Gems of the Canadian Badlands

Driving through the surreal landscapes of the Canadian Badlands, visitors discover a fossil-rich region with outstanding attractions

A road trip is the best way to explore the Canadian Badlands, a region with unearthly landscapes, some of the world’s best fossil beds and unique historical sites.

Dinosaur Trail

Following the course of the slow-moving Red Deer River, the 48 km (29 mi) Dinosaur Trail climbs to two commanding viewpoints, Horsethief Canyon and Orkney Hill. The lovely looping drive combines the riveting intensity of the Royal Tyrrell Museum with short walks, a ride on the Bleriot Ferry and the scenic majesty of the Drumheller Valley, including Midland Provincial Park and the Littlest Church.

Ghost Hunting

The tiny town of Wayne isn’t completely abandoned, but it’s pretty close. Once a thriving coal mine town, it is now listed as an official ghost town. But that doesn’t stop car buffs, bikers and cyclists from gathering there – especially on weekends. At the still-operational Last Chance Saloon inside the supposedly haunted Rosedeer Hotel, visitors can cook their own steak out back, then sit at an old fashioned bar and drink from canning jars in a building with real bullet holes in the wall.

Going Underground

There was a time when coal mining was the main industry in the Canadian Badlands and Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site provides a real taste of a miner’s working life. Visitors don hardhats and go deep underground to see the inner workings of this authentic coal mine where the ghosts of miners are said to haunt the site.