The Dinosaur Trail is a circular tourist route in the province of Alberta, Canada, located in the Canadian badlands paralleling the Red Deer River on both sides, from Drumheller to the Bleriot Ferry. It is divided in two segments, with the South Dinosaur Trail following the south side of the river and uses portions of Highway 575 and Highway 837, while North Dinosaur Trail follows the north side of the river and is the entirety of Highway 838. The north and south segments of Dinosaur Trail are connected by the Highway 9 / Highway 56 concurrency within Drumheller.

Dinosaur Trail
Route information
Maintained by Alberta Transportation
Tourist loop around the Drumheller Valley
Length47.3 km[1] (29.4 mi)
Component
highways
RestrictionsBleriot Ferry closed during the winter.[2]
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
Specialized and rural municipalitiesStarland County, Kneehill County
TownsDrumheller
Highway system

Route description

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Sign marking the Dinosaur Trail in the Drumheller Valley

The Dinosaur Trail begins at the 2 Street SW / South Railway Avenue intersection (Highway 9 / 56) in Drumheller and travels west along South Railway Avenue (Highway 575).[3] On the western outskirts of the Drumheller townsite, it passes the amphitheatre which houses the Canadian Badlands Passion Play, and continues past the former hamlet of Nacmine, which is now within Drumheller. At the Highway 575/837 intersection, the Dinosaur Trail turns onto Highway 837 while Highway 575 heads west towards Carbon. The Dinosaur Trail continues northwest along the Red Deer River to the intersection of Highway 837/838 intersection, where it turns east onto Highway 838. It crosses the Red Deer River on the free, cable-operated Bleriot Ferry, which has been running since 1913[4] and operates from late April to November.[2] North of the river, the Dinosaur Trail briefly exits the valley and re-enters it near Horsethief Canyon. The Dinosaur Trail passes through Midland Provincial Park and past the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology before ending at Highway 9 / 56 back in Drumheller. The loop is completed by following Highway 9 / 56 (Bridge Street and 2nd Street W) across the Red Deer River, through downtown Drumheller, and rejoining Highway 575.[3]

Major intersections

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Beginning at the 2 Street SW and South Railway Avenue intersection in Drumheller and travelling clockwise.[3]

Rural/specialized municipalityLocationkm[1]miDestinationsNotes
Town of DrumhellerDrumheller
(Townsite)
0.00.0   Highway 9 / Highway 56 to Highway 10 – Downtown, CalgaryDinosaur Trail follows Highway 575 west
Nacmine5.63.52nd Street
Kneehill County11.37.0   Highway 575 west / Highway 837 north – CarbonDinosaur Trail follows Hwy 837 north
20.512.7   Highway 837 north / Highway 838Dinosaur Trail follows Hwy 838 east
Red Deer River22.714.1  Bleriot Ferry (closed during winter)[2]
Starland County26.816.7Township Road 302 – MunsonDinosaur Trail branches south
Town of DrumhellerMidland Provincial Park41.025.5Royal Tyrrell Museum access road
Drumheller
(Townsite)
46.228.7   Highway 9 east / Highway 56 north – Hanna, StettlerDinosaur Trail follows Hwy 9 west / Hwy 56 south
46.629.0Crosses the Red Deer River
46.6–
47.3
29.0–
29.4
Passes through Downtown Drumheller
47.3
0.0
29.4
0.0
   Highway 9 west / Highway 56 south to Highway 10 – Calgary
  Highway 575 west (South Railway Avenue)
Dinosaur Trail follows Hwy 575 west
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Route transition

References

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  1. ^ a b "Dinosaur Trail in Alberta" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Ferries". Alberta Transportation. Government of Alberta. October 2, 2007. Archived from the original on May 17, 2009. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Alberta Back Road Atlas (2014 ed.). Oshawa, ON: Canadian Cartographics Corporation. p. 200. ISBN 978-155368-019-2.
  4. ^ "Dinosaur Trail & Hoodoo Drive". Lonely Planet. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
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