Newell County

Dinosaur Provincial Park

Kinbrook Island Provincial Park Brooks Aqueduct

In Newell, the experiences you can have are as diverse as the landscapes. Enjoy beach time, boating, and birding at Alberta’s largest manmade lake; then head to Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and hike in the badlands. Learn about the area’s rich history at the Brooks Museum, and try some homemade ice cream. Just 2 hrs from Calgary - we recommend staying a while to catch all the sights! Here’s how to spend a fun weekend in Newell County.

Day 1: Soak up some sunshine at Kinbrook Island Provincial Park

It is an oasis on the prairie, on the shores of Lake Newell. With a sandy beach and warm water, and well-serviced campground, we look forward to camping here each summer. As we cross the causeway, we leave farmland behind, and are greeted by wetlands and towering cottonwoods. We spot cyclists on the marsh trail and dozens of birds in the water.

From our lakeside campsite, the beach beckons. The kids set up the tent, put on their swimsuits, and pump up their floaties in record time. “Can we go now, Mom? Puh-leaaaaaase?” I chase after them with sunscreen and towels, past the swingset, and claim a piece of sand. We’ve discovered the sweet spot - when daytrippers have gone home and campers have left for dinner - so the beach is quiet. Between burying each other in sand, floating, and paddling out to the buoys, time flies. The only distractions are American white pelicans flying overhead (you don’t see those every day!).

After a late dinner, we walk the 4.5 km Marsh Trail. The flat interpretive trail circumnavigates wetlands which are home to tons of birds and wildlife.

Sunset finds us back at the beach with sand in our toes and wind in our hair. While the kids (attempt to) do cartwheels, fishermen cast from shore and a family plays volleyball. It’s the perfect place to be on a warm summer evening.

For reservations visit albertaparks.ca

Day Two: Explore Dinosaur Provincial Park

This Park boasts “the greatest number and diversity of late Cretaceous fossils in the world” and is only 40 minutes from Kinbrook Island Provincial Park. After picking up snacks in Brooks we make our way to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for fossils.

While an interpretive tour is highly recommended, if you haven’t made reservations, you can also do a self-guided tour. Five trails are open to the public, the most scenic are Coulee Viewpoint Trail and Badlands Trail. There are fossil display houses along the ring road, and some great exhibits in the Visitor Information Centre (admission fee in effect). Get an ice cream or homemade pie at the concession to fuel your adventures and enjoy exploring the beautiful badlands.

One of the best programs for families is the Dino Stomp Tour. On a guided 2 km hike, we hunted for fossils, jacketed a fossil (wrapped it in gauze for transport), saw a huge hadrosaur bone, and learned a lot about the dinosaurs that roamed these parts in the late Cretaceous. Big kids or grown-up dino lovers will enjoy the Centrosaurus Bonebed Hike (4 km) that goes to a former dig site where hundreds of Centrosauruses were found. For more information visit albertaparks.ca

Day Three: Step back in time at the Brooks Museum

Discover what life was like in Brooks 100 years ago. The main building, and ten lovingly maintained heritage buildings house original artifacts from Newell County. Don’t miss the old caboose and heritage rose garden while you’re there! The Brooks Museum also houses a Visitor Information Centre and fantastic gift shop with locally-made art, so you can bring home a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

After the museum, enjoy homemade ice cream or go across the street and cool off at Duke of Sutherland Park’s splash park!

More fun things to do in Newell

Get lost at Brooks Corn Maze, pick raspberries, play games, and feed the goats. Play a round of golf at Brooks Golf Club. Stand-up paddleboard at Rolling Hills Reservoir.

On a rainy day, play at EID Aquatic Centre. It boasts a lane pool with diving board, wave pool, 200 ft long waterslide, lazy river, tot area, hot tub, dry sauna, and steam room.

We hope you love Newell County’s beaches and badlands as much as we do!

Getting there

Brooks, the heart of Newell County, is located 2 hrs southeast of Calgary, just off the TransCanada Highway (Hwy 1). Photos and Story By: Karen Ung

Sunnybrook Farm Museum

Pack up because it’s time for a ‘rural roots’ tour featuring a common thread throughout; our food supply. And this tour is more than just eating.

