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Just as the sun peaked above the plains, I wandered to the edge of the bluff and peered into the peaceful valley below. A handful of crimson-red buildings – a couple of barns, a cookhouse, a chophouse, a post office, and more – stood in the clearing, a thin sheen of fog hung overhead, and the snow-dusted mountains rose-red in the distance. A wispy column of smoke drifted through the aspens near the creek – the round-up fire – and the sweet scent of coffee lingered in the air. After taking in this idyllic southern Alberta scene at the historic Bar U Ranch this “cowboy” gathered up his belongings, strode down the hill, and headed for the warmth of the fire.
Indeed, the 140-year-old Bar U Ranch, an icon in Alberta’s rich ranching history, is certainly a great little photo op from the visitor centre. However, as good as the picture is, visiting the ranch, touring the beautifully restored buildings, hearing the ancient “open range” stories around the crackling fire and sipping a hot and steaming cup of cowboy coffee doubles the reward.
I’m a sucker for the rolling ranchlands of Alberta. Yes, they certainly photograph well. And there is something tried and true, rich and rewarding when it comes to exploring an old working ranch. And, unquestionably, if you want a quick immersion into ranching ways, a visit to the Bar U should be on your radar. There is no other historic ranch in the province that is this well-preserved and open for the public to experience. (The Bar U Ranch is located approximately an hour south of Calgary near Longview and just off the Cowboy Trail, or Highway 22. Fall, in my opinion, is the best time to visit. Adult admission is $13.25 and the ranch is only open until the end of September.)
Owned and operated by Parks Canada, the Bar U Ranch was one of the first of the massive corporate ranches established in the 1880s. Through the years, multiple owners and personalities – Fred Stimson, George Lane, Pat Burns, and the legendary cowboy John Ware, to name a few – have all called the ranch home.
Also, the original owner, Fred Stimson, established a strong relationship with the local Blackfoot and Stoney people and hired many Indigenous riders during his tenure. Many of them, together with their families, lived on the ranch. That strong relationship with, really, the first “ranchers” of this land continues to this day.
For me, the highlight is always sitting around the fire, sun sifting through the trees, and lingering in this historic setting where many legendary cowboys have found their respite. On my recent visit, Mariam, a longtime interpreter at the ranch, told numerous stories of the big round-ups, before barbed-wire fencing and private land deals restricted the open-range movement of cattle. She told how Pat Burns, one of the “Big Four” cattlemen in Alberta, could, at one time, ride from Cochrane to the U.S. border and never leave his land.
Of course, remnants of Alberta’s ranching history can be found throughout the province. In Calgary, for example, every day hundreds of people walk and cycle past the old mansion at Bow Valley Ranche in Fish Creek Provincial Park. (Pat Burns purchased this house from William Roper Hull in 1902 and it’s quite possible the idea of the Calgary Stampede was first conceived in this stunning home.) The turn-of-the-century parties in this mansion, involving dignitaries and the who’s who of the ranching community, were legendary. If you’ve had dinner in this regal home (it’s now one of the finest restaurants in Canada) or had a coffee and lingered in the pine-lined corridor near Annie’s Cafe, you have, to some extent, experienced a little taste of our ranching roots.
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, located northwest of Calgary on the way to Cochrane, is another great place to dive into Alberta’s ranching history. The many paved and shale-covered trails of the park, which used to be part of the historic Cochrane Ranch, are a favourite for cyclists and hikers alike. The views from this ranch, a 3,200-acre parcel of stunning ranchland sold to the province in 2004 by the Harvie family, are spectacular. In addition to the awesome trails, a visitor centre, ruins from an old townsite and quarry, and plenty of wildlife are also highlights of a visit.
Obviously, for many wannabe cowboys, visiting a working ranch and hopping on a horse might be the ultimate way to experience our Western ways. And, rest assured, there are many opportunities to do this in the Calgary area. I’ve hit the trails at M&M Ranch (Moose Mountain Horseback Adventures near Bragg Creek), Boundary Ranch (near Kananaskis village), and the amazing Anchor D Ranch (approximately 15 kilometres west of Turner Valley).
Without a doubt, my horseback riding adventure, which took place approximately 15 years ago, at Anchor D with the entertaining ranchman Dewy Mathews at the helm (he’s “Mantracker’s” cousin) is one of my fondest “ranching” memories. I had my young twin boys with me, Nelson and Aemon, and we rode up a gorgeous pine-peppered spine on the edge of K Country. On the way back to the ranch, Dewy stopped at a high point overlooking the stunning peaks and I took a bazillion photos. I seem to do this every time I’m at a ranch in southern Alberta.
Andrew Penner is a freelance writer and photographer based in Calgary. You can follow him on Instagram @andrewpennerphotography