Drumheller Parks & Gardens

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, the park covers 7,332 hectares (18,116 acres) and is one of the most significant palaeontological sites in the world. Skeletons are on display in the Royal Tyrrell Museum Field Station as well as in an in-situ exhibit building. More than 300 complete fossil specimens have been uncovered. There are five self-guided trails. Interpretive programs mid-May to mid-Oct include bus tours, hikes and evening campfire and amphitheatre presentations. The park is located two hour drive east from Calgary, 170 km south-east (2 hrs) from Drumheller, and 48 km north east of Brooks.

This was the site of the first two coal mines in the valley. An interpretive centre, housed in the former Midland Mine Office which operated from 1912 to 1959, is open daily. The park also includes a picnic area, walking trails and interpretive hikes.

17.6 km (10.5 miles) west of the Royal Tyrrell Museum, the canyon offers a spectacular view of the badlands valley and its multi-layered walls. Paths lead to petrified oyster beds. The area with its many folds and bends proved an ideal place for thieves to hide horses in the early 1900s.