Bow Lake Viewpoint (Alberta)

Posted on 8 July, 2026 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

After checking out at Douglas Fir Resorts & Chalets in Banff, we proceed on the long 291-km. (3.5-hr.) drive to the town of Jasper. After an hour’s drive and about 95 kms. along the way, we made a stopover at the Bow Lake Viewpoint. Situated right off the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) in Banff National Park, Alberta, it offers a stunning panorama of bright turquoise, glacier-fed (by the Crowfoot Glacier) waters of Bow Lake framed by the towering peaks of the 3,055-m. (10,023-ft.) high Crowfoot Mountain (which plunges directly into the alpine basin), the 2,840-m. (9,320-ft.) high Bow Peak, and the dramatic Bow Glacier.

The small but beautiful Bow Lake, with very calm and serene waters, is the lake closest to and the main source of the headwaters of the Bow River which runs down, out of the Canadian Rockies, past Banff town, to Calgary, the third largest city of Canada, and beyond. It is one of the last lakes to thaw in the summer. Surrounded by the high peaks of the Waputik Range of mountains, this beautiful, glacier-fed lake, mainly formed by the melted water, turns a lovely, vivid, postcard-like turquoise shade, with a bluish tinge, due to glacial silt reflecting the sunlight.

Bow Lake may not be as popular as Lake Louise, Peyto Lake and Moraine Lake, but it is almost as beautiful, with its large glacier as a backdrop, and also does not have the crowds and congestion of the aforementioned lakes. Imagine the beauty of these three lakes, but without the crowds. That is Bow Lake. This lake is also larger than the more popular lakes, and while the blue isn’t quite as intense, it is still gorgeous, and the walk along the lake is flat and relaxing and you can get a good view of the glacier.

Check out “Lake Louise,” “Peyto Lake Viewpoint” and “Moraine Lake”

The reflection photos you can take here are also amazing. This lake is a favorite of photographers as its still water allows them to capture reflections of the mountains. Early morning or late afternoon provides the calmest water for mirror-like mountain reflections.

The historic Num-Ti-Jah Lodge, a lodge at the lake, has a coffee shop (where you can get some coffee and a bowl of soup or chili) and gift shop. This quaint wooden building, with a red sloping roof, was one of the original lodges of the Canadian Rockies. The lodge was originally a small, octagonal log cabin built by Jimmy Simpson in 1922. In the 1930s, the main lodge was built. Close to the lodge is a charming wooden footbridge near its shoreline.

The day use parking lot at the end of the road has lots of picnic tables. Aside from the pullover on the Icefields Parkway, another location where you can view Bow Lake is from the lakeside. To get to the lakeside, head to the parking lot area with the numerous restrooms that had been built. The lakeside is a short walk from the parking lot and will enable you to walk past the lodges and the Hanging Glacier Cafe (sells snacks, coffee or souvenirs). The desirable Bow Lake views, with its stunning mountain backdrop, are approximately a 5-min. walk from the parking lot.

Truly, this place was a welcome break from the massive crowds of people. While not as dramatic in size or location as Peyto Lake, it still possesses the striking blue coloration owning to mineral suspension. Not a must-see if you’ve already viewed Peyto Lake, but as Bow Lake is right by the road and less busy and it’s also easier to access. The atmosphere at the lakeside was enjoyably quiet/not crowded and was almost meditative as it provided the opportunity to absorb the beauty.

A large parking lot offers plenty of space for the many cars and motorhomes though it is a bit of an issue near the restrooms. An overflow parking lot is available.

Bow Lake Viewpoint: Improvement District No. 9, Alberta T0L 1E0.

How to Get There: The lake, located along Highway 93 North (Icefields Parkway) inside Banff National Park, is a 37-km. (a 20-30 min.) drive north of Lake Louise.

Takakkaw Falls (Field, British Columbia)

Posted on 7 July, 2026 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Takakkaw Falls seen from the parking lot

From Emerald Lake, it was a 33-km. (40-min. drive) to the impressive, horsetail type (a water feature where the descending water keeps close contact with the bedrock most of the way down, looking like a horse’s tail) Takakkaw Falls which features a picnic area, basic campsites on a first-come, first-served basis, and washrooms near the parking lot.

