2021 Route Map

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2021 Route Map 2021 Route Map 0 | P a g e Table of Contents Overall Route: Kananaskis to Cypress Hills ............................................................................................ 1 Stage 1: Kananaskis to Longview (Highwood Pass) ......................................................................... 2 - 3 Stage 2: Longview to Pincher Creek .................................................................................................. 4 - 5 Stage 3: Pincher Creek to Wateron National Park ............................................................................. 6 - 7 Stage 4: Waterton National Park to Milk River ................................................................................... 8 - 9 Stage 5: Milk River to Etzikom (Transport to Medicine Hat) .......................................................... 10 - 11 Stage 6: Medicine Hat to Cypress Hills .......................................................................................... 12 - 13 Stage 7: Cypress Hills ........................................................................................................................... 14 1 | P a g e Overall Route: Nakoda to Cypress Hills Stage 1 Sunday, July 11 Nakoda to Highwood Pass to Longview 148 km Stage 2 Monday, July 12 Longview to Pincher Creek 143 km Stage 3 Tuesday, July 13 Pincher Creek to Waterton National Park 96 km Stage 4 Wednesday, July 14 Waterton National Park to Milk River 167 km Stage 5 Thursday, July 15 Milk River to Etzikom 127 km Stage 6 Friday, July 16 Medicine Hat to Cypress Hills 95 km Stage 7 Saturday, July 17 Cypress Hills 50 km 1 | P a g e Stage 1: Nakoda to Longview – 148 km Morning: Nakoda to Highwood Pass for lunch – 67 km The tour begins from Stoney Nakoda Resort and follows Highway 40 up to the top of the Highwood Pass – the highest paved road in Canada. We’ll have lunch at the top. 2 | P a g e Stage 1: Nakoda to Longview Afternoon: Highwood Pass to Longview – 81 km After lunch it’s a long downhill into Longview. Watch for wandering Bighorn sheep. 3 | P a g e Stage 2: Longview to Pincher Creek – 143 km Morning: Longview to Maycroft PRA for lunch – 86 km Day two, riders depart from Longview, heading straight south for 86km for the first half of day two, and take in the breathtaking foothills scenery along the Cowboy Trail. We ride nestled between the Canadian prairies and Rocky Mountains with some large climbs, easing off as we approach the mid-day. We stop at the Maycroft Provincial Recreational Area, a serene spot along the Oldman River, for lunch. 4 | P a g e Stage 2: Longview to Pincher Creek Afternoon: Maycroft PRA to Pincher Creek – 57 km The afternoon begins with a small climb, then we descend onto Highway 3 and a scenic diversion to Lundbreck Falls before heading into Pincher Creek, avoiding the main highway where possible. 5 | P a g e Stage 3: Pincher Creek to Waterton – 96 km Morning: Pincher Creek to Waterton Townsite – 59 km The third day of the tour starts with a climb as we head out of Pincher Creek, through Big Sky country. The Rocky Mountains remain a steady presence on the right as we head into one of Canada’s most beautiful national parks, Waterton Lakes. At the 59km mark we arrive in Waterton townsite. This majestic town is our home base for the next day. 6 | P a g e Stage 3: Pincher Creek to Waterton Afternoon: Waterton to Red Rock Canyon and back – 37 km After lunch, the tour cycles up to Red Rock Canyon along a scenic roadway where riders can keep their eyes peeled for wildflowers and beaver dams. Red Rock Canyon is famous for the layers of iron rich red rock, Argillite, on the base of the mountains. After we’ve taken in the views, cyclists head back to Waterton townsite for the night 7 | P a g e Stage 4: Waterton to Milk River – 167 km Morning: Waterton to lunch at Whiskey Gap – 86 km After a good rest, we are up bright and early for our Century Ride (100 miles)! We’ll cycle a full 167 km east from Waterton townsite to Milk River. Traveling across the most southern parts of Alberta on Highways 5, 2 and 501, the day begins with some steady inclines followed by a large descent into Cardston. This stage is marked by a dramatic change of scenery as we head out of the mountains and across the Great Plains. As we hit the 86km mark, we stop at the Whiskey Gap roadside turnout for lunch. 8 | P a g e Stage 4: Waterton to Milk River Afternoon: Whiskey Gap to Milk River – 81 km The afternoon brings us onto the Milk River Ridge plateau before we enjoy a long steady descent into the town of Milk River. 9 | P a g e Stage 5: Milk River to Etzikom – 127 km Morning: Milk River to Writing on Stone Provincial Park - 43 km Beginning in Milk River, we continue east until Highway 500 where we go on a detour south to Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park (Áísínai’pi). This UNESCO World Heritage site is marked by stunning views, First Nations pictographs, and hoodoos. This park has the largest concentration of rock art on the Great Plains of North America, and features a view of Montana from the visitor centre. We will stop here for lunch as we take in the stunning vistas of the Milk River and the distant Sweet Grass Hills. 10 | P a g e Stage 5: Milk River to Etzikom Afternoon: Writing on Stone to Etzikom - 84km Departing the provincial park we head towards Etzikom where we will end our day of riding at the Etzikom Windmill Museum. Then we’ll load up the bike trail and be transported in the support vehicles 85km (55 mins) to Medicine Hat. 11 | P a g e Stage 6: Medicine Hat to Cypress Hills – 95 km Morning: Medicine Hat to Bullshead Reservoir – 58 km Day six has us leaving Medicine Hat on beautiful country roads as we continue across the golden, wheat-covered landscape and along Eagle Butte Road to our lunch stop at Bullshead Reservoir. We can clearly see the Cypress Hills up ahead, the highest point of land between the Rockies and Labrador. 12 | P a g e Stage 6: Medicine Hat to Cypress Hills Afternoon - Bullshead Reservoir to Elkwater, Cypress Hills - 37 km The road passes through Medicine Lodge Coulee, an ancient glacial meltwater channel separating Eagle Butte Ridge from the Cypress Hills. Riders then hit the only strip of gravel on the trip – Thelma Road. At first, there’s a challenging 170 metre climb for two kilometres into the Hills, followed by another six km of gravel along the plateau before the pavement on Highway 41 takes us into Elkwater. Riders can skip part or all of the gravel road section if they choose. 13 | P a g e Stage 7: Cypress Hills – 50 km The final and shortest day of the tour sees cyclists exploring a large chunk of the Alberta side of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. The route takes us along paved road and trails with a few good climbs, in this oasis of forest, lakes, and hills. A few strategically placed vantage points provide breathtaking, panoramic views of the Hills and the prairie below. 14 | P a g e .
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