region | alberta south
DINOSAUR PROVINCIAL PARK Roam where the dinosaurs once did ! Dinosaur Provincial Park is the site where the most dinosaur bones in the world have been found . Get in on the bone-digging action on a guided dig , or go for a walk on one of five easy trails to see the scenic hoodoos , grasses and plains ( you might recognize the scenery from some movies as it ’ s a popular filming location ). Drive , walk or bike the 3.2- km loop road through beautiful badlands , and see two outdoor fossil displays , one of which contains the nearly complete skeleton of a “ duck-billed ” dinosaur , its bones partially encased in the sediment that buried them 75 million years ago . 48 km east of Brooks , 403-378-4342 , albertaparks . ca / dinosaur
Land of the Dinosaurs
ROYAL TYRRELL MUSEUM Located in the heart of the Canadian Badlands , this expansive museum is a renowned centre for paleontology with an impressive collection of more than 130,000 fossils and dinosaur skeletons . Check out a new species of dinosaur in the exhibit Grounds for Discovery , which explores the exceptional specimens that have been discovered as a result of the museum ’ s collaboration with numerous industries such as housing , road construction , mining , wind turbine development , and oil and gas . In the Fossils in Focus exhibit , be sure to view the Regaliceratops peterhewsi — the “ Hellboy ” skeleton , which took nearly 10 years of difficult excavation to unearth . Drumheller ,
403-823-7707 , www . tyrrellmuseum . com
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WATERTON 6 LAKES NATIONAL PARK
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NANTON
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HEAD-SMASHED-IN BUFFALO JUMP
CROWSNEST PASS
FRANK SLIDE CENTRE
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STAVELY
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DRUMHELLER 9
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TROCHU THREE HILLS
STRATHMORE
VULCAN
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BASSANO
PICTURE BUTTE GRANUM
COALHURST
FORT MACLEOD
PINCHER CREEK
PORT OF CHIEF MOUNTAIN
CLARESHOLM
PORT OF PEIGAN
CARDSTON
WEST GLACIER
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LETHBRIDGE 5 52
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RAYMOND MAGRATH
PORT OF DEL BONITA
COALDALE
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MILK RIVER
HANNA
TABER
BROOKS
VAUXHALL
SWEETGRASS
DINOSAUR PROVINCIAL PARK
BOW ISLAND
FOREMOST
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REDCLIFF
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OYEN
WRITING-ON-STONE PROVINCIAL PARK
M ONTANA
MEDICINE HAT
PORT OF WHITLASH
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WALSH
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CYPRESS HILLS PROVINCIAL PARK
PORT OF WILD HORSE
VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE
WORLD ’ S LARGEST DINOSAUR Climb the 106 stairs to the top of this 25 m tall T-Rex to look at the Canadian Badlands from the mouth . The mighty dinosaur model is 4.5 times bigger than a real T-Rex , and 12 people can fit into the mouth at one time . Stop at the nearby park to have a picnic lunch . Drumheller , 1-866-823-8100 , worldslargestdinosaur . com
VILLAGES , TOWNS & CITIES
Vulcan is the Star Trek capital of Canada , as it shares a name with a planet in the sci-fi franchise . vulcantourism . com
Medicine Hat is one of the sunniest places on earth and has a vibrant arts scene . tourismmedicinehat . com
The largest city in southern Alberta , Lethbridge is home to museums , gardens , and cultural events . visitlethbridge . com
The quaint town of Nanton is home to museums , art galleries and antique shops . nanton . ca
Fort Macleod ’ s downtown Provincial Historic Area features more than 30 pioneer-era buildings . fortmacleod . com
The farming community of Empress offers opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts including hunting , fishing , and birdwatching . villageofempress . com
The town of Turner Valley has a lot of outdoor activities and the first craft distillery in Alberta . turnervalley . ca
PHOTOGRAPH : COURTESY TRAVEL ALBERTA
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