Rockies and Ranchlands

• Watch for signs to Spruce Meadows. Take a tour of this local success story, voted #1 horse show jumping facility in the world.

Head west on Highway #22X to Highway #22, known as the Cowboy Trail.
Highway #22 junction to Turner Valley and Black Diamond is 30 km / 19 mi.

Along the way:

• Turner Valley is the birthplace of Alberta’s oil and gas industry. the site of the 1914 Dingman Discovery Well that began Alberta’s first oil boom is now preserved as a National Historic Site.

Black Diamond to Nanton is 94 km / 58 mi.

Along the way:

• Longview offers the Navajo Mug Cafe. Choose from 21 homemade pies.
• Thirteen kilometres (8 mi) farther south on Highway #22 is Bar U Ranch National Historic Site, a living tribute to the ranching industry in Alberta.
• Continue past Chain Lakes where you leave the Cowboy Trail to head east on Highway #533 to Nanton.
• Stroll the historic main street of Nanton with antique and specialty shops.

Nanton to Cardston is 142 km / 88 mi.

Along the way:

• Highway #785 will take you to Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo Jump. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the oldest, largest and best preserved buffalo jumps in North America.
• Visit Fort Museum of the Northwest Mounted Police in Fort MacLeod.
• Cardston boasts North America’s largest collection of horse drawn transportation at the Remington Carriage Museum.

Cardston to Waterton Lakes is 50 km / 31 mi via Highway #5.

Take time to tour Waterton Lakes National Park. The smallest of the Canadian Rocky Mountain National Park is described as the Jewel in the Crown of the Continent. Home to plants and wildlife unique in Western Canada, it is a paradise for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.

• Attractions include the Waterton Shoreline Cruise, Red Rock Canyon and Cameron Lake hiking trail.

Highway #6 and #3 lead to the BC / Alberta border (113 km / 70 mi).

Along the way:

There are several small former coal mining communities with a fascinating history to explore along this route.

• At Pincher Creek is the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village, a turn-of-the-century 19th century historic village.
• Frank Slide Interpretive Centre explains how coal mining caused the Turtle Mountain landslide that buried the town of Frank.

After driving past Coleman, you leave Alberta, cross the Continental Divide and enter the province of British Columbia.  This route through the towering Rocky Mountains is a giant gateway to the great outdoors. Explore the Elk Valley’s small towns built on more than a century of coal mining:  Sparwood, Elkford and the largest and oldest Fernie.

Spend a day or two exploring the Elk Valley:

Sparwood to Elkford is 35 km / 22 mi north on Highway #43.

Sparwood to Fernie is 29 km / 18 mi south on Highway #3.

CULINARY DELIGHTS FOR FERNIE

OVERNIGHTING OPTIONS FOR FERNIE

Fernie to Elko is 32 km / 20 mi south on Highway #3.

Along the way:

You’ll follow the pristine Elk river that is famous for fly-fishing and other water-sports. The views and wildlife are just as rewarding.

Elko to Fort Steele Heritage Town is 63 km / 39 mi north on Hwy #3/93.

Along the way:

• Take a side trip to Kikomun Creek Provincial Park and Lake Koocanusa for sandy beaches, camping and Kokanee salmon fishing.
• At Wardner, watch for signs to the Kootenay Trout Hatchery that offers an interpretive area with aquaria, educational displays and fishing pond.
• Fort Steele Heritage Town has been a family favourite for decades. Leap back to the 1890s and experience this restored pioneer boomtown.  Attractions include street drama, Wild Horse Theatre, steam train and horse drawn wagon rides, International Hotel Restaurant and gold panning.

Fort Steele to Wasa Lake Provincial Park is 25 km / 15 mi.

Wasa Park is a family destination with camping, sandy beach, and a biking and walking trail that circles the lake.

Travel north on Highway #93/95 to Invermere (90 km / 56 mi).

Along the way:

• Skookumchuck offers lodging and access to the Kootenay River.
• Attractions at Canal Flats include the Tilley Memorial Park with a beautiful beach and picnic tables as well as The Source of the Columbia Trail that winds 1.5 kms through the wetlands.
• A number of back-country and resort setting hot springs are located along this route. Check the Hot Springs Itinerary for details.

Spend a day or two in Invermere – here’s some of the area’s highlights:

CULINARY DELIGHTS FOR INVERMERE

OVERNIGHTING OPTIONS FOR INVERMERE AREA

Invermere to Radium Hot Springs, gateway to Kootenay National Park, is 13 km (8 mi) farther north on Highway #93/95.

Travel through spectacular Kootenay National Park, (104 km / 65 mi) north on Highway #93 – check out the Golden Triangle Driving Route for details on park attractions.

Once through the park, connect with Trans Canada Highway #1 and head east through Banff, the longest established national park in Canada.  Banff to Calgary on Highway #1 is 136 km / 85 mi. En route is the picturesque mountain town of Canmore.