10 Fascinating Stops on the Dinosaur Trail in Alberta

We’ve seen ferocious dinosaurs in movies, but it’s hard to picture them actually walking along the dinosaur trail in Alberta.

It’s easier to imagine when you drive the 48-kilometre Dinosaur Trail, from Drumheller, Alberta. Some 75 million years ago, Eastern Alberta was teeming with dinosaurs. At the time, lush subtropical forests covered the land, and large reptiles flew above it.

Conditions were perfect for preserving dinosaur bones as fossils. Over 50 kinds of dinosaurs have been found here on what now looks like a lunar, sometimes desolate, landscape.

Seeing it for yourself is a surreal experience, and one you won’t find anywhere else in the world. The deep canyons and river valleys serve as a stark contrast to the Albertan Rockies and the farmland prairies. Here is everything you need to know to visit the Canadian Badlands, including a list of the fascinating stops along the dinosaur trail in Alberta.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Where is the Dinosaur Trail in Alberta?
Horseshoe Canyon
The World’s Largest Dinosaur
Royal Tyrell Museum of Palaeontology
Drumheller’s Little Church
Horse Thief Canyon
Orkney Lookout
The Hoodoos
Last Chance Saloon
Star Mine Suspension Bridge
Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site
Best Time to Visit the Alberta Badlands
How much time do you need to visit the Drumheller area?
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More information

Where is the Dinosaur Trail in Alberta?

The Dinosaur Trail starts in the town of Drumheller, which is 135 kilometres (84 miles) northeast of Calgary. To get to Drumheller, head north from Calgary on Highway 2, then east on Highway 72 which turns into Highway 9 and leads you into Drumheller.

The trail (Highway 838) is a loop that returns to Drumheller. After that, you can pick up the Hoodoo Trail (Highway 10) to see the famous hoodoos and more of this surreal landscape.

This route is one of the most popular road trips in Alberta, so you will need your own vehicle to take things at your own pace. I typically use Auto Europe to find the best price on car rentals (it’s not just for Europe).

The 10 must-sees on Alberta’s Dinosaur Trail:

Horseshoe Canyon

Just before you get to Drumheller on Highway 9, the prairies give way to a canyon carved out by glaciers into a U-shape formation called Horseshoe Canyon. It’s a dramatic introduction to the Badlands, aptly named because the land was bad for farming.

The walls of the canyon show the eroded layers of sandstone, mud, and coal. You can hike into the canyon, but you’ll need good shoes and to be prepared for hot weather in the summer months.

Location: 17 kilometres west of Drumheller on Highway 9. There is onsite parking.

The World’s Largest Dinosaur

Yup, it’s kitsch, but you don’t want to miss the chance to see the world’s largest dinosaur and check that off your bucket list. It’s 25 metres (86 feet) tall (about four times larger than the real thing), and you can climb the 106 stairs to the top and look out from its jaws over the Badlands.

This giant dinosaur is located at the Drumheller Visitor Information Centre, where you can pick up a good map and some information about what to see along the Dinosaur Trail in Alberta. It also has public washrooms, free Wi-Fi and a gift shop loaded with dinosaur souvenirs.

Location: 60 1st Avenue West, Drumheller, Alberta

Royal Tyrell Museum of Palaeontology

From the Visitor Centre, take the North Dinosaur Trail (Highway 838) to the Royal Tyrrell Museum. It houses one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs. These are not movie set mock-ups – – they’re the actual skeletons and bones of dinosaurs that once roamed these lands. The one in this photo is a T.Rex that was discovered in 1980 by two high school students when they went on a fishing trip. He’s known as “Black Beauty” and is a mere 67 million years old. He’s considered to have one of the best-preserved dinosaur skulls in the world.

The Museum also offers activities that allow you to indulge your inner Fred Flintstone and bring the prehistoric past to life. For example, you can search for fossils on a guided hike or take part in an archeological dig. You never know what you’ll find.

If you’re coming with children, you might want to schedule a half-day here. There’s plenty for them to see and do! In this case, overnight in Drumheller and pick up where you left off the following day.