Check out “Emerald Lake”

Upon arrival at the parking area and opening our car door, we can already hear the roar of the falls half a mile away. From the picnic area, it was a short, easy 750 m. hike to the base of the falls, crossing a pedestrian footbridge, over the milky, fast-flowing glacial runoff of the Yoho River, to get there.

The falls created a strong, heavy and chilly mist that dropped the local air temperature significantly and quickly by 10 to 20 degrees near the base compared to the parking area. Even after donning our jackets, bonnets and gloves, we still felt the biting cold.

The milky-white Yoho River seen from the bridge

The refreshing spray also got us wet (a raincoat or poncho would have been better) and the rocks and gravel near the water got very damp and slick. Occasionally, when the sunlight hit the fine mist at just the right angle (splitting the white light into a bright arc of colors), a rainbow would appear.

Takakkaw Falls (also spelled Takkakaw) is fed by the meltwater of the Daly Glacier, which is part of the Waputik Icefield, which keeps the volume of the falls up during the warm summer months. It is a tourist attraction, particularly in late spring after the heavy snow melts, when the falls are at peak condition.

The total vertical height of Takakkaw Falls has been placed, by various sources, at between 302 m. (991 ft.) and 373 m. (1,224 ft.). In 1985, a survey found that the main drop of the falls is 254 m. (833 ft) high, still making it one of the tallest waterfalls in Canada and easily one of the most dramatic. However, it is often mislabeled as the second tallest waterfall in Canada (the World Waterfall Database lists about 55 higher waterfalls in Canada).

Kyle, the author, Grace and Jandy with the falls in the background

The fall’s name means “it is magnificent” in the Cree language and the name is apt. However, despite the name’s Cree origin, the indigenous Cree people didn’t give the falls this name nor did they historically inhabit this area. Rather, its name was suggested by Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, the head of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and officially adopted in 1904. However, Takakkaw Falls, as well as Yoho National Park, is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwepemc (sah-wep-em) Nation who lived there since time immemorial.

The falls serves as the main trailhead for several scenic alpine hikes, including the demanding but breathtaking Iceline Trail. If you followed the trails down the river below the waterfall, you would find a treasure trove of smaller falls with names as playful as their alpine settings.

Takakkaw Falls: Yoho National Park, Field, British Columbia . Coordinates: 51°29′59″N 116°28′22″W. The best time to visit the falls is mid-to-late summer (July and August) when peak glacial melt creates a powerful, thundering cascade.

How to Get There: Takakkaw Falls is a 37-km. (30-min.) drive west of Lake Louise and 93 kms. from Banff. It is accessible via the steep, seasonal Yoho Valley Road (typically open mid-June to mid-October). The Yoho Valley Road branches off the Trans-Canada Highway near the village of Field, British Columbia. Due to steep switchbacks and tight curves, this 14 km road is closed to all vehicles over 7.6 m. (25 ft.).

Emerald Lake (Field, British Columbia)

Posted on 7 July, 2026 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

From The Caves National Historic Site of Canada, we headed 98 kms. (a 1.25-hr. drive) northwest, from Banff, Alberta, onto the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1), to reenter British Columbia at the town of Field, then turned right onto Emerald Lake Road, to stop by Emerald Lake, a freshwater lake in Yoho National Park, one of the four contiguous national parks in Canada’s Rocky Mountains, along the boundary of British Columbia and Alberta Provinces. The lake is the largest of the 61 lakes and ponds located inside the park.

Check out “The Caves National Historic Site of Canada”

The first non-indigenous person to set sight on Emerald Lake was famed Canadian mountain guide Tom Wilson, who stumbled upon it by accident in 1882 when he was led lakeside while rounding up a string of his horses that had gone astray. He gave the lake its name because of its remarkable, vivid, turquoise green-colored waters due to glacial silt (rock flour), different rock type producing the powdered sediment that is suspended in the glacial water, reflecting the entrancing emerald green spectrum of sunlight rather than the blue spectrum seen in Moraine Lake, Hector Lake, Bow Lake and Peyto Lake in neighboring Banff National Park. Earlier that same year, Tom also discovered another lake which he had given the same name (which appeared briefly on the official map) but it was shortly renamed Lake Louise.

Check out “Lake Louise” “Peyto Lake” and “Lake Moraine”

This stunning glacial alpine lake, a scenic natural destination, is the most famous one of and the most admired locations in Yoho National Park. The majestic mountains of the President Range, named after the President and Vice-President of the coast to coast Canadian Pacific Railway, add to the beautiful of this lake, as well.

