From Dinosaurs in Drumheller to Bison at Elk Island and then some

Drumheller Tyrell T-Rex

From Rowley, we arrived in Drumheller and camped at the Holiday Trail RV Resort of Dinosaur Trail…a little out of town, but a pretty good RV park…we didn’t have any neighbours and only a 15 amp hook up with water as well.

We thought the Royal Tyrell Museum would be a good start to the area. This is an excellent research museum with well thought out displays.

Drumheller Tyrell Linda Bone

Drumheller Tyrell Pierre bone

Drumheller Tyrell Turtle

Drumheller Tyrell dino scene

I like the displays because not only does a person see the bones but the paintings of the images behind the dinosaurs make it so much easier to visualize the scene.

Drumheller Hodo's Linda

We also did a long walk along the nature trail…we were there all of the morning.

Dumheller plump cactus

Wyane - Last Chance Saloon

Then off to Wayne to the “Last Chance Saloon” for lunch.

There was also a coal mine nearby…

Drumheller Atals Coal Mine

the tours were sold out and we didn’t want to wait the 2 hours for the next tour. The Hoodoos were near by and we stopped in.

Drumheller Linda hoodoos

Drumheller Hoodoos 1

Drumheller Hoodoos

Along the way we stopped at a suspension bridge in Rosedale.

Drumheller suspension bridge

From there the Horseshoe Canyon – yes another one not in Arizona – and a beautiful hike down at the bottom…

Drumheller horshoe Canyon

Drumheller coulees

Then along the Dinosaur Trail Drive and the Bleriot Ferry – one of the cable ferries in Alberta and this one crosses the Red Deer river.

Drumheller Bleriot Ferry

Drumheller Blariot ferry 1

Some scenery at lookouts along the way.

Drumheller dino trail view

Drumheller view of the Red Dear River

Elk Island National Park was our next stop; near Edmonton so that we could spend a little time with Linda’s son.

Elk Island campsite

Edmonton with Pierre Linda and Colin

We did some hikes.

Elk Island with Linda in frame

Elk Island Pierre in National Park frame

Elk Island Linda on a walk

Elk Island Hike panorama

Elk Island Linda in red chairs

We tried Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP).

Elk Island Linda on Paddle board kneeling

Elk Island Linda on Paddleboard standing

Elk Island Pierre on SUP

Elk Island Pierre paddeling

Then on our way out we saw the bison…lots of bison.

Elk Island Bull closeup

Elk Island Bison

Elk Island Bison bull

Elk Island Bison blocking road

This one decided to block the road for a little while. The next photo I just found funny.

Elk Island Bison funny

We started to head down and stopped at Vegerville to see the world’s largest easter egg: The Pysanka.

Vegreville Egg and Linda

Vegreviller trailer with egg

Then down to Innisfree to see the Cut Bank Penguin from the movie “Cut Bank” where they recreated the town of Cut Bank Montana in Alberta…very strange.

Innisfree Cutbank Penguin

Next we stopped at a town called Viking, home of the Sutter brother of NHL fame…there also was a viking tribute garden with trolls.

Viking welcome sign

Viking Carena

Viking park boat

Viking Park troll

We’d heard about ancient stones called ‘Ribstones’ near there. We drove there and found them. They are thought to be carvings of the ribs of bison to ensure a good hunt.

Viking Ribstones panorama

Viking Ribstones close

We needed an inexpensive place to camp and wondered what that ghost town Rowley would be like – we drove there and found a field all to our selves. Our first free campsite – the Boondock.

Rowley campsite

Rowley Camp

I only managed to see four meteors but it was a beautiful night and they even had public showers that were serviceable.

We were going to stay two nights but thought the drive back to Lethbridge was too long and we broke it up by driving to Brooks. It was a good place to spend a night and hike a little around a wetland part of Lake Newell; a manmade lake in Kinbrook Island Provincial park.

Next we left for Lethbridge and after a couple of “Texas Gates” (cattle gates to you and I) this happened…

Brooks flat tire

Brooks flat tire Pierre

Off to Lethbridge…

6 thoughts on “From Dinosaurs in Drumheller to Bison at Elk Island and then some

  1. What size tires are on your SUV? “P” tires or “LT” tires? And in the L T there are differing numbers of plies. You may have more robust options, unless, of course, you like the exercise?

    • I think it might have been the Texas Grate with a bad weld or a very sharp rock…it was not a fun road.

  2. Hi folks!
    Great story & photos. It takes me right back to 1974 when I did my first trip across Canada on my Honda motorcycle. I toured the Royal Tyrell Museum and saw hoodoos & Badlands of Alberta. The museum seems much improved since I was there.
    Enjoy the rest of your journey.
    Regards,
    Doug

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