Location: 1500 North Dinosaur Trail, Drumheller, Alberta

Recommended hotel in Drumheller: The Heartwood Inn & Spa

Drumheller’s Little Church

From the Tyrrell Museum, continue on the North Dinosaur Trail to the smallest church you may ever see.

It was originally built in 1968 as a place of worship and it holds six people. It’s not just an Instagram stop – people actually get married here!

Location: North Dinosaur Trail and Murray Hill Road

Horse Thief Canyon

From the church, continue on the Dinosaur Trail (Highway 838) for 18 kilometres to the Horsethief Canyon Lookout. As you look down on Horsethief Canyon, you can easily imagine how it got its name. More than a century ago, outlaws were known to hide out here with their stolen horses in the coulees between the rock walls. It gave them cover to rebrand the horses.

The canyon is rich in geological layers and in fossils, with some 35 species of dinosaurs having been found here.

If you want more time here, hike down the steep trail into the canyon. It’s not an easy trek, but it’s a rewarding one.

Location: Munson, Alberta (16 km northwest of Drumheller)

Orkney Lookout

After Horsethief Canyon, the Dinosaur Trail takes you across the Red Deer River on the Bleriot Ferry (the oldest cable ferry in North America) and then loops back towards Drumheller. It’s only a five minute crossing, but you may have to wait your turn as the ferry carries only about a dozen cars at a time.

After crossing the river, head back towards Drumheller on the South Dinosaur Trail (Highway 837) and you’ll soon come to the Orkney Viewpoint. It’s a natural lookout point on the red rock cliffs with a sweeping view of the Red Deer Valley. It’s easy to miss the turnoff, but you won’t want to miss this view. There’s a reason they call it “Big Sky Country.”

Location: Kneehill County, Alberta

 

The Hoodoo Trail

Next up, the Hoodoo Trail. From the Orkney Viewpoint, drive for 15 minutes back to Drumheller, enjoying the prairie views.  From there, take Highway 56 to the Hoodoo Trail (Highway 10).

The Hoodoos – The Symbol of the Badlands

Star Mine Suspension Bridge

Head back to Highway 56, turning east and you will quickly see the turn off for the Star Mine Suspension Bridge on your left. This 117-metre-long suspension bridge (also known as the Rosedale Suspension Bridge) was built in 1931 for coal workers.

Do you dare walk across this shaky bridge? It’s free to visit, and it’s a favourite amongst locals for fishing and generally just hanging out. The area around it is looped with walking trails and picnic sites, so stretch your legs and enjoy a light meal to top it off.

Location: 10km southeast of Drumheller, off Highway 56

Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site

Learn the stories of miners who came to seek their fortunes in the Drumheller Valley at the now inactive Atlas Coal Mine, another 8 kilometres east of the hoodoos on the Hoodoo Trail.

You can take tours underground into the mine and up onto the last wooden coal “tipple” in Canada. The 7-storey tall tipple is a giant coal loading and sorting machine. The site offers tours where you can experience what the life of a coal miner was really like, including the not-so-glamorous bits.

You can also hop aboard a 90-year-old train named Linda for a guided experience around the site. Informative guides will keep you enthralled about this mine’s far-reaching history.

Location: 110 Century Dr W, East Coulee, Alberta

Best Time to Visit the Alberta Badlands

Although the hoodoos look really cool in the snow, the best time to tour the Dinosaur Trail is from mid-June to early September, when you’ll have plenty of sunshine.

Keep in mind that it can get hot here in the summer, often 30° C (85° F), and there is very little shade.

Be sure to take plenty of water, along with sunglasses, sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat. The weather cools off in the evening with temperatures as low as 10° C (50° F), so don’t forget to pack a fleece layer as well.

How much time do you need to visit the Drumheller area?

It’s possible to cover the entire route described here in one day. But that doesn’t leave much time for each stop along the way. If you have the time, my recommendation is to stay overnight in Drumheller and spend two days . That will allow extra time at each location and the opportunity to do some hiking in the area.

The Alberta Badlands is definitely the most underrated part of the prairies. From dinosaurs to horse thieves and hoodoos, there’s no place quite like it.

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