The lake has an unmatched diversity of both activities and landscapes suited to the enthusiastic traveler. Canoeing and walking are favorite activities here and, during the summer months, fishing is also quite popular. Canoe ($.75 for 1 hour, with a max of 3 people in the canoe) and rowboat rentals are available Emerald Sports (also known as Emerald Sports & Gifts), as are cross-country skis and snowshoes in the winter.

Swimming, though allowed and highly recommended for the experience, is not for the faint of heart as the water is cold due to it being fed by glaciers. The rustic Emerald Lake Lodge is a leisurely delight for those having lunch at Cilantro Café’s lakeside patio. The lodge also offers cabins overlooking the lake and mountains. Near the start of the trail loop are some picnic tables.

A 5.2-km. (3.2-mi.) flat loop, family-friendly trail circling the shoreline, taking about 1.5 to 2 hours to complete, is one of the least strenuous but most rewarding in the park. From the lake, you can view an incredible breadth of geological features including the world-famous Burgess Shale fossil beds, the Michael Glacier, and an avalanche slope carpeted by meadows, where moose often graze. Other more advanced hiking trails go in different directions up into the mountains.

The lake’s elevation of 1,200 m. (4,400 ft.) above sea level produces a unique selection of flora. Trees found here include western red cedar, western yew, western hemlock and western white pine. At moist, shady enclaves, you can spot a variety of tiny, fragile wild orchids that survive only in finely balanced conditions. If you’re paying attention, you may be rewarded with a Yellow Lady Slipper, Spotted Orchid, or Calypso sighting.

As animals are drawn to this important water source, Emerald Lake is a fantastic place to see wildlife such as bald eagles, moose, and ospreys as well as waterfowl such as loons and mergansers. Grizzly bears and American black bears are fairly common. However, as many wild animals live in the area and are protected by park law, hunting is prohibited in the park. From November until late April or early May, the lake is frozen due to its 53-degree latitude and moderately high altitude.

Emerald Lake: 1 Emerald Lake Rd., Field, Yoho National Park, British Columbia V0A 1G0. Coordinates: 51.444°N 116.531°W.

How to Get There: Emerald Lake is a 50-km. (30-mi.) drive to the west of Golden, a 2.5-hr. drive from Calgary, a 28-km. (35-min.) drive from Lake Louise and 10 kms. (a 15-min.) drive west of the small railway village of Field, in Yoho National Park, near the highway exit to Emerald Lake, which has a park-operated visitor center. A two-lane paved road, about 9 kms (6 mi.) long, connects the Trans-Canada Highway with Emerald Lake. Parking fills up fast in the summer, so it is best to arrive early in the morning.

Cave and Basin National Historic Site of Canada (Banff, Alberta)

Posted on 7 July, 2026 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

On our first whole day in Banff, we departed Douglas Fir Resorts & Chalets for the short 3.8-km. (10-min.) drive to The Cave and Basin National Historic Site of Canada, the first ever federally protected reserve in Canada and the birthplace of the country’s national park system (now, Canada has 37 national parks, 11 national park reserves, and 1004 national historic sites, 171 of which are administered by Parks Canada). As we arrived in July, well within between June 19 and September 7, 2026 (when Parks Canada waived all entry fees for visitors this summer), our entrance to the site was free.

A special place for Indigenous Peoples for over ten thousand years (and continues to be so to this day), with important and longstanding cultural significance, it is a gathering place for sharing stories about conservation and the connection between people and the land. Together with Banff National Park, it is part of the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Îyârhe Nakoda of the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations; the Tsuut’ina First Nation; and the Métis Nation of Alberta.

The author, Kyle, Jandy and Grace inside The Cave

Here’s the historical timeline of the site:

