Millions of years ago, dinosaurs roamed eastern Alberta, in an area known as the Canadian Badlands near Drumheller, where the prairie gives way to canyons. Along the 29-mile drive is Horseshoe Canyon, a glacier-carved U-shaped canyon displaying eroded layers of sandstone, mud, coal, and clay. North of Highway 838 is Horsethief Canyon, which is used as a hideout by outlaws in the coulies between the rock faces and the view of the valley from the overlook is spectacular. South of Drumheller on Highway 10 is the Hoodoo Trail, where you can see up close where erosion of sandstone and limestone created impressive rock formation chimneys. At the end of the dinosaur trail is the Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site, Canada’s most efficient coal mine and last standing timber dump.
Just a couple of blocks from downtown Calgary is Fort Calgary, which has a long and rich history to tell. The construction of the fort in 1875 was the birth of a new city. The museum displays artifacts that tell the story of the cities from the beginning to where they are today.
The Canadian Rockies have four National Parks that will take your breath away with uninterrupted beauty. Jasper and Banff are on the western side of Alberta, while Kootenay and Yoho are on the eastern side of British Columbia.
Right in the heart of Banff and Jasper National Parks lies the backbone of the Canadian Rockies, The Icefield Parkway, rich in history and natural beauty. The parkway links Lake Louise and Jasper Alberta and stretches for 143 miles (232 km) along the Continental Divide through towering Rocky Mountain peaks, ice fields, waterfalls, turquoise lakes and the extensive valleys of thick pine forests. The avenue is not only filled with captivating scenery, but is also an ideal habitat for an abundance of wildlife that will keep you looking around every corner.
Taking the time to stop to do some of the short hiking trails is sure to amaze you, like the 100-yard walk to Sunwapta Falls or Athabasca Falls, where there are several bridges to view the falls. A 15-minute hike through thick forest to the highest elevation on the parkway at 6,965 feet, will take you to where the landscape opens up to beautiful Peyto Lake stretching across the valley floor with mountain peaks and glaciers like backdrop, or the quarter-mile walk to Mistaya Canyon, where the river has eroded the limestone bedrock and created a narrow gorge. Places like Columbia Icefields. The 62-mile hike up a steep incline places you right at the foot of the Athabasca Glacier. Without a doubt, to travel the Icefield Parkway is to experience one of Canada’s national treasures and most rewarding destinations.
What used to be an outpost at the end of the Canadian Pacific Railroad is today’s village, Lake Louise, now part of Banff National Park, rich in heritage and a stunning turquoise lake with Mount Victoria as its backdrop. With six glaciers feeding the lake, which is more than 230 feet deep, it has created a delicate ecosystem. To really enjoy the views of the lake, one must take the hiking trail along the lake. At the end of the lake, the trail continues up the side of the mountain for great views of a meltwater waterfall from the glacier and the surrounding forest.
Located in Banff National Park is the Town of Banff, part of a world heritage site. Banff is a small resort town nestled in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, where the peaks of Mt. Rundle and Mt. Cascade blend into the horizon. Throughout the town there are castle-style hotels mixed with restaurants, souvenir shops and boutiques. Around the outskirts of the village there are several scenic drives through the park that lead to sparkling turquoise lakes where an abundance of wildlife lives.
Kootenay National Park in eastern British Columbia offers a wide range of scenic wonders, from hanging glaciers, mountain peaks, marble canyons to natural pools of hot minerals. With the Kootenay Parkway running through the center of the park for 58 miles (94 km), many of the scenic attractions are just a short walk from the freeway. The one-hour journey will allow you to discover a new surprise around every corner.
On the western slopes of the Canadian Rockies lies Yoho National Park, a park with vertiginous mountain peaks, sheer rock faces and one of the highest waterfalls in Canada that is sure to impress anyone. A 10-minute walk through the forest leads to the base of the falls, where the cool mist can be felt for 50 yards. This park offers a unique insight into Canada’s natural wonders. Right on the Trans-Canada Highway is Kicking Horse Pass, the highest point on the highway from which you can see a spectacular mountain corridor.