ALBERTA BOUND

Two unique routes South from Edmonton — combine the two to create your classic Alberta Circle Tour — enjoy the best our province has to offer.

Suggested Months: Year-round

Alberta is a land of contrasts. From the friendly sophistication of Edmonton to the most accessible glacier in North America, discover a new way of travelling to the Canadian Rockies. The grandeur of the mountains comes, in part, from the contrast to Alberta’s arid plains, aspen parkland and boreal forest. The route of explorer and fur trader David Thompson allows the visitor an unusual end-on view of mountain ranges and spectacular geological features. The eastern route south from Edmonton takes you to Alberta’s distant past, a land where the dinosaurs roamed.

EDMONTON TO CALGARY VIA DRUMHELLER (off Highway 21) 4-5 hours driving time. For sightseeing & stops, allow 1-2 days from Edmonton to Calgary. Returning to Edmonton via Highway 2, allow 3 hours driving time. Suggested Months: April to October

REYNOLDS-ALBERTA MUSEUM Depart Edmonton via Queen Elizabeth II Highway (Highway 2 South). At Highway 13, travel east to Wetaskiwin. Celebrate the “spirit of the machine” at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum. Experience the history of air and ground transportation, agriculture and other Alberta industries. The museum is home to Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame.

BASHAW/DONALDA, STETTLER, & BIG VALLEY
Depart Wetaskiwin south on Highway 21 through prime agricultural land and a wealth of oil and gas reserves. Stop in Bashaw, where an original boomtown theatre has been restored to its 1915 glory. In Stettler (south on Highway 56), The Stettler Town & Country Museum features 26 buildings including an old courthouse, original schoolhouse, 1908 church, 1911 CNR Station, a harness shop, and an Estonian log cabin. Continue to Big Valley — a perfect replica of a frontier town complete with two art galleries, a fudge factory, tearoom and barbershop. (An adventurous option is to travel from Stettler to Big Valley on board a real steam or diesel train!).

DRY ISLAND BUFFALO JUMP
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park is east of Huxley, the most northerly area in Alberta where badlands can be seen. Here, Cree Indians stampeded bison over a cliff some 2,000 years ago. Stop and take in breathtaking views of the valley, there’s also a shady picnic area in the park (entrance road is seasonal, call ahead).

ST. ANN RANCH
Head south to Trochu and the St. Ann Ranch, at the town’s southeast end. The St. Ann Ranch is a provincially-designated historic site, originally built in 1905 by cavalrymen from France as part of a francophone settlement.

DRUMHELLER
Continue southeast to Drumheller, the Dinosaur Trail, and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology. The Canadian Badlands — a unique geographical region — tell the story how glaciers and erosion formed this pillared, rocky landscape of hoodoos and drumlins. The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology is a top Alberta tourist destination. With more than 35 complete skeletons. It’s the world’s largest dinosaur display. Trails from the museum lead into the badlands, a Mecca for paleontologists from around the globe.

HORSESHOE CANYON
Stop at Horseshoe Canyon for a view of the badlands. The canyon offers one of the most spectacular picnic spots in Alberta; the Highway 9 route features unique roadside attractions.

CALGARY
Continue southwest to Calgary (approx. 1.5 hours drive) for a visit or return to Edmonton via Queen Elizabeth II Highway (Highway 2).

Hoodoos near Drumheller
Photo: Travel Alberta

DAY TOUR
YEAR ROUND

TOUR FEATURES
• Reynolds-Alberta Museum at Wetaskiwin
• Bashaw / Donalda, Stettler and Big Valley Option
• Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park
• St. Ann Ranch at Trochu
• Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology at Drumheller
• Dinosaur Trail, Hoodoo Drive, and Horseshoe Canyon

Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology at Drumheller
Photo: Travel Alberta