In 1859, the first written recorded reference to hot springs here was made by James Hector of the Palliser Expedition.
In 1875, Joe Healey happened upon the Cave and Basin site long after Indigenous Peoples.
In 1883, Frank McCabe and brothers Tom and William McCardell, three Canadian Pacific Railway workers, using a felled tree, descended through the skylight entrance into the cave and the thermal springs.
In 1884, they constructed a small cabin nearby with the intention of commercializing the Cave and Basin site. In those days, hot springs were extremely valuable since hot water was not readily available from a tap like it is today. The CPR workers knew this would attract people and wanted to monetize it. Conflicting claims by other parties prompted intervention by the Canadian government headed by John A. Macdonald.
In 1885, an order-in-council reserved 26 sq. kms. (10 sq. mi.) around the Cave and Basin, the Banff Hot Springs Reserve. This was the genesis of Canada’s national parks system.
In 1886, the Canadian government held an inquiry into the various private claims to settle on compensation. That same year, an artificial tunnel was driven into the Cave and Basin to aid visitation. Its construction, according to articles in the Calgary Herald at the time, was contentious even in 1887.
In 1887, a bathhouse, the first structure on the site, was built.
In 1904, a new, naturally-heated pool was built as the existing one proved inadequate by 1902,
In 1912, bottled water from the Cave and Basin site was sold for its alleged curative powers.
In 1914, a stone bathhouse, designed by architect Walter S. Painter, was completed and opened to the public. Many of the early structures were built by detainees held at a World War I Ukrainian Canadian internment camp located nearby. The camp had a significant Ukrainian contingent. It continued to operate until 1994.
In 1924, western mosquitofish were introduced into the hot springs in an attempt to control mosquitos. Tropical fish illegally introduced into the lower springs by local aquarium enthusiasts may have contributed to the extinction of the Banff longnose dace.
In 1975, the pools were closed.
On November 13, 1981, the Cave and Basin was formally declared a National Historic Site.
In 1985, on the anniversary of the order-in-council that established the original reserve around the Cave and Basin, Canada’s national parks system celebrated its centennial. That same year, the pools were also restored.
On August 20, 1985, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and consort of the Queen of Canada, unveiled the National Historic Site plaque.
In 1992, the pools were permanently closed. An interpretive center now uses the structures.
In 2000, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada listed the Banff Springs snail as an endangered species. Cave and Basin hot springs are also notable as the habitat for this snail.
In the summer of 2010, First Nations ceremonies and rituals began again in the Cave and Basin. (the Stoney people stopped coming to the Cave once Canadian Pacific Railway workers and settlers arrived in Banff).
On September 13, 2013, a permanent exhibit about Canada’s first national internment operations was opened at the Cave and Basin site (it was postponed three months by extensive flooding across southern Alberta), with an address by Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism

Located within the Canadian Rocky Mountains, at the site of natural thermal mineral springs around which Canada’s first national park, Banff National Park, was established, it is the lowest component of nine sulphurous hot springs clustered, in three groups on the northeast flank of Sulphur Mountain, all located along the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault below Devonian limestones.

The mineral spring issues from Sulphur Mountain where surface water penetrates the rock, absorbing minerals and being heated, by geothermal energy, from an estimated depth of 3 kms., to emerge in a cave and in a nearby basin before joining the Bow River drainage system below.

At the entrance is a rotunda with interpretative panels commemorating the historic 1883 discovery by railway workers plus the official National Historic Site bronze plaque, unveiled by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on August 20, 1984, designating the thermal springs as the birthplace of Canada’s national parks system.

Near the entrance, at the south belvedere of the main building, is a narrow artificial tunnel leading to The Cave, a dimly-lit natural grotto and hot spring. The tunnel ceiling was low in some places, so I had to mind my head. Before entering the cave, we took time to read the education displays and panels at Cave Story Hall to have a deeper understanding of the impact and significance of what we are seeing when we enter The Cave.

The oil-based mural of Roland Rollinmud at Cave Story Hall

Near the entranceway and and tunnel of the hall is a remarkable oil-based mural, created by artist Roland Rollinmud (an elder from Stoney Nakoda Nation) and presented to Parks Canada in 2011, depicting Indigenous elders climbing down into the cave through the vent hole on rawhide ladders

This large hollowed-out cavern, with a steaming mineral pool below, is the only cave large enough to comfortably accommodate groups of people. A small vent hole, in the rock ceiling, acts as a natural skylight, letting in enough sunlight to reflect off the pool and glisten on the smooth red and white flowstone layers running down the cave walls. You’ll also find stalactites and stalagmites, glacial till and a small trickling waterfall.

A single elevated platform overlooks the water. There are stanchions in place to make it abundantly clear you enter along the righthand side of the hall in a line that terminates at the platform. After your time on the platform, you exit via the left-hand side of the tunnel. Relatively small, the cave has a single opening at the top that lets in natural light.

