Excursions
For a Half Day
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump: A 90-minute drive south of Calgary along Highway 2, this strange-sounding UNESCO World Heritage Site commemorates the Blackfoot Natives’ ingenious manner of hunting buffalo. Over a period of 6000-10,000 years, Blackfoot hunters would herd wild buffalo over a large cliff, where they fell to their deaths by the hundreds. They were subsequently butchered for their meat and hides. The attraction takes its name from the story of a 19th-century Blackfoot who met his end by watching the jump from the base of the cliff, directly under the falling animals. An interpretive centre (tel: (403) 553 2731; website: www.head-smashed-in.com) is open daily 0900-1800 in summer and 1000-1700 in winter and is located within the cliff itself. The centre explores the history and culture of the jump and admission costs C$8.50. There is no public transportation, however, excursions are available from Calgary (see Tours of the City).
For a full-day excursion, visitors can also include a stop at Waterton Lakes National Park or any of the attractions along the ‘Cowboy Trail’ (website: www.thecowboytrail.com) in their itinerary.
For a Whole Day
Banff National Park: Located two hours west of Calgary, Banff National Park (tel: (403) 762 1550; website: http://parkscanada.pch.gc.ca/banff) is both Canada’s first and most popular national park. Created by the Canadian government in 1885 in recognition of the area’s natural beauty and wildlife, it offers a spectacular array of alpine beauty and backcountry walks. The park has 6641 sq kilometres (2564 sq miles) of mountains, rivers, forests, lakes, glaciers and hot springs, and is home to wolves, mountain goats, eagles and grizzly bears, along with the notorious – and sometimes dangerous – elk. Admission costs C$5 for individuals or C$10 for a car with two to seven passengers – camping permits cost extra.
The town of Canmore (tel: (403) 678 1295; website: www.tourismcanmore.com), situated at the entrance to the park, is a cosy alpine village offering restaurants, craft shops and art galleries. The town is also home to the Canmore Nordic Centre, originally used during the XV Winter Olympics. Further west from Canmore is the town of Banff itself, a friendly and picturesque village housing bars, restaurants, shops and the most famous man-made addition to the area, the luxurious Banff Springs Hotel, completed in 1888.
Yet further west is Lake Louise. A popular ski area in the winter, Lake Louise offers superb alpine views in the summer months. Although it is possible to reach Banff by coach from Calgary’s Downtown and from Calgary Airport, a car is recommended as it allows visitors to explore the park as they choose. More information is available from the Banff/Lake Louise Tourism Bureau (tel: (403) 762 8421; website: www.banfflakelouise.com).
Alberta Badlands: About 140km (87 miles) east of Calgary lie the Alberta Badlands – a moon-like landscape of hills and flats peppered with hardy brush and scrubby grass – situated in the middle of a seemingly endless green prairie. Formed by the waters of the last Ice Age, the Badlands are fascinating in their own right but what makes the area unmissable is the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (tel: (403) 823 7707 or (888) 440 4240; website: www.tyrrellmuseum.com). With over 50 full-size dinosaur skeletons (many of which were dug up out of the Badlands), the museum boasts the world’s largest collection. Admission costs C$10 (concessions available) and the museum is open daily 0900-2100 (mid-May-early Sep); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (early Sep-mid-May). Transportation by car is recommended via Highway 9 and 72 – the museum is six kilometres (four miles) northwest of Drumheller. Further information is available from Canadian Badlands Tourism (tel: (403) 823 8100; website: www.canadianbadlands.com).
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Excursions