Exploring Drumheller and Dinosaur Provincial Park – Roadside Attractions and the Royal Tyrrell Museum

An Unexpected Detour from the Trans Canada Trail into Alberta's Badlands
 
Never let anyone tell you that the world cannot surprise you with its kindness! After spending much of yesterday worrying about how we were going to walk the 64 kilometres from Irricana to Drumheller, give our scheduled nature presentation, and somehow find our way back to the Trans Canada Trail, things have worked out rather differently than we expected. In fact, thanks to the generosity of two wonderful people, what we anticipated would be an exhausting logistical challenge has turned into an opportunity to spend a couple of days exploring one of Alberta's most remarkable landscapes.

 
As we were packing up our belongings in the Irricana campground, preparing ourselves for what could have been a 14- to 16-hour walk along Highway 9, a couple approached us. They had read our previous blog entry, were planning to travel to Drumheller to attend our presentation, and wondered whether we would like a ride. Needless to say, we didn't need much convincing! Instead of spending an entire day walking beside highway traffic, we found ourselves enjoying a leisurely hour-long drive through the Alberta countryside.
 
Their generosity didn't end there. As it turned out, they were planning to stay in Drumheller for two days and kindly offered to take us back to Irricana afterward. Suddenly, not only did we have a way to reach our presentation, but we also had the possibility of spending a little time exploring the region without worrying about how we would return to the Trans Canada Trail. With transportation now arranged, we decided to keep all our camping equipment with us rather than leave it behind. This meant that we could set up our tent in Drumheller, spend two nights exploring the area, and return to the TCT with everything we needed to continue our westward journey across Canada.
 
Drumheller is perhaps best known for its dinosaurs, and it certainly doesn't take long to discover that the community has embraced its prehistoric heritage. There are dinosaur-themed roadside attractions, an enormous Tyrannosaurus Rex towering above the local arena, and reminders everywhere that this part of Alberta contains one of the world's most extraordinary fossil landscapes. Naturally, we couldn't resist stopping to explore some of these sites.
 

Drumheller and Dinosaur Provincial Park

 
After setting up our tent, we received a direct and memorable warning from the campground wardens, who advised us not to leave our tent door open or unzip our sleeping bags until we were ready to climb inside. Apparently, snakes and spiders were among the local residents we should be mindful of! After so many months spent camping in forests, fields, and along trails across Canada, we are reasonably accustomed to sharing the outdoors with wildlife, but this was certainly a reminder that we were travelling through a very different environment – and not one we expected in Canada.

 
After we gave our nature presentation to a regional nature group, one of the highlights of our visit was the opportunity to explore the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, where the exhibits offered a remarkable glimpse into the prehistoric environments and animals that once inhabited this region. Walking among the enormous skeletons, fossil displays, and reconstructions of ancient creatures was fascinating, particularly given that we had spent so much of our journey across Canada looking at the landscapes and wildlife that exist here today. It was extraordinary to consider how dramatically these environments have changed over millions of years, and how much of that history remains preserved in the rocks beneath our feet.

 

We also had the opportunity to join a guided walk through the surrounding badlands, learning more about the landscape and the geological processes that have shaped this part of Alberta. The scenery was unlike much of what we have encountered along the Trans Canada Trail so far. Instead of the expansive agricultural fields, prairie communities, and relatively level terrain we have been crossing in recent weeks, we found ourselves surrounded by deeply eroded hillsides, exposed layers of sedimentary rock, narrow gullies, and strangely sculpted formations rising from the valley floor.

 
There is something remarkable about the contrasts in this landscape. From a distance, the hills can appear almost barren, their pale slopes and weathered ridges creating an impression of a dry and inhospitable environment. Yet closer inspection reveals grasses, shrubs, and small patches of vegetation clinging to the hillsides and sheltered valleys. For anyone interested in nature, there is a great deal to discover here, even before beginning to consider the extraordinary geological history of the region.

 
Perhaps just as memorable were the more peaceful moments which we spent wandering through the badlands, admiring the unusual formations and watching the light change across the hills as evening approached. The sunsets were particularly beautiful, with the last light of day illuminating the pale ridges and casting long shadows through the valleys. After so many days spent concentrating on getting from one community to the next, it was a pleasure to have a little time simply to explore without constantly checking how many kilometres remained before we could stop for the night.

 

Of course, the original reason for visiting Drumheller was to share our experiences and enthusiasm for nature, and we were delighted that our presentation went so well. Everyone seemed genuinely interested in learning about birds and hearing about our journey across Canada on the Trans Canada Trail. As usual, there were plenty of practical questions about what it is like to spend so much time walking, camping, and living outdoors, and we enjoyed having the opportunity to answer them.  Moments like these are an important part of why we wanted to undertake this journey in the first place. Beyond simply crossing the country, we hope that sharing our experiences might encourage others to explore the natural world around them, whether that means hiking a long-distance trail or simply spending an afternoon discovering the birds in their own neighbourhood.

 
You may also notice that the photographs accompanying this entry are a little different from our usual collection. Sean has decided to take a well-deserved break from his role as expedition photographer, leaving me to document our little adventure. Please excuse the quality of the photographs if they aren't quite up to his usual standards! I hope the pictures still convey something of the extraordinary scenery we have been fortunate enough to explore.

 
Tomorrow we will be returning to Irricana, where we plan to spend another night before resuming our walk along the Trans Canada Trail. From there, our journey continues westward toward Calgary, the Rocky Mountains, British Columbia, and eventually the Pacific Ocean. There are still an enormous number of kilometres ahead of us, and we are looking forward to seeing what the next section of the trail has in store.  For now, however, we are simply grateful to the kind people who made this unexpected visit possible. What began as a rather daunting detour has turned into a wonderful opportunity to experience another part of Canada, meet new people, and discover a landscape we might otherwise have passed by entirely.
 
See you on the Trail!