Immediately following its “discovery,” almost all of the delicate cave formations had been stripped out thinking it would improve the accessibility and aesthetic. Steam continually rose from the geothermally heated waters, and the earthy mineral scent of hydrogen sulfide filled the air, which kind of makes you second guess wanting to jump in. While the rotten egg smell never goes away, it does become tolerable.

The original bathhouse now the Interpretive Centre and Museum

The former original 1887 bathhouse and restored 1916 interior public swimming pool complex for nearly 100 years, built with Classical Revival details, has now been renovated into an Interpretive Centre and Museum. Visitors here can enjoy interactive and interpretive media exhibits, detailing the 1883 discovery of the thermal hot springs by railway workers, and short films that takes you through a journey of Canada’s National Parks, and heritage of thermal waters.

On top of the main building are the covered Belvedere Viewing Decks, overlooking the historic site, that offer panoramic views of the surrounding Canadian Rocky Mountains, marshland and mountain ridges.

View of the Canadian Rocky Mountains from the view deck

Outside the old pool complex, adjacent to The Cave, is The Basin (a pool of mineral water), the natural springs which flow into the Cave and Basin. It has been rewilded as close to its original state as possible and is now protected. A helpful ranger explained more about the animals that call these thermal pools home. They include tiny fish that have been introduced to these thermal waters (mosquito fish, jewelfish and sailfin molly), damselfly (Argia vivida) larvae that were in among the algae and, if you look closely, you’ll catch a glimpse of the endangered Banff Springs Snail (Physella johnsoni) in the pools.

Bryan, Cheska, Kyle and Jandy searching for Banff Spring Snails among the algae.

These tiny snails that are only found in the Upper Hot, Kidney, Middle, Cave, Basin and Vermilion Lake Springs in this area. All of the thermal pools, except the Banff Upper Hot Springs, a separate facility some 5 kms. (3 mi.) southeast of the Cave and Basin, have been closed off to humans in order to preserve this limited habitat.

Located around the parking lot and historic bathing pavilion are large 8×8 ft. murals, painted on outdoor display boxes, which were placed during the spring-to-fall visitor season and can be viewed during regular site hours. These rotating large-scale outdoor mural projects were created by indigenous artists, in collaboration with the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies.

Cheska, Grace, Bryan and Kyle at the Discovery Boardwalk

Within the complex are the Discovery Boardwalks that lead you up the hill and through unique marshes created by the natural springs. Along the walk, you’ll encounter the original surface vent hole and, next to it, are vestiges of the log shanty, built between 1883 and 1885, known as ”the Hotel,” so they could stay close and protect it from other prospectors.

There are also few other smaller hot pools with bright blue-green waters and filled with pink bacteria and algae.

The boardwalks also feature educational signage, upper views of the Cave and Basin complex, and stunning, sweeping mountain and valley vistas of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. For those with stamina, you can hike along the 7.4-km. round trip Sundance Trail and the 2.7-km. Marsh Loop.

Cave and Basin National Historic Site of Canada: 311 Cave Ave., Banff, Alberta T1L 1K2. Tel:+1-403-762-1566. E-mail: caveandbasin@pc.gc.ca. Admission: $9.00 (adults), $7.50 (seniors) and free for children. Free admission on Canada Day. Open daily, from May 15 to October 15, 9:30 AM to 5 PM. Closed: September 21 to 24, 2026. Coordinates:

How to Get There: It is located about 2 kms. and a 30-min. walk from the town center. Once you cross the bridge, look for the dedicated walking trail. The Cave and Basin Trail will take you all the way there. From Banff, head south on Banff Avenue (the main street through Banff), over the Bow River Bridge to a T-intersection, and then turn right on Cave Avenue and follow the signs. The Cave and Basin parking lot is located at the end of this road. By bus, Roam bus route #4 will take you to the Cave and Basin.

Badlands Historical Center (Drumheller, Alberta)

Posted on 5 July, 2026 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

The fascinating, one-storey Badlands Historical Centre, Drumheller’s original museum, was founded in the 1950s. This off-beat museum, with an outdoor dinosaur sculpture & other unique displays, was designed to showcase the rich history and geological significance of the Badlands region.

Located in the heart of downtown Drumheller, this off-beat, community-run local museum is distinct from the larger Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology. It features informative displays and exhibits that detail the area’s prehistoric past, including dinosaur fossils and the unique landscape shaped by erosion.

