Alberta is represented by six tourism regions, divided principally by their geographic characteristics. The province’s most famous region, the Alberta Rockies, takes up a relatively small part of the province and is identified by its numerous alpine attractions. Both of Alberta’s major cities are represented by their own tourism regions.
Central Alberta Edmonton The capital of Alberta, located at the center of the province, was originally established as a remote trading post by the Hudson Bay Company in 1795. From then on, Edmonton experienced relatively little
growth until the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897. Overnight, Fort Edmonton became the supply area for the thousands of gold seekers heading up the treacherous Klondike Trail to the Yukon. The discovery of oil in the Edmonton area in 1947 assured the city of its future, making it one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in Canada. The spacious well-planned city is also famed for its huge parks, which sit on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. Edmonton’s love affair with its past is reflected in Canada’s largest historical park, Fort Edmonton Park. This is a complex of reproductions of the city’s frontier days and reaches its apogee in the annual ‘Klondike Days’ extravaganza, held each July, when Edmontonians relive the days of the Gold Rush. West Edmonton Mall is the largest shopping mall in the world, with theaters, restaurants, nightclubs, amusement areas (including a miniature golf course, ice rink, swimming pool, waterpark and amusement park), aviaries, aquariums and museums. Edmonton also boasts Fantasyland, the world’s largest indoor amusement park, and Canada’s largest planetarium, the Space & Science Center which also has an IMAX experience and Challenger center. There are several theaters and art galleries. On a clear day, an estimated 6500 sq km (2500 sq miles) of Alberta can be seen from Vista 33 at the Alberta Telephone Tower. The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is just outside the city. Other attractions include the Valley Zoo to the west of Edmonton and the John Janzen Nature Center nestled in the River Valley Park.
Beyond Edmonton In the town of St Albert, 30km (19 miles) northwest from downtown Edmonton, is the historic log cabin of Father Lacombe and Alberta’s oldest surviving structure. It was at one time the center of a thriving French-speaking Métis settlement (native peoples of mixed heritage). Today, St Albert is known for its extensive parklands, which include 40km (25 miles) of walking trails and groomed cross-country trails. Elk Island National Park is located approximately 45km (29 miles) east of Edmonton and can be reached via Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) from the south and Highway 15 from the north. Originally established in 1906 as an elk preserve, this completely fenced park is now home to over 44 different kinds of wildlife (including elk, moose, coyote, bear and beaver) as well as massive herds of plains bison. Camping is possible for a maximum stay of two weeks.
Southern Alberta Calgary The province’s second city is situated at the western end of the Great Plains in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It is probably the fastest growing city in Canada, and hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics. The heart of the city is a pedestrian mall with excellent shopping and restaurants; the Glenbow Museum, art galleries and theaters are nearby. The Calgary Zoo and Prehistoric Park is one of the best in North America. Heritage Park offers a chance to explore an authentic Alberta frontier town as it was 80 years ago. There are panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains from the Calgary Tower.
Beyond Calgary The historic site of Cochrane Ranche, established in 1881, sits 30km (19 miles) west of Calgary. By 1888, operations had expanded to such an extent that the ranch billed itself as ‘the largest ranch in the Dominion’. The site is now an historic landmark. On Alberta’s southwestern border with the USA is Waterton Lakes National Park, joined to Glacier National Park in Montana to form the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Scenic views of the stunning lake and scenery can be experienced on a cruise boat tour around the lake. Visitors should note that the park is a natural habitat for many species of wildlife, including bears; and that caution, particularly with bears, should be exercised. The Canadian Heritage National Parks Department publishes leaflets on safety precautions in backcountry areas. For details, contact one of the travel authorities under Canada’s General Info section. In south-central southern Alberta, the remains of dinosaurs first discovered in 1874 in the banks of the Red Deer River, can be seen on the 48km- (30 mile-) Dinosaur Trail near Drumheller. A few minutes from the downtown area is the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, with hands-on exhibitions, ongoing site work and one of the world’s largest collections of dinosaur remains. Southwest of Drumheller, the Dinosaur Provincial Park continues this theme with reconstructed skeletons of duck-billed dinosaurs. To the south of Calgary, 50km (36 miles) south of Lethbridge, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is among the largest and best-preserved jump sites in the world; it was used by the native people for more than 10,000 years to drive thousands of buffalo to their deaths, thus providing them with food, shelter and clothing. The top of the cliff provides an unparalleled view of the surrounding prairie.
Western Alberta The Rockies The city of Calgary is the major stopping-off point en route to Banff National Park, 130km (80 miles) to the west in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Banff, the first of the country’s national parks and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a spectacular wilderness area with mountain, river and lake scenery – notably Lake Louise. Along with Jasper National Park to the north, it offers a huge range of activities, including boating, canoeing, raft tours, fishing and hiking. The major ski resort in the Rockies, it hosts the annual Banff Festival of the Arts. The small town of Jasper is mainly used as a stocking-up point for the numerous hikers on their way into the mountains. Set in magnificent mountain scenery, it is an ideal starting point for trips to Pyramid Lake, the Miette Hotsprings and Maligne Canyon as well as Maligne Lake. For the bold of heart, there is even alpine scuba-diving. Horseshoe Lake, Patricia Lake and Lake Annette are three of the more popular locations. Divers should be experienced and employ the ‘buddy’ system as the water is cold and visibility is often limited. The local Rangers Station opposite the railway station can supply maps and other information. One-day permits for these parks cost C$5 per adult, with children aged six years and under admitted free of charge. The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), runs the length of the two parks, affording magnificent views of the lakes, forests and the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, which incorporates the McKinley Glacier and the Columbia Glacier. Visitors can take a bus trip to the top of the latter or go on foot to the bottom edge of it. It should be noted, though, that the temperature drops noticeably when approaching the glacier and that the hiking trail can be difficult in parts. The Parkway provides the best access to the wilderness trails in the area.
Northern Alberta In the far north of the province, the remote Wood Buffalo National Park straddles the border with Canada’s Northwest Territories. The park is located 1310km (819 miles) north of Edmonton and 228km (143 miles) north of Fort McMurray. Wood Buffalo is Canada’s largest national park (it is bigger than Switzerland) and was granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1983. The park’s vast expanses of boreal plains make it a perfect habitat for many rare species of wildlife, including the world’s largest free-roaming bison herd. Within the park, the Peace-Athabasca Delta is one of the world’s largest inland freshwater deltas and a major nesting area for migratory waterfowl, such as the whooping crane. The park offers a variety of activities to visitors, including wildlife viewing, walks on secluded forest trails and canoe trips on the mighty Athabasca, Peace and Slave rivers.
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