Horseshoe Canyon Drumheller: A Badlands Day Trip from Calgary

We live in Calgary, and for months we kept putting off the drive to Drumheller. We finally went one clear winter morning, honestly without high expectations, and we were completely wrong. Standing at the rim of Horseshoe Canyon, it felt like we’d crash-landed on another planet: striped hills, deep gullies and layer upon layer of rock, all glowing in the low winter sun.

If you’re visiting Calgary and have a spare day, this is the trip we now recommend to everyone. Here’s how to get there, what to expect at Horseshoe Canyon in winter, where we ate, and what we’d add next time.

Layered badlands hills and a trail winding across the floor of Horseshoe Canyon on a clear winter morning — Horseshoe Canyon on a clear winter morning

Horseshoe Canyon at a Glance

Location: on Highway 9, about 17 km southwest of Drumheller, Alberta
From Calgary: about 1.5 hours by car (roughly 120 km)
Cost: no entry fee; parking was free when we visited in winter (paid parking has been piloted in summer, so check signs)
Time needed: 30 minutes at the viewpoints, 1–2 hours if you hike into the canyon
Best light: early morning or late afternoon
Getting there: rental car or a day tour from Calgary; there’s no practical public transit

Getting There from Calgary

Drumheller is about 1.5 to 1.75 hours northeast of Calgary, and you really need a car or a tour. The drive is easy: flat prairie and farmland for most of the way, until the ground suddenly drops away and the badlands appear. Horseshoe Canyon is right on Highway 9, so it’s a natural first stop before you reach town.

The sights around Drumheller are spread out, so plan your route before you go. From Horseshoe Canyon it’s about 20 minutes into town, and the Royal Tyrrell Museum and the hoodoos are in different directions from there.

Highway 9 Drumheller sign and runaway escape ramp sign on the road descending into the badlands — Highway 9 drops down into the badlands

Horseshoe Canyon: Another Planet, an Hour and a Half from Calgary

The canyon gets its name from its curved, horseshoe-like shape. What makes it so striking is the rock itself: tens of millions of years of sediment laid down in bands of grey, brown and cream, then carved by water and wind into domes, ridges and gullies. Drumheller sits in one of the richest dinosaur fossil areas in the world, and it’s a strange feeling to stand on ground where dinosaurs once lived.

Wide view of Horseshoe Canyon's striped badlands with a wooden lookout platform on the rim and prairie on the horizon — Looking across the canyon from the main lookout

From the parking lot, a short gravel path with timber steps leads to the viewing platforms on the rim. You don’t need to hike at all to get the best views. If you have time, a trail with stairs leads down to the canyon floor, where you can wander between the hills. The stairs make the way down easier than it looks, though the climb back up takes some effort. We stayed on the rim this time, but if you have an hour or two, go down.

Spruce tree in the foreground overlooking Horseshoe Canyon's eroded badlands under a blue winter sky — Winter sun on the badlands

Frosty timber steps and rope railing leading down to the Horseshoe Canyon viewpoint near Drumheller — Frosty steps on the way to the viewpoint

Visiting Horseshoe Canyon in Winter

The trails aren’t maintained in winter, and the stairs and paths into the canyon can be icy. Wear boots with good grip, or microspikes if you plan to go down.
After rain or snowmelt, the clay turns very slippery. Stay on the rim if the ground is wet.
Go early. Low morning light slants across the canyon and makes the layers look dramatic, and you’ll have it almost to yourself.
Summer is the opposite: it’s hot and dry with almost no shade, so bring water, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

Close-up of deeply eroded, layered badland rock in Horseshoe Canyon lit by low morning sun — Up close, every ridge shows layers of ancient sediment

Into Drumheller: Dinosaurs Everywhere

After the canyon we drove into town. Drumheller leans happily into its dinosaur theme: there’s a golden T. rex at the welcome sign, dinosaur statues on street corners, and even the Tim Hortons has a badland hill rising right behind it.

Highway curving through grey badland hills toward the Welcome to Drumheller dinosaur sign — The road into town, with the welcome sign ahead

Probably the most dramatic Tim Hortons backdrop in Canada

Where We Ate: Pho Dinosaur

For lunch we went to Pho Dinosaur (1102A Highway 9, Drumheller), a Vietnamese restaurant on the main road. The pho had a clean, rich broth, and the banh mi was packed with meat, cucumber and cilantro on a crisp baguette. It was exactly what we wanted after a cold morning on the canyon rim, and good value for a small tourist town.

What We Missed (and You Shouldn’t)

We spent so long at the canyon that we ran out of time for the rest. We even drove up to the Royal Tyrrell Museum and had to turn around. Next time, these are on our list:

Royal Tyrrell Museum: one of the most famous dinosaur museums in the world, with full skeletons and fossils found in the area. Adult admission is $25. From September to mid-May it’s open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last tickets at 3:30 p.m.), and it was closed for part of fall 2026, reopening November 11. Check the official site before you go.
Willow Creek Hoodoos: mushroom-shaped rock pillars on the other side of town, with a short boardwalk.
The Little Church: a tiny roadside chapel that only fits a handful of people.
Dinosaur Trail: a scenic loop drive along the Red Deer River valley.

A Sample Day from Calgary

9:00 Leave Calgary
10:30 Horseshoe Canyon (viewpoints, or hike to the canyon floor)
12:00 Lunch in Drumheller
12:45 Royal Tyrrell Museum (allow at least 2 hours)
15:00 Willow Creek Hoodoos and the Little Church
16:00 Drive back to Calgary

No car? Several companies run Drumheller day tours with Calgary pickup that follow a very similar route, usually including museum entry. Some only depart once a minimum number of people have booked, so check before you book.

Is Drumheller Worth a Day Trip from Calgary?

Absolutely, even in winter. Horseshoe Canyon alone was worth the drive, and with the museum and hoodoos added it easily fills a full day. It’s a completely different side of Alberta from the Rockies, and nothing like anything we’d seen in Korea.

If you love the badlands, also see our guide to Dinosaur Provincial Park, a quieter UNESCO site where you can see fossils where they were found. Planning a longer trip? Our 7-day Banff & Calgary itinerary includes Drumheller too.