothings a far walk. They have trails through the woods to explore and everything.
The service is fantastic, they're great people and just a completely awesome family business.
10/10 will stay again and may make it a yearly get away nice and close to home.

Definitely a local family owned gem!

Clean and cozy accommodations!

We stayed 2 night in Dark sky - was magical.comfy beds - nespresso coffee for the morning was a huge plus! Such a treat being close to the city but feels like you are escaping to a woody wonderland - walked the trail too was so peaceful! Stars at night were also unreal, caught some northern lights at our dome while having a fire. The staff were so helpful and friendly with directions to nearby national park and special request for an anniversary suprise ** Arranged to have a bits and bites charcuterie board upon arrival was amazing! A delight for the eyes and stomach!

Had the ignissimo experience for dinner on our second night and was INSANE highly reccomend! Treat yourself you will not regret it!

Had a wonderful stay with myself and my partner at the Dark Sky Geodesic Dome. We had purchased firewood for the stay and it was waiting for us right at the dome!

The property is beautiful and the dome is in a very private area. There are trails on the property to go for a morning stroll.

Having the BBQ right on site made it quick and easy to prepare dinner and enjoy it by the fire.

The gas fireplace kept us nice and warm and provided a nice warm light to the dome at night. The bed was very comfortable and the blankets provided were very warm.

Enjoyed having the Nespresso machine in the morning for my morning coffee.

The front desk was exceptionally friendly and guided us in our adventure to Elk Island National park, overall it was a wonderful stay and we’ll be back again soon!

We have had the pleasure to experience so many incredible things at Elk Island Retreat. Truly this review is long overdue. We have now stayed in their Geodomes, Yurt, Woods Cabin, and both Patty's Porch and Frog Hair Lodge. Their attention to detail is like no other campground, and you can truly see the heart of this family operation in their warmth and generosity. We were even lucky enough to see the Northern Lights from their property on a few occasions during our stays! We also have partaken in their Bits & Bites Charcuterie Board several times, we just can't get over them! As well as their Luxury Picnic, and Ignissimo: A Forest Feast and even had a massage in our unit! Everything has been next level.it doesn't even feel like you are in Canada! Our close friends even got married in their newly launched wedding space.and can we just say it is what Forest & Boho Wedding dreams are made of! This Retreat is truly something you must experience.especially with it only being 35mins from the heart of Edmonton.

The wilderness here is incredible! So many different types of birds and squirels to look at when you step outside. They have a small walking trail that has handmade wooden benches which is beautiful touch to so many of the handmade yurts and cabins on the land. The accomidations are incredible. Frog hair lodge has these painted footprints of different animals which is so cute! HIghly recommend their charcutire boards! Luxuriously made and edible flowers and herbs really open you up to trying new things. Will be coming back here again next year!

Elk island retreat was amazing for our wedding day. They made our day magical. The location and scenery and geodesic domes are unreal. Cannot recommend them enough for everything. Would give more than 5 stars if I could

We stayed in the Eagle's nest dome and it was awesome. You can tell that here has been alot of love put into that place and very well thought out. Super cozy stay and a great atmosphere while staying in the dome. Washroom at the dome if not very close, showers and laundry if you need it. We will be back!

Great quick glamping getaway out of the city. Loved waking up in nature and birdwatching while having coffee.

Folks were accommodating to us with our pups. Mosquitoes were abundant. RV Spaces are very nice. Super close to Elk Island Natl Park. A must see park. We stayed two nights.

Me and my family rented a Yurt for the weekend. The yurt was very clean and well looked after and beautiful. The outdoor cook area was fantastic as well it had a bbq and a counter for meal prep and a wash basin and picnic table. I loved looking at the stars at night through the sky light in the yurt. And the walking trails were nice and well maintained. The amenities on sight were clean and upkept and there is lots of area for games from horse shoes to volleyball.

Stayed in one of the Domes. Such a lovely cozy space. It was clean and nicely decorated. There was AC and a fireplace, adorable side lamp (dimming light was nice), and even the coffee mugs were cute. We brought our own comfy chairs for the fire pit which I would recommend but they did have some if needed. I was glad we brought a few water bottles simply because it was more convenient than going to get drinking water.

We stayed in Frog Hair Lodge for our little staycation. Location/neighbors were quiet. Cabin itself was wonderfully decorated and spotless. Porta-loos/flushables and showers were very tidy. Finding frogs on the trails was PHENOMENAL. LOVED it

My dinner with Ignissimo was absolutely amazing! Not only was the food some of the best ive ever had but the whole experience was just so fun and interactive. Worth every dollar!

