MAYERTHORPE WILLMORE EDMONTON WILDERNESS 16 The Cowboy Trail PARK 16 DRAYTON VALLEY 2 LLOYDMINSTER Explore Alberta’s historic Cowboy Trail and discover how the Old JASPER 22 ROCKY JASPER NATIONAL MOUNTAIN 12 PARK 11 HOUSE West lives on in its art, history, food, hospitality and culture. 93 RED DEER BANFF 22 36 NATIONAL PARK SUNDRE 2 LAKE COCHRANE Officially, the 640-kilometre- For more of the Wild West, visit Calgary at Stampede time (early LOUISE CALGARY BANFF 1 BRAGG CREEK 1 long Cowboy Trail stretches the July) and kick up your heels at the 10-day whoop-up, known as TURNER VALLEY LONGVIEW entire distance of Highway 22 “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”. KANANASKIS 22 FORT 1 COUNTRY 2 MACLEOD from Mayerthorpe (northwest CROWSNEST MEDICINE PASS LETHBRIDGE HAT PINCHER CREEK of Edmonton) south to Pincher From Calgary, veer west to Bragg Creek. Full of artisans, this CARDSTON WATERTON Creek. It then jogs south on funky little village is a great place for a picnic, a hike and Highway 6 and east on horseback riding, as well as shopping for western art and unique Highway 5, ending in Cardston, a crafts. Bragg Creek is an ideal gateway into Kananaskis Country, nudge above Montana, USA. should you want to add another loop to your itinerary. Number of days: 4-5 While it’s possible to drive the entire Back on The Cowboy Trail, continue south through towns like Tour distance: 694 km/434 mi Day 1 Mayerthorpe to Rocky Mountain House 196 km/123 mi distance, most people carve it into little Millarville (famous for its farmers market held on Saturdays Day 2 Rocky Mountain House to Calgary 229 km/143 mi two and three day loops, using Calgary throughout the summer), Turner Valley (it was here, in 1914, Day 3 Calgary — the official Gateway to The Cowboy that Canada’s first major crude-oil discovery was made), Day 4 Calgary to Waterton 269 km/168 mi Trail as a starting point. Whatever Black Diamond and Longview. These towns are all part of Day 5 Waterton portion you choose, you’ll see cowboys Diamond Valley - The Heart of the Cowboy Trail. For an SPECIAL INTEREST ropin’ cattle, experience small town unusual diversion take a gas plant tour in Turner Valley. The Bragg Creek rodeos, country fairs and rich ranchland tour tells the story of the area, once one of the most active oil Horseback riding where quarter horses still reign. The and gas fields in the British Empire. B&Bs Western Art proximity to the Rockies means you’ll also Antiques witness a great diversity in wildlife and Just south of Longview is another excellent interpretive centre, Calgary scenery. From deer and elk to numerous the Bar U Ranch, full of original buildings, ongoing archaeo- See Tour 4 small town rodeos — The Cowboy Trail is logical digs and intriguing exhibits. At this point you could take Cardston Remington-Alberta Carriage Centre full of geographic and historic gems. Highway 541 into Kananaskis Country for a horsepack trip or Card Pioneer Home gentle trail ride. Or, stick to The Cowboy Trail, bound for Pincher Courthouse Museum Out of convenience, let’s start in Creek — most noted for Kootenai Brown’s Pioneer Village. And Cochrane Mayerthorpe and head south along the just a jog east on Highway 3 is Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Cochrane Ranche Historic Site Crowsnest Pass Corridor eastern flanks of the foothills to Rocky (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) on the fringes of Fort Macleod. Bellevue Mine Mountain House. Here is a superb Crowsnest Museum National Historic Site where the story of If you choose not to go to Fort Macleod, head south on Highway Crowsnest Pass Art Gallery Canada’s fur trade and rugged voyageur 6 to Waterton Lakes National Park (see Tour 1), full of charming Frank Slide Frank Slide Interpretive Centre life is re-enacted. B&Bs, lodges, hotels and natural mountain splendour. Hillcrest Mine Disaster Cemetery Lundbreck Falls For a different perspective take a To complete The Cowboy Trail, turn east on Highway 5 to Leitch Collieries Voyageur Canoe trip down the North Cardston where the Remington-Alberta Carriage Centre is the Volcanic Rocks - Crowsnest Mountain Fort Macleod Saskatchewan River, ending at this No. 1 magnet. Housing one of North America’s largest Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump very site. So wild is this forested area collections of carriages, buggies and wagons, it’s a spectacular Fort Museum that when you spot the teepees and example of another era . . . the Wild, Wild West. Longview smell the smoke from the site’s Bar U Ranch National Historic SIte Pincher Creek camp, you’ll be spirited back 200 The Cowboy Trail . . . No Horse Required! Crystal Village and Heritage Acres years when the trading post was Kootenai Brown’s Pioneer Village first built. Oldman River Dam and Provincial Recreation Area Rocky Mountain House Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site Back on Highway 22 continue Voyageur Canoe trip south through Sundre, which Sundre is a good jumping-off point Pioneer Museum for wilderness trips or Rocky Mountain Forest Reserve Turner Valley horseback ventures into Turner Valley Gas Plant National Historic Site the Rocky Mountain Waterton Lakes National Park Forest Reserve. Or, just Akimina Parkway, Kootenai Brown’s Headstone, Cameron Falls, Cameron Lake, Red Rock Canyon, poke around Sundre’s Waterton Shoreline Cruises Pioneer Museum.

Bar U Ranch National Historic Site