Experience rural living like Grandma and Grandpa did; and don’t forget to bring your appetite because you are definitely going to need it.

On the menu is Sunnybrook Farm Museum, where rural Alberta farming comes to life. Red Deer’s oldest farm dates back to the early 1900’s where pioneer families worked hard carving the land and a living.

Here you’ll get a healthy helping of farming communities as you watch the seeds of life grow. Milk a cow, bake some bread or work in the blacksmith shop. At Sunnybrook Farm you’ll travel back in time where you and the family can meet the farm animals, feed the chickens, take a wagon ride and watch some old-fashioned farming equipment at work. Sunnybrook is sure to leave you satisfied, and maybe a little impressed with the true grit of our pioneer ancestors.

And of course, what’s a farm without a water source? Your diet isn’t complete without a trip to the Brooks Aqueduct. Well over 90 years ago, an extensive concrete centipede spanning a shallow 3.2 km wide valley took shape 20m above the ground.

At the time it was the largest structure of its kind in the world, and an engineering feat in design and technology. A vital link in an expansive irrigation network, the aqueduct fed precious water to thirsty crops. Today, it holds precious memories.

As you digest the prairie lifestyle, here’s some food for thought; how does farming connect pioneers with rural communities?

If you guessed grain elevators you’re right. A must-visit is the Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre in Nanton, where you’ll experience the majesty of grain elevators.

Nanton is home to one of the first grain elevators built in 1929. Grain elevators were the hub of the community. Elevator staff were trusted community members who hosted discussions from politics to grain prices – some could be over a game of cards. Elevator staff were instrumental to grain well-being, and some even sold hail insurance!

Towns grew up around grain elevators and the general stores, post office, blacksmiths and hotels came to life. These monoliths have evolved over the years but remain a staple in rural Alberta. Book your tour in Nanton and discover a rich history fueled by grain elevators.

Speaking of fuel, another essential in Alberta’s rural diet was the railway. Serving up a main course in history is the Galt Historic Railway Park in Warner County, Alberta.

The railway was instrumental in nourishing our economy, and Sir Alexander Galt and his son Elliott originally built the station at the Galt Historic Railway Park in 1890. The station straddled the Canada / United States international border running through its waiting and dining room. The telegrapher and station agent worked in the center section arranging round trip shipments between Coutts, Alberta and Sweetgrass, Montana.

One of only two “lunch stations” along the railway line from Lethbridge to Great Falls, the northern part of the station was moved across the border to Coutts in 1916. It closed in 1989. This station is the last structure of its kind in Western Canada, and in 2000 was moved near the Village of Stirling where it was restored to its original glory.

This summer, fuel your appetite for history and travel back in time with the family through rural Southern Alberta. By: Kerri Robins

Brooks Aqueduct

Galt Historic Railway Park

Sunny Medicine Hat will surprise you with its coffee culture, microbreweries, burgeoning art scene, and recreational opportunities.

As we descend into the South Saskatchewan River Valley, I’m struck by the cliffs and countless coulees that define the landscape. Just as nature shaped the land, it also shaped history. While waterways and a sheltered valley brought people and migrating buffalo here, in later years, the vast discoveries of abundant natural gas and clay brought growth and prosperity to Medicine Hat and its communities.

Different forces are at work these days. The ‘Hat’ is outgrowing “The Gas City” moniker and becoming a cultural hub. At first glance, the historic downtown looks much like it did in the early 1900’s with its brick buildings and old fashioned street lamps. Take a closer look and you discover the art galleries and studios, independent coffee shops, eclectic eateries, and a microbrewery. Colourful murals adorn brick walls; the Royal Liquor Store mural quotes author Rudyard Kipling: “This part of the country seems to have All Hell for a basement, and the only trap door appears to be in Medicine Hat.” Can you guess where Hell’s Basement, Alberta’s first craft brewery, got the inspiration for its name?