Check out “Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology”

Here, you can learn, in a neat retro setting, about the Valley’s rich history, from dinosaurs to its indigenous peoples, pioneering to coal mining and more. The center serves as an entry point to discover the captivating natural beauty and history of the surrounding landscape.

On display at the main gallery are an awesome Pachyrhinosaurus skull (fondly called Pachioni); tanned horsehides; a statue of Tom Three Persons (rodeo legend) a large coprolite; a half scale, 1927 John Deere Model D tractor; office and home furniture; and old office equipment (National cash register, typewriters, etc.); old photos; old newspaper clippings, and movie posters.

“W.G. Hodgson Juniper Root Carvings” features works of Alberta rancher and self-taught wood worker Wolfgang G. Hodgson.

“Murray Olsen: Artisan” spotlights Murray James Olsen who is often credited, with Tig Seland, with building the various iconic roadside dinosaur sculptures that now decorate the streets of Drumheller.

“Stars in the Valley” features major movies done or partially shot in the unique badlands landscape of Drumheller such as Superman (1978), Unforgiven (1992), Shanghai Noon (2000), Knockaround Guys (2001), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), The Revenant (2015), and Rat Race (2001).

The private collection of pioneer Lawrence A. Duncan includes art (“Art by L.A. Duncan”), frontier antiques (“Curios of L.A. Duncan), regional fossils and indigenous Indian artifacts from the around the Red Deer River valley (“Indigenous Collection of L.A. Duncan”).

The fossil collection of William M. Fulton includes heavily crystallized petrified wood, amber fossils, an oyster shell with crystals, large fossil cones of sequoias, seeds of Carpolithus fultoni bell (gingko), crocodile teeth, a dinosaur toe bone, Tyrannosaurus rex teeth, a dinosaur bone with marrow replaced with crystals, a branch imprint in sandstone, a Champosar tail vertebrae, ammonites, and a dermal scute from an Ankylosaur.

Other informative displays include the “King of the Badlands;” “Dinosaurs;” “Petrified Forest;” “Native Culture;” “Pioneers,” “Badlands Geology,” “Agriculture of the Past,” “C.A. (Charlie) Smith,” “Drumheller First Responders,” “Drumheller the Coal City,” and “History of Oil and Gas.”

Adjoining the main gallery is the dedicated Duncan Room which was named after local resident Lawrence “Larry” A. Duncan, a self-educated and gifted entrepreneur who was active in the development of American and Canadian mining and petroleum services for over 50 years.

Born in 1890 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, he was an Albertan since 1908. He was actively involved in the excavation of dinosaurs, professional photography, the Alpine Club of Canada and the Alberta Mineral Society (formed in 1931). He founded Canada’s oldest lapidary firm as well as the Calgary Rock and Lapidary Club in 1959.

Scaled model of a village, train station and railway tracks

On display here are Royal Canadian Mountain Police (RCMP) uniforms, medals and insignia; a statue of Herman Linder (a Canadian rancher, rodeo promoter and competitor); a bust of politician Gordon E. Taylor (1910-2003); a scaled model of a village, train station and railway tracks; rock samples; firefighting equipment (fire extinguishers, gas masks, etc.); old photos; artwork; and porcelain figurines.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) uniforms and porcelain figurines

A magnificent car, hand-built by Murray Olsen, uses a hydraulic drive and requires no supports of skid drives, defying all logic. The car balances entirely on two wheels and can operate at speeds of up to 5 miles per hour and can take slopes of up to 45 degrees.

The scaled replica of a No. 6015, made by Charlie Smith, has a steam engine that weighs over 400 kgs. and, when running, can carry up to 7 people.

Informative displays include “Baseball in the Valley,” “Drumheller Curling Club 1919 – 2025,” “Hockey in the Valley,” and “Sports in the Valley.”

Visitors can also explore educational resources, participate in guided tours, and learn about the indigenous cultures that have inhabited this area. Its gift shop sells select dinosaur fossils. amethyst and peacock ore (bornite) samples ($20), bags, jewelry as well as other souvenirs.

Badlands Historical Center: 335 1st Street East, Drumheller, Alberta T0J 0Y0. Tel: 403-823-2593. E-mail: badlandshcinfo@gmail.com and badlandshistoricalcentre@gmail.com. Website: www.badlandsmuseum.wordpress.com. Open Mondays to Saturdays, 9 AM to 5:30 PM, and Sundays,10 AM to 5 PM. Admission: $20/person.

