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Travel Alberta, All Rights Reserved Written by: Travel Alberta
After taking in the thrills of the Calgary Stampede (July 8-17 2005), the cowboy life just seems to get a grip on you. You find yourself wanting to swap your plush hotel room in downtown Calgary for a ranch house in the mountains. To feel the cool mountain breeze on your face. To fill your nostrils with the smell of hay and campfires. To be at one with your environment.
Alberta is filled with ranches that will extend a hearty welcome to you, including some of the most awe-inspiring locations imaginable. After all, this is where Brad Pitt filmed the epic Legends of the Fall, which called for an authentic, untouched western location at the doorstep of a family ranch. It's exactly what you'll find here today. Among the many western vacations and horse ranch holidays to choose from in Alberta's Rocky Mountains, here are a few to get you started. Giddy up!
Homeplace Ranch - Priddis
Lodge and coach house (up to 14 guests) individual rooms Originally homesteaded in 1912, this ranch is located in Alberta's high cattle country, where bears, deer, coyotes, elk and other wildlife are a frequent sight. As expert outfitters and horseback guides, the ranch wranglers can show you how to become more comfortable as you work with your trusty mount. Plus, the Bow River, with its trophy trout fishing, is only 25 minutes away.
Willow Lane Ranch - Granum
Ranch house with three rooms (up to 8 guests) Not a dude ranch, but a working guest ranch, Willow Lane is located in the Porcupine Hills a few hours south of Calgary. As a guest of Keith and LeAnne Lane, you can take part in cattle drives, roundups, branding, cow camps and more. Then, at the end of a long day, enjoy a country 'n' western singalong with your barbecued steak, or just relax in the hot tub under the stars.
Bloomin' Inn Ranch – Pincher Creek
4 guest rooms, 2 country cottages, handmade linens The Cyr family has been raising cattle and farming in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains since the early 1900s. Today, you can join Francis and Colleen Cyr as they tend the cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys and geese. After a hearty ranch breakfast, soak up the country lifestyle along with the incredible scenery in the southwest corner of Alberta, where the ranchlands meet the mountains.
Lucasia Ranch - Claresholm
Guest home or original 1900s log cabin Prepare to head back in time at the Lucasia Ranch, a working ranch established in 1881 in the Alberta foothills. Hitch up a horseback ride, learn how to rope cattle, hike the hills, go wildlife watching, spend an afternoon fly-fishing and enjoy the firepit camaraderie at the end of the day. The ranch is also a popular staging point for guests wanting to spend the day in Banff or Waterton national parks.
Rafter Six Ranch - Kananaskis
Three-storey log lodge with 18 guest rooms You'll find one of the world's largest log lodges at Rafter Six Ranch, which played host to Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum in 1954 during the filming of River of No Return. Thrills aplenty are definitely on the menu here, as the name indicates. You can start the day with a whitewater dash down the foamy Kananaskis River and finish it off with a two-hour trail ride in the afternoon.
Tonquin Valley Backcountry Lodge - Jasper
Individual chalets (1-6 people) wood-burning stoves Take in the sweeping vista from above the treeline perched atop your rugged mountain horse, and explore the valley below. And take your camera, because you're in a wilderness populated by mountain goats, caribou, bear, moose, osprey and eagles. Located on Amethyst Lake, this ranch also gives you the opportunity to take out a rowboat or canoe and fish for some aggressive rainbow trout.
Brewster's Kananaskis Guest Ranch - Banff
Cabins or chalet (1 or 2 bedroom) antique furnishings This family-run ranch has been welcoming guests since 1923, and the setting is unchanged. Today, traditional ranch activities and trail riding have been enhanced by a variety of vacation choices; golf, river rafting, hiking, voyageur canoe trips and fishing excursions now complete the picture. Add in a breathtaking setting - along the Bow River at the foot of the Rockies.
Misty Mountain Adventures - Kananaskis
Guest rooms or teepees (4 – 10 guests) The specialty here is the longer horseback excursion - a wilderness trip arranged by your hosts Joe and Doreen Jacobson. Saddle up with your guides and head out onto the mountainous trails for the ultimate riding adventure. Stop at "base camp" before filling each day with the unforgettable scenery of the rugged mountains. Or, stay closer to home and explore the Oldman River and Cottonwood forest.
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Copyright © 2006 Travel Alberta, All Rights Reserved
Travel Alberta is the destination marketing organization for the Province of Alberta. Guided by the Strategic Tourism Marketing Council, Travel Alberta is the steward for the effective delivery of tourism marketing programs. For information about our organization, please visit our Travel Alberta industry web site at http://www.travelalberta.com
