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Town in Alberta, Canada
Photo: Ssalomons, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Drumheller is a town in the Southern Alberta region of Alberta, famous for the rich deposits of fossils found in the area. It is an important centre for Palaeontology in Canada. Set in a characteristic "badlands" valley carved in the plains by the Red Deer River, Drumheller rose through coal mines — now abandoned — early in the 20th century. Now this town of 8,000 (2016) gets hundreds of thousands of visitors between May and September, making it the hub for tourism in the area.
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A spectacular range of exhibits and activities showing off the rich fossils of the Alberta badlands, from dinosaurs to pollen. Interesting even to people who aren't fans of dinosaurs, which is confirmed by the hundreds of thousands of visitors per year. There are a variety of moderate hikes to fossil artifacts, starting from the museum during the summer months.
Free maps and free tourist advice. Gift shop. Books room in area hotels (they have a board to check availability and pricing for that night). Features the World’s Largest Dinosaur statue, 86 feet tall, 151 feet long, four times the size of a real Tyrannasaurus Rex. For $5, you can climb up inside it and look out over the badlands.
On the site of an abandoned coal mine, this land houses the Royal Tyrrell museum. It also has day use sites for McMullen Island and Mine Sites 1, 2, and 3. No camping. Washrooms available.
Over 10,000 artifacts from the Victorian and Edwardian era, including a two-headed calf and a complete house bought from an Eaton's catalogue.
Sightseeing flights over Horseshoe Canyon.
Dig up and take home fossils.
Beautiful badlands geology; offers good hiking if the rain hasn't made the rocks too slippery. Believed by some to be haunted.
The Dinosaur Trail is a 48 km excursion. Drive northwest and north out of Drumheller on Highway 838. Pass the Royal Tyrrell Museum and Horsethief Canyon. Highway 838 then turns west, and crosses the river at Bleriot Ferry (the Visitor Information Centre can provide the ferry schedule). Go a bit further west, then south on Highway 837 to Highway 575, which follows the west bank of the river back to just south of Drumheller.
Vietnamese noodles, ice cream, and a variety of other everyday fare in an unpretentious setting.
Burgers, subs (sandwiches), salads, pasta, pizza.
Canadian Chinese. Weekday buffet lunch. Buses welcome.
Chinese & Western buffet. Bus tours welcome.
Fine dining made from a Red Seal Chef Dennis Standage. One of the best little restaurants in Alberta.
Great steaks, sandwiches and regular pub food
Waterslide, guest laundry, high speed internet. Family suites and kitchen suites available.
Air-conditioned rooms, indoor pool, whirlpool. "Drumheller's only full service hotel", they claim.
Pool. Hot tub. Guest laundry. High speed Internet.
On the river, just across from downtown. Cabins. Full service facilities. Washroom & showers. RV waste dump. Laundry.
Mall has a variety of shops, including food, gas, auto service, clothing, haircuts, and more.
By bus
Tour companies offer day trips to the Royal Tyrrell Museum and the Drumheller Valley. Call the Royal Tyrrell Museum for more information.
Drumheller is a small, rural town. The downtown is compact and easily walkable. Beyond that, you will need an automobile.
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