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Travel Alberta
Boomtown Trail
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Tourism Alberta
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Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, Stettler
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Tourism Alberta
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Tourism Alberta
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Train Robbery, Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, Stettler
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Tourism Alberta
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Train Robbers, Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, Stettler
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Tourism Alberta
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Story and Photos by Perry Mack and Travel Alberta
“OK, everybody, this is a holdup!” I brace myself in my seat as the antique steam train jerks to a halt in the middle of the Alberta prairie. We all hold our breaths as the ‘Reynolds Raiders’ outlaws board the train and demand money at gunpoint. I’d been looking forward to our buffet lunch, but no time for that now…
Life on the Boomtown Trail is never dull. The trail’s two main highways, 21 and 56, form a long rectangle between New Sarepta in the north and Bassano in the south. This prairie-parkland corridor offers a pleasant alternative to the busy QE Hwy 2 route connecting Calgary and Edmonton.
Boomtown Trail communities sprang to life almost overnight around a century ago, spurred on by the expansion of the railways. This rapid development led to a very distinctive style of architecture, characterized by a grandly designed front covering a more humble building behind it. Known as "boomtown" architecture, it was typical of many buildings in the North American west at the turn of the 20th century. Today, it is becoming more and more of a rarity to see it anywhere other than in the movies.
Not so along the Boomtown Trail! Almost every community on the drive from Strathmore to Camrose features original buildings from the boomtown era, taking you back to the origins of small town Alberta.
Those who prefer the outdoors will also love all that the Boomtown Trail has to offer. Dozens of great campgrounds dot the area, not to mention several wonderfully preserved nature areas. From beautiful lakes to the Badlands, you'll want to take in all the remarkable scenery of the region.
And there's always something to do along the Boomtown Trail. From events such as the Big Valley Jamboree and the many local rodeos to extreme sports like skydiving and paintball games, every taste can be satisfied at some point along the trail. Golfers, meanwhile, will have no trouble finding a tee time: there are 18 courses in the area to take advantage of.
Here’s a route you can travel through the region to create your perfect summer RV vacation.
Leaving Edmonton, you head south on Hwy 21 for 51 km, then east 46 km on Hwy 13 to Camrose. Every August, thousands of people come here for the Big Valley Jamboree where artists like Alan Jackson and Lady Antebellum are already booked to perform in 2013. RV and camping is available for the event however you should book your site and get your tickets well in advance. You can tour historic downtown Camrose and check out the Camrose Railway Station Museum.
Continuing east on Hwy 13, head south on Hwy 56 about an hour and take a side trip east on Hwy 53 to the town of Donalda. Just when you thought you’ve seen everything, you’re about to see the world’s largest lamp at a whopping height of 12 m. Many of us are collectors of some sort (some say hoarders), and just steps away are a collection of 850 road lamps – the largest in North America.
Traveling south to the town of Stettler, history buffs have a choice of a tour of the Town & Country Museum (with 26 heritage buildings), or they can take a trip aboard the Alberta Prairie Railway. The train winds through the Alberta countryside to the village of Big Valley and back in 5 to 6 hours. Depending on how long the train robbery takes – and what’s an RV vacation without a train robbery! You should also take the time to visit the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame.
About 10 minutes west of Stettler is Erskine, then you go north on Hwy 835 about 20 minutes to Rochon Sands Provincial Park. It’s a great place to have a picnic on the beach and enjoy a swim in Buffalo Lake.
Back on Hwy 12, head southwest on Hwy 21 for a total of 58 km to Delburne. A must-see is the Anthony Henday Museum, which features a replica pioneer cabin and former railway water tower with four floors of exhibits.
Create happy memories this summer traveling all or part of the Boomtown Trail.