At Inspire Studio, Gallery and Café, I sip a fragrant cup of tea surrounded by local artwork. Meanwhile, artist and co-owner, Maureen Newton, paints peacefully in the adjacent studio. Inspire is not only for artisans and those who appreciate art; it’s also for lovers of comfort food and good coffee and tea.

Whether you are on a self-guided Medicine Hat Art Walk (mid May to late September), or Medicine Hat Progressive Café Tour, you will end up at Inspire, inspired to pick up a paintbrush perhaps, or stay a little longer in this friendly city.

PLAN AHEAD AND BOOK A TOUR GUIDE! www.medalta.org

Holding a piece of our history will totally transport you to the early days of Alberta’s Industrial history.

If you stay, explore the city by bike or Sunshine Trolley. With 115 km of bike paths and free loaner bikes at the Visitor Centre, it’s easy to get around safely by bicycle. The Sunshine Trolley, new in 2019, is a seasonal hop on, hop off shuttle from major hotels to historic downtown and MedAlta Potteries.

My kids giggle as they punch their timecards at MedAlta Potteries, the historic factoryturned-museum, including huge beehive kilns. Even if you have never worked with clay before, it is fascinating to learn how everyday items are made. Maybe take a crash course in wheel throwing (making something on a pottery wheel), sign up for the Saturday Samplers class.

Our next stop is The Esplanade, an architectural wonder that houses an art gallery, museum, archives, and state of the art 700-seat theater. Check their events calendar for art shows, dance and theater performances, and concerts.

Evening finds us at the Medicine Hat Family Leisure Centre’s free public skate. We plan on bringing swimsuits next time for the amazing aquatic park! More fun things to do with kids include: glow bowling at Panorama Lanes, solving an escape room, or watching a movie at Monarch Theatre, Canada’s longest running movie theatre.

Enjoy live music at Industry on Friday nights; beer tastings at the Medicine Hat Brewing Company, Hell’s Basement Brewery, or Travois Aleworks; or music festivals. Don’t miss the Tongue on the Post Folk Music Festival: a week of Café Concerts followed by Concerts in a Kiln and festivities at renowned MedAlta Potteries. The summer festival season kicks off with Medicine Hat Jazz Fest in June: eight days of intimate concerts in local breweries, pubs, cafés, and eateries.

Over lunch at trendy Local Public Eatery, Med Hat resident Abby Czibere tells me how she, “moved here for school, fell in love with the place, and never left.”

When I ask what she loves about Medicine Hat, besides the good eats and brews (beer and coffee), Czibere shares how easy it is to get close to nature: • Police Point Park has a nature centre and “tons of walking trails.” • Echo Dale Regional Park is “great for families” with its beach, fishing pond, paddling pond, and picnic areas. • “We have over 100 km of bike paths... and free loaner bikes” at the Visitor Information Centre. • Kin Coulee Park has an awesome toboggan hill. • Cypress Hills Provincial Park is Medicine Hat’s playground, only 45 min away. Hike, mountain bike, camp, or stay in a cozy hut!

There’s much to love in this vibrant little city with its sunny personality. Once you visit The Hat, you’ll want to go back!

Booze has been as much a part of human civilization as the wheel, or fire. In fact, the first booze here in Alberta used wagon wheels to get here and could charitably be called ‘fire-water.’ The horrible concoction they called ‘whiskey’ certainly would have burned going down!

We have always had a complicated relationship with booze around here. From the earliest days, entrepreneurs knew there were profits to be made, and institutions felt a strong need to regulate imbibing, and still do. Which is probably why we have fewer scenes like this one nowadays:

“From our corner we saw a drunken man with a broken leg, which he flopped about in a very alarming manner, being conveyed, on a door, to his home by four individuals equally inebriated. The whole proceeding resembled a man on a raft at sea tossed furiously on the undulating mass.”

- From ‘When The West Was Young,’ describing a scene in early Lethbridge.

From the fur traders, to the cowboys, and the coal miners of the Crowsnest, early settlers would rarely have a cold one. It was more like a cool six. Miners claimed that a few beers at the end of shift ‘cleared the lungs.

