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Cultural drive · Alberta
Dinosaur Trail (Alberta Badlands)
The Alberta Badlands where the Cretaceous still lies open at the surface.
Overview
The Alberta Badlands hold the richest concentration of late-Cretaceous dinosaur fossils on Earth. This 220 km loop from Calgary through Drumheller and Dinosaur Provincial Park delivers the Royal Tyrrell Museum, hoodoos, coulee viewpoints, and a UNESCO World Heritage badlands landscape all in one long weekend.
The northern anchor is Drumheller — a former coal town in the Red Deer River valley reinvented as dinosaur capital. The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology is the world's largest dinosaur-focused museum and easily fills half a day. The 55 km Dinosaur Trail (Highway 838) loops northwest to the Horseshoe Canyon overlook and the Bleriot cable ferry across the Red Deer River.
The southern half of the badlands, 170 km southeast of Drumheller, holds Dinosaur Provincial Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site with active fossil digs, ranger-led hikes, and comfort camping. Between the two, the East Coulee coal-mine museum and Rosedale suspension bridge are worthwhile detours.
Loop distance
220 km
Calgary → Drumheller → Dinosaur PP
UNESCO site
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Late-Cretaceous fossils
Anchor museum
Royal Tyrrell
Largest dino-focused museum on Earth
Season
Apr – Oct
Comfort camping year-round
The route
From start to finish
An approximate path through 5 key waypoints along the drive.
Driving times
Leg by leg
335 km across 3 legs. Times exclude stops, ferries, and weather contingencies.
| # | From → To | Distance | Driving time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Calgary → Drumheller | 140 km | 1h 40m | Highway 9 east |
| 02 | Drumheller → East Coulee | 25 km | 0h 25m | Rosedale bridge + Atlas Coal Mine |
| 03 | Drumheller → Dinosaur PP | 170 km | 2h 15m | Via Brooks |
| Total | 335 km | 4h+ | Drive time only |
Day by day
The itinerary
A suggested route designed to balance driving time with the stops that matter.
Calgary to Drumheller
Royal Tyrrell Museum in the afternoon, hoodoos at sunset, dinner and overnight in Drumheller.
Dinosaur Trail loop & East Coulee
Horseshoe Canyon, Bleriot Ferry, and the Atlas Coal Mine at East Coulee.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Drive south to Brooks and into the park; ranger fossil-hunt hike, camp at the park or return to Calgary.
When to drive
Month by month
Best window: April – October. Plan around shoulder months for fewer crowds at the cost of variable weather.
Budget
Three ways to drive it
Smart
$180–$280/ day
- Drive days
- 2–3
- Lodging
- Provincial park camping, Drumheller motels
- Food
- Diners
- Experiences
- Tyrrell + free hoodoos
Mid
$340–$540/ day
- Drive days
- 3
- Lodging
- Heartwood Inn, Dinosaur PP comfort camping
- Food
- Bernie & The Boys, Sublime Food Lounge
- Experiences
- Ranger fossil hunt + Atlas Coal Mine
Premium
$700+/ day
- Drive days
- 3
- Lodging
- Private cottages, guided fossil-hunt add-ons
- Food
- Chef-guided Drumheller dinner
- Experiences
- Private Tyrrell curator tour + heli-view
Editorial picks
Where to stop, sleep, and eat
Stop
Royal Tyrrell Museum
Drumheller
World-class palaeontology museum, walkthroughs of the Cretaceous — 4+ hours.
Stop
Horseshoe Canyon
Drumheller Trail
Deepest badlands coulee viewpoint 20 km west of Drumheller — free.
Operator
Dinosaur Provincial Park ranger hikes
Brooks
Guided fossil-hunt trails that access restricted badlands zones.
Lodging
Dinosaur PP Comfort Camping
Dinosaur PP
Fully-equipped canvas cabins with proper beds — no gear required.
Signature stops
Don't miss
Royal Tyrrell Museum
Horseshoe Canyon overlook
Dinosaur Provincial Park (UNESCO)
Atlas Coal Mine
Before you go
The prep checklist.
Practical things to lock in before you leave the driveway.
- Reserve Royal Tyrrell tickets online May–August.
- Comfort camping at Dinosaur PP opens 90 days in advance — book at reserve.albertaparks.ca.
- Never collect fossils — protected under Alberta's Historical Resources Act.
- Badlands heat exceeds 35 °C in July; hike at dawn and dusk.
- The Rosedale suspension bridge and Wayne (Last Chance Saloon) are worthwhile detours.
Where this road leads
Related destinations
Good to know
Frequently
asked.
Practical answers from travellers who have driven this route.
- Do I need to book the Tyrrell?
- Yes in summer — the museum uses timed entry from May through August. Book at tyrrellmuseum.com 1–2 weeks ahead.
- Can I collect fossils?
- No — all fossils are protected under Alberta's Historical Resources Act. Ranger-led fossil-hunt hikes let you spot bones in situ.
- Family-friendly?
- Yes — this is one of Alberta's top family drives. Comfort camping at Dinosaur PP (fully-equipped cabins) makes the badlands accessible without gear.
Planning the bigger trip?
Read our full guide to Canadian road-trip itineraries.
Along this route
Parks, camps, and cities on the drive
Every place below is within a comfortable side-trip of the route waypoints — surfaced automatically from our national-park, provincial-park, campground, and city datasets.
Nearby national parks
Nearby provincial parks
Nearby campgrounds
Cities along the way
Travel styles
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Nearby events & festivals
Events along the Dinosaur Trail (Alberta Badlands) route — worth timing your trip around.
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