Miners Memorial Park (Drumheller, Alberta)

Posted on 3 July, 2026 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Miners Memorial Park, a small, quiet parkette in downtown Drumheller, honors the region’s rich coal mining history and the miners who “mined the black” in the local Coal Valley. Unveiled on November 10, 2012 by MP Kevin A. Sorenson, and Mayor Terry Yemen (with Bob Moffatt, representing miners, and Randall Myers, representing families who lost loved ones), it commemorates the opening of Newcastle Mine, the first coal mine in Drumheller, in 1911. In 2025, a new silhouette entrance sign depicting a miner with a headlamp, created by Fred Makowecki of ImageCrafter Signs, was unveiled at the park.

The silhouette entrance sign depicting a miner with a headlamp

A project of the Atlas Coal Mine Historical Society, community members and numerous volunteers, supported by the Building Communities Through Art and Heritage Program, Department of Canadian Heritage, the park grounds features historical information boards detailing the area’s past.

The iron sheave wheel from Atlas Coal Mine #4

The central steel and granite monument, designed by Ontario-based artist James Smith, includes a headframe iron sheave wheel (a large pulley wheel used in mine hoist systems), sourced from the historic Atlas Coal Mine #4 (the last coal mine to close in Coal Valley), that was part of the hoisting system that, in 1979, hauled the last load of Drumheller coal to the surface.

One of a number of historical information boards detailing the area’s past

In 1962, using this same hoisting system, two brothers John and Robert “Babe” Myers were killed when their exit elevator malfunctioned and the brakes did not hold. The 12-ton counterweight hurled to the ground, the cage smashed into the hoist structure then plummeted 400 ft. to the bottom of the shaft instantly killing the two brothers.

The base with a list of the 207 miners killed. Below it is a pair of crossed pickaxes

The base of the monument features a base with a list, laser-etched in black granite, of the names, year of death and the mine locations of the 207 miners killed in Drumheller‘s mines between 1911 and 1980. Below it is a pair of crossed pickaxes.

The original mural of the late artist and former miner Marcel Deschenes

Alongside the monument is a mural, depicting the Coal Valley’s mining heritage, done by artist (a graduate of the Alberta College of Art, now a university) and former miner Marcel Deschenes who lived in East Coulee and passed away in November 2018 at the age of 71. Black-and-white photos of the fallen miners as well as photos depicting life during the mining years are also mounted on wooden fence picket walls.

Photos mounted on wooden fence picket wall

Miners Memorial Park: 236 Centre St., Drumheller, Alberta T0J 3R0.

How to Get There: The memorial park is located near the Drumheller Municipal Building, as well as near the Drumheller Fire Station.

Badlands Interpretive Trail (Drumheller, Alberta)

Posted on 2 July, 2026 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

After our tour of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, we tried out the Badlands Interpretive Trail, a 1.4 to 1.6-km. (0.87 mi.) easy loop hiking trail, with about 27 m. (88 ft.) elevation gain, which is used extensively by the museum public and school programs. A trailhead, a few hundred meters east of the museum, marks a 1-km. long loop, where numbered interpretive signs recount the glacial forces that sculpted the badlands from 70-million year-old layers of sedimentary rock.

Check out “Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology”

Visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour through the trail, which is a popular destination for those interested in geology, paleontology, and natural history and suitable for all ages, offering stunning views of the surrounding badlands.

This trail, featuring two stairs, elevated viewing platforms (not fully wheelchair-accessible), and informative signs explaining local fossil history, plants and landscape creation, is part of the Canadian Badlands, an area known for its striking landscapes, including hoodoos, canyons, and coulees. We climbed up the elevated viewing platform just across the museum. Here we had panoramic bird’s eye views of the museum and the eroded valley.

The author and Grace at the elevated viewing platform

The Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleontology seen from the elevated viewing platform

Taking visitors through Midland Provincial Park and connecting to the Trans Canada Trail, the Badlands Interpretive Trail offer us a chance to explore the unique geological formations and rich paleontological history of the Drumheller region.

Grace, Kyle, Cheska, Bryan and Jandy begin their hike…..

