Don't get us wrong, the small town of Banff and the glistening beauty of Lake Louise are worthwhile to see, but they come with crowds. We're talking crammed photo spots and viewpoints, and the costs that come along with these tourist hot spots.
Luckily, there's a lot of beauty in the province that even rivals the natural wonder within Banff National Park. If you're looking to explore some of the less-talked-about natural wonders in Alberta, read on. Summer adventure awaits you.
Drumheller Hoodoos
Just two hours away from Calgary you'll find a little town called Drumheller — which is known as the "Dinosaur Capital of the World." There you'll find a giant statue of a T-Rex (a.k.a the "World’s Largest Dinosaur") and a museum full of prehistoric history.
Just beyond town though you'll find a breathtaking landscape, with striking sandstone columns scattered around. The Willow Creek Hoodoos are just 15 minutes from town and you can stroll along the pathways to take in the sights.
Mist Mountain
Nestled among the jagged mountain peaks in Kananaskis Provincial Park you can find hot pools to soak in, with an unbeatable view. The Mist Mountain hike is about two hours away from Calgary and you'll follow the Mist Mountain Springs trail to find the hot spring.
The trip is about 6.3 kilometres long and has challenging terrain, but your reward is this amazing natural pool. After a hard trek up the mountain you can take a break and enjoy the view from the warm water.
Red Rock Coulee Provincial Natural Area
At this park you can wander around among the sandstone rocks, taking in the unique landscape. Some rocks are as big as eight feet in width, and according to the Travel Alberta website they're "thought to be among the largest in the world."
This spot is about three and a half hours away from Calgary, but worth the dive to marvel at these formations.
Red Rock Canyon
Waterton Lakes National Park is actually full of natural wonders and hidden gems, and yet remains relatively low key compared to popular spots like Banff. It even has it's own quaint small town within the park where you can stay on a trip.
One of the easiest, yet most beautiful, hikes here is the Red Rock Canyon. While it's less than a kilometre long hike to reach it, you'll get a breathtaking scene of the canyon walls with clear water running between them. You can explore the deep red-coloured canyon, and then go on to see the rest of the park — from its mountain peaks to its sparkling lake.
Athabasca Dunes
You probably don't think of sand dunes when you think "Alberta." It's more Rocky Mountains and glacial lakes that come to mind, and fair enough, but this is yet another example of just how much there is to see in the province.
The Athabasca Dunes are set in Maybelle River Wildland Park, and stretch out for around eight kilometres, and are 1.5 kilometres wide. The highest dunes reach 39 feet tall. This is a long 10-hour drive from Calgary, but it's a pretty cool spot and super unique.
Just across the border in Saskatchewan, there are also some seriously impressive sand dunes in Athabasca Dunes Provincial Park. These dunes stretch out for around 100 kilometres and are "the largest active sand surface in Canada," according to Tourism Saskatchewan. It's only accessible by float plane though.
Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park
This is yet another stunning park in Alberta with unbelievable natural beauty to explore. Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its engravings and paintings from The Blackfoot people Nation that date back over 4,000 years.
You can take a guided tour of the park to learn about the significance of the park to the Blackfoot people and take in the beauty of the landscape.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
If a visit to Drumheller only made you more curious about dinosaurs in Alberta, then make a stop at Dinosaur Provincial Park. It's two and a half hours away from Calgary, so you could make a day trip from it or a weekend getaway.
This is another UNESCO World Heritage Site and known for having "some of the most important fossil discoveries ever made from the 'Age of Reptiles', in particular about 35 species of dinosaur, dating back some 75 million years."
You can camp here and take guided hikes to learn about the landscape and see fossils.
The takeaway here? There is a whole lot to see in Alberta. The go-to tourist spots are popular for a reason (can you really beat a town nestled in the Canadian Rockies), but it's also worth seeing the lesser-known spots that offer their own unique beauty.
Summer adventures await!
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
