July 9 – 10, 2025
We left Regina and traveled west through Moose Jaw and on into the southern part of Alberta. The topography beyond Moose Jaw became that of the high-plains – windblown, treeless and basically prairie grass ranch-land. Bill said it reminded him of eastern Colorado.
We were headed for the Canadian Badlands to search for dinosaurs. (Yes, you read that correctly).
Seventy-five million years ago, when dinosaurs walked the earth, southern Alberta was a subtropical paradise of towering redwoods and giant ferns. Today, fertile plains suddenly drop away into a world of multi-hued canyons and wind-sculpted hoodoos. Spanning east from Drumheller to the Saskatchewan border and south to the United States, this region is known as the Canadian Badlands. It is home to the largest deposits of dinosaur bones in the world.
Canadian Badlands
We wanted to stay at the campground within the Dinosaur Provincial Park but we missed the reservation window. Instead Bill found a small campground about 30 minutes away from the park.
Cobblestone RV Park
Cobblestone RV Park was a nice little park but its u-shape made manuvering difficult. The flower boxes scattered in the middle of the park, although pretty, didn’t help. Having been inundated with an unusual amount of rain recently, the owner had attempted to compensate by adding fresh (non-compacted) gravel to the sites and entryway. That made backing into our site that much more difficult as the rear tires of the truck couldn’t get enough traction. But we finally were able to park the rig.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Dinosaur Provincial Park contains some of the most important fossil specimens discovered from the “Age of Dinosaurs” period of Earth’s history. The property is unmatched in terms of the number and variety of high quality specimens which, to date, represent more than 44 species, 34 genera and 10 families of dinosaurs, dating back 75-77 million years. The park contains exceptional riparian habitat features as well as badlands of outstanding aesthetic value.
Dinosaur Provincial Park is an outstanding example of major geological processes and fluvial erosion patterns in semi-arid steppes. These badlands stretch along 26 kilometers of high quality and virtually undisturbed riparian habitat, presenting a landscape of stark but exceptional natural beauty.
The property is outstanding in the number and variety of high quality specimens representing every known group of Cretaceous dinosaurs. The diversity affords excellent opportunities for paleontology that is both comparative and chronological. Over 350 articulated specimens from the Oldman and Dinosaur Park formations including more than 150 complete skeletons now reside in more than 30 major museums. In addition to the significant number of high quality specimens, the property contains a complete assemblage of non-dinosaurian fossil material offering an unparalleled opportunity for the study of the Late Cretaceous paleo-ecosystem.
UNESCO
On the way into the park, we stopped at the overlook.
The park offers a variety of tours and activities for all ages. We had made reservations for two of the tours.
Golden Hour Photography Tour
Immerse yourself in the magic of Dinosaur Provincial Park as the day gracefully transitions into twilight. This leisurely photo tour invites you to capture breathtaking scenery of iconic viewpoints bathed in the soft, golden light of evening. Whether you’re drawn to sweeping badlands vistas or intrigued by the intricate details of the landscape, this tour offers the time and space to capture those magical moments.
Golden Hour Tour
Unfortunately it was cloudy the evening of our photography tour so the lighting was less than optimal until the very end of the tour. Still the van ride and guided walks were interesting. The guide did warn us to be on the lookout for critters like scorpions and rattlesnakes. Luckily we didn’t see either.
The next morning we got up early and drove back to the Visitor Center for the Bonebed Express Hike.
Bonebed Express Hike
Journey by bus deep into the Palaeontological Preserve and trek to a renowned excavation site where the skeletons of hundreds of horned dinosaurs were discovered. This fast-paced adventure combines exhilarating outdoor exploration with the excitement of scientific discovery.
Bonebed Express Hike
Just our luck, this tour was cancelled shortly after it started due to rain. The guide had warned (from personal experience) that when it rained the ground became as slippery as ice. The decision to abandon the tour was reinforced when our bus met the researchers returning from their dig site. The guide said that if the researchers were giving up, we should to. Once back at the Visitor Center he offered to take us into the lab and do a special Inside Paleontology tour.
Dig into dinosaur mysteries in our Palaeontology Lab! This adult program allows you to experience the thrill of real scientific research. Examine real & cast fossil specimens representing the most fascinating fossil discoveries in palaeontology. Develop your skills of observation and learn how to construct scientific explanations, just like the experts.
Inside Palaeontology
Our tour actually started with the few dinosaurs displayed in the Visitor Center museum.
Until 1985, discoveries made in the park had to be shipped to museums throughout the world for scientific analysis and display, including the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto in Ontario, the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa in Ontario, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, New York State, and the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois. This changed with the opening of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology 100 kilometres upstream in Midland Provincial Park adjacent to Drumheller.
wikipedia
Below are a few specimens that park museum had on display.
Then we moved into the secure lab where we were able to hold and examine various castings and some actual bones. One thing I learned was that I don’t remember/know my dinosaurs. How many of the following do you remember?
- Theropods (carnivorous dinosaurs): Tyrannosaurus Rex, Spinosaurus, Allosaurus, Velociraptor, Baryonyx, Ceratosaurus, and Dilophosaurus.
- Sauropods (long-necked, plant-eating dinosaurs): Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus, Apatosaurus, Brontosaurus, and Argentinosaurus.
- Ornithopods (herbivores with bird-like feet): Parasaurolophus, Iguanodon, and Hadrosaurus.
- Stegosaurs (plated dinosaurs): stegosaurus and kentrosaurus.
- Ceratopsians (dinosaurs with horns and frills): Triceratops, Styracosaurus, and Chasmosaurus.
- Ankylosaurs (armored dinosaurs): Ankylosaurus, Euoplocephalus, and Nodosaurus
We had fun here and learned quite a lot but it was time to continue our exploration of Alberta.