One or two kilometers east of this path is another self-guided tour through the remains of the Midland. After descending the elevated viewing deck, we began our hike on the east side of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology parking lot, staying on the marked golden gravel and paved paths to protect the fragile badlands ecosystem.

Benches, covered with grasses, are formed when sandstone layers are iron-rich, making them resistant to erosion

Small hill full of bentonite clay formed from ancient volcanic ash. Though seemingly harmless, any amount of moisture causes bentonite to swell and become very greasy and slippery.

As it was summer, it was the perfect time to look for tough plants that survive despite the hot, dry, and windy desert-like badlands conditions. They include flowering prickly pear cactuses (which have special stems with thick, waxy skin to trap water and sharp thorns for safety), sage (with strong aromatic leaves, it thrives in dry soil), scarlet mallow (produces bright, hardy flowers during summer months) and small populations of harebell and wild rose which bloom in sheltered or slightly cooler spots.

We also encountered a boulder-size fossil of an ancient giant redwood (Sequoiadendron), dating back roughly 72 million years to the Late Cretaceous period, that has been petrified and remains exposed by erosion. The fossil, existing long before the region eroded into today’s semi-arid badlands landscape, proves the local badlands area once had a warm, moist, subtropical climate comparable to modern-day Florida.

Hoodoos are delicate 5 to 7-m.tall sandstone spires capped with dense rock created by millions of years of wind, water, and frost erosion shaping soft sandstone and shale

If you want a longer walk, the path links up with other trails in the Midland Provincial Park and the wider local river park system. The trail provides educational signage that explains the area’s geology, ecology, and the significance of the dinosaur fossils found in the region.

This channel becomes a rushing, brown-colored torrent during heavy rains, eroding sediment off exposed bedrock surfaces and is ultimately carried away by the Red Deer River

Small metamorphic rock boulders which, unlike the surrounding landscape, do not have their origins in the Late Cretaceous but were carried southwestward, into this area, from the Canadian Shield by the glaciers of the Late Ice Age.

Badlands Interpretive Trail: at 1500 North Dinosaur Trail, Midland Provincial Park, Drumheller, Alberta. Admission is free.

How to Get There: the trail is located northeast and right next to the Royal Tyrrell Museum.

This travel blog, a diary of the author’s local and international travels, aims to provide the reader with news and information on people, places and events that would interest the avid traveler and tourist. But, it also aims to be much more, providing insights on the wonders of this beautiful country, as well as the world, beyond the strict confines of the city. Have a BLAST seeing old churches, exotic temples, educational museums as well as palm-fringed islands; white sand beaches; thundering waterfalls; placid lakes; fiery sunsets; turquoise seas; cathedral-like caves; swirling rivers; majestic mountains; stupendous, amphitheater-like rice terraces; awesome volcanoes and the like. Get to know the movers and shakers in the tourism industry; find out where to titillate the palate; rejuvenate your body; feed your adrenalin, unwind and relax; satisfy your craving for history and culture; and find out what's being celebrated and where.

BENJAMIN “BENJIE” LAYUG, an architect by profession (he finished his B. S. Architecture degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1982), is also a copy editor for two publishing houses; travel writer; blogger; architectural historian; author; concert. movie and musical reviewer (for www.pep.ph); and a motivational speaker.

As a free-lance travel writer, he has, in the past, contributed articles to Travel Update, Philippine Daily Inquirer, COLORS, TODAY, 7107 Islands Magazine, Business Day and Bluprint. He currently writes for Artplus Magazine and the Business Mirror.

He is also the author of the following travel books:

A Philippine Odyssey (New Day Publishers, 2005)
Pathfinder’s Travel Guide: Boracay (Great Books Trading, 2006)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches (New Day Publishers, 2007)
A Tourist to Notable Philippine Historical Landmarks, Monuments and Shrines (New Day Publishers, 2010)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums (New Day Publishers, 2012)

Some of his books now appear in the local library shelves of the National Library of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Sto. Tomas, U.P. Diliman, Centro Escolar University, San Sebastian College, Miriam College, Silliman University, to name a few, as well as internationally at the National Library of Australia and the University of California Berkeley Library.

Now a senior citizen, he is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active travel blogger in the country today. He also has a lifestyle blog called F.Y.I.:Firing Your Imagination (www.firingyourimagination.blogspot.com). Benjie has traveled to two-thirds (53) of the country’s 81 provinces and over 20 countries in 4 continents.