Fort Carlton was an important hub for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) from 1810 - 1885. Located on the North Saskatchewan River and with easy access by land, this site was an ideal place to warehouse goods and gather provisions for other posts. An important negotiation site for Treaty Six in 1876, Fort Carlton was accidentally burned down during a hasty evacuation during the Northwest Resistance in 1885.

Today, Fort Carlton Provincial Park features a reconstructed palisade, fur and provisions store, trade store, clerks' quarters and tepee encampment. Visitors can see, touch and smell artifacts such as bison hides, beaver pelts and more. Interpretive staff are on hand to answer questions and lead activities. The park also features hiking trails, a picnic area and a small, rustic campground.