Tucked into the Peace River Country of northwest Alberta, Hythe sits along Highway 43 roughly 58 km northwest of the City of Grande Prairie and about 73 km southeast of Dawson Creek, British Columbia. It falls under the jurisdiction of the County of Grande Prairie No. 1, a region where the agricultural plains of northwest Alberta blend into the rolling landscapes near the British Columbia border. The nearby Town of Beaverlodge lies just 16 km to the southeast and plays an important role in the community, as Hythe’s senior high school students attend Beaverlodge Regional High School there after completing junior high locally at Hythe Regional School, which is operated by Peace Wapiti School Division No. 76 and serves kindergarten through grade nine.
The community’s roots go back to 1914, when its post office was established and named after Hythe, Kent in England. It was incorporated as a village on August 31, 1929, and held that status for nearly a century before dissolving into a hamlet on July 1, 2021, bringing it fully under county administration. According to the 2021 Census, Hythe had a population of 854 residents living in 276 of its 312 private dwellings, reflecting modest growth from 827 people recorded in 2016 and 820 in 2011. The hamlet covers a land area of 4.03 km2 and has a population density of approximately 211.9 people per km2. The local economy is anchored by agriculture, forestry, and oil and gas. Residents and visitors enjoy recreational facilities including a hockey arena, a curling rink, ball diamonds, and a bowling alley. The community also hosts an annual agricultural fair, celebrates South Peace Centennial Museum Day, and was formerly home to the Hythe Motor Speedway, which operated each year from May through September.