Wake up in the forest surrounded by natural beauty in a comfortable luxurious dome, decorated with beautiful pieces and everything you need for a tranquil glamping experience. This gem is family operated and is a must try for a romantic or even a family getaway. We stayed in their DARK SKY dome that comes with its own firepit and covered BBQ/prep area, and our adult kids stayed in one of their cabins, PATTYS PORCH, just a short walk from us. Giving us some romantic privacy with also being able to enjoy some family time. The staff is very friendly and focused on your stay being a pleasant experience in nature. You feel like you are a million miles away, but the drive is less than an hour away from Edmonton, a quick, easy trip to recharge, and be one with nature.

We stayed in the Aspen Yurt. It was very clean and well styled. I love that there was a pullout couch so my daughter could stay in the room with us. We had a wonderful stay we will definitely return!

Thanks so much for making our anniversary weekend we spent in the Eagles Nest GeoDome so memorable - Amazing experience and so private in nature! The trail nearby is a treat and the new facilities for events look amazing! Was a pleasure meeting such welcoming hosts and look forward to our next visit!

My husband and I were blown away by this experience starting at check in. We were greeted by one of the friendly owners who gave us a complimentary bottle of wine because it was our anniversary. The Willow Yurt is so clean and bright and the attention to detail is second to none. The owners source local products and also support artisans from all over the world; it is obvious how passionate they are about your overall experience.
We had a private fire pit and picnic table; and birch firewood! Bonus to not come home smelling like campfire. There is also a private section of the cook house with your own bbq and picnic table.
We ordered the bits and bites charcuterie board which was EXQUISITE. Shweta delivered the board and, with great pride, spent 20 minutes describing the ingredients and where she got them; it was a delightful experience that went way beyond our expectations. The green olives were from the Italian Centre, but she made her own fennel brine for them which was SO DELICIOUS. Everything on the board was edible, even the flowers. (which were also surprisingly tasty) The wine that accompanied the board was perfectly paired. Shweta even brought us an apertif from Italy to induce our hunger, and gave us a gift of a homemade bowl. The story she told us about supporting the children making these bowls was unbelievable, so much kindness exuded from our host!
Thank you to Elk Island Retreat for hosting us for our first anniversary celebration. We will be telling our friends and family about this getaway spot and will be coming back ourselves for sure.
There is also an amazing new event space available if you are looking for a very classy and peaceful outdoor venue.

My spouse and I have spent getaway weekends in two of the Elk Island Retreat geodomes. They are cosy and comfortable and allowed us to have a relaxing weekend away from it all in a natural wilderness. The interiors have heating if it gets cold and the windowed section of the dome lets it feel light and spacious. The facilities near the domes include a sheltered BBQ grill and fire pit and seating that allows you to have the flexibility to cook and have your meals either indoors or out. The geodome includes helpful amenities like a small freezer+fridge and cutting board and coffee maker and some selections of coffee and tea but you will have to bring your own dishes (they provide detergent and a tub for washing them.

The surrounding area within the retreat is lovely with several footpaths and there is also a showering facility and the ability to buy some small camping essentials (we ran out of bug spray so this came in handy). It’s also about 5 minutes drive away from the East gate of the Elk Island National Park as well.

We loved staying at their geodomes and are definitely coming back next year.

Loved our stay in the Dark Sky Geodome! Very clean, super cozy, and the bed was very comfortable. It was on the edge of the campground, so a very quiet location. This Geodome faces a scenic forested area. Close to Elk Island Park for an easy day trip in. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend staying here!

We enjoyed a magical evening with Ignissimo! It was an intimate outdoor dining experience, with welcoming chef Pawel. The food was delicious, the company was fantastic, the elements were stunning! Would definitely recommend!

We really enjoyed a nice getaway close to home. We stayed in the Willow Yurt. They are SO clean! And you get a fridge! The style is on point! We loved that we had our own BBQ picnic area, and fire pit. Giving our true feedback, we found the main Queen bed, SOOOO uncomfortable. Hard as a rock. I spent a lot of our first morning there in a lot of back pain. The next night I used the pull out couch and I slept much better. I would suggest maybe a soft pad for it? The owners are so friendly and we hope to go back one day.:) we do wish there was a store closer to the location for anything we forgot. Wasn’t really much for the kids to do. Such as a playground. But we are still happy with our stay.

I was there today, but my boss told me I had to meet up with him right away, so I ended up getting a site in Fort Saskatchewan.
The people were so friendly and the elk resort is beautiful.
I'm packing up my trailer after I get some sleep and headed back there tomorrow.
It will be worth the extra 20 minute drive each day to be in a site that is so peaceful surrounded in beauty.