Which is not to say drinking didn’t have rules. From the Mcleod Hotel Rules and Regulations, which were “adopted unanimously by the Proprietor, 1882 A.D.”

- Assaults on the cook are strictly prohibited. - Quarrelsome or boisterous persons, also those who shoot off without provocation guns or other explosive weapons on the premises, and all boarders who get killed, will not be allowed to remain in the House. - When guests find themselves or their baggage thrown over the fence, they may consider that they have received notice to quite. - The BAR in the Annex will be open day and night.

All Day drinks 50 cents each; Night drinks $1.00 each

No Mixed Drinks will be served except in case of death in the family.

Clearly, the place had standards. A visit to any of the brewpubs along the Crowsnest and Redcoat Trails these days will show you just how far we’ve come.

By: Allen Gibson

Craft beer from Medicine Hat to the Crowsnest Pass.

This summer be sure to visit Southern Alberta and take in these breweries at the east and west gateways to Highway 3.

The Pass Beer Company

The last chance for Alberta-made craft beer before heading into British Columbia. The Pass Beer Co. is located in Blairmore and after opening its doors in 2020, it instantly became a must-try for locals and travellers. Pass Beer offers small-batch craft beer and handcrafted, wood-fired pizzas for indoor and patio enjoyment. From Blondes and Pilsners to IPA’s and Scotch Ales, The Pass Beer Company has something for every beer lover. 10801 20 Avenue Blairmore, Crowsnest Pass 403.753.1100 passbeer.ca @ThePassBeerCo

Lundbreck

Blairmore, Crowsnest Pass

Oldman River Brewing Ltd.

It’s all about family at Oldman River Brewing. The microbrewery is locally owned and operated in the Hamlet of Lundbreck. Oldman River Brewing is located on the Cowboy Trail and is the perfect stop for those making their way to Fernie or Castle Mountain during ski season. Available in cans, Oldman River Brewing Ltd. offers a range of brews including lagers, brown ale, and citrus ale. On top of a strong lineup of beer, the brewery boasts a tight, affordable menu including sandwiches, chili, salads and sliders. 101 Breckenridge Ave, Lundbreck 403.751.0017 oldmanriverbrewing.com @OldManRiverBrew @OldmanRiverBrewingltd

Hell’s Basement

This brewery’s name was inspired by the stories of Rudyard Kipling’s travels across Canada and his famous quote “This part of the country seems to have all hell for a basement, and the only trap door appears to be in Medicine Hat. And you don’t even think of changing the name of your town. It’s all your own and the only hat of its kind on earth.” – Rudyard Kipling 1907 Six courageous beer lovers from Medicine Hat along with their families, friends, and countless members of the community worked tirelessly for six months to bring quality, craft beer to Medicine Hat. #102, 552-18 St SW, Medicine Hat 403.487.0489 hellsbasement.com @hellsbasementbrewery @HellsBasementMH @hellsbasement

Medicine Hat Brew Co.

You’ll have an early 1900’s experience when you are in this brewery where strangers become friends and the little things are celebrated. In 1912, the Medicine Hat Brewing Company began serving old fashioned lager, ale and stout to our city’s early, thirsty residents. When the Temperance Movement picked up, this popular brewery was forced to close. Over a century later, the Medicine Hat Brewing Company name was dusted off and again serves thirsty, hard-working Hatters Timeless Craft Beer. 1366 Brier Park Dr NW, Medicine Hat 403.525.1260 medicinehatbrewingcompany.ca MHBrewCo

Travois Ale Works

This micro-brewery began as a collective of like-minded people who spend most of their time outdoors… with beers. Revolutionary American and traditional European ales, brewed in small batches right here in downtown Medicine Hat and available only in our public tasting room. The lineup will change continuously depending on what Jacques decides to brew. It’s what we’re about. We only brew 7 barrels per batch. With only 107 pints from a full barrel you should plan accordingly because when it’s gone, it’s gone. So come often and try them all while they last! 612 3rd St SE, Medicine Hat 587.289.1000 travoisbeer.com @travoisbeer