Our Visit to Bar U Ranch Historic Site, near Calgary

Nestled amidst the stunning prairie landscape, and backdropped by the rocky mountains, Bar U Ranch holds a significant place in Canada's history. Bar U Ranch is a testament to the ranching pioneers who transformed the land into a thriving industry, and much like Fort Calgary marks the birthplace of Calgary, Bar U Ranch is synonymous with the origin of Canada's ranching heritage. Try your hand at roping, wander through historic buildings, or sit around the campfire and listen to old-time tales - a true Alberta experience!

Bar U Ranch, back dropped by the Rocky Mountains

Bar U Ranch is located on the Cowboy Trail, close to Longview, Alberta, and is around a 45 minute drive south of Calgary. It's a picturesque drive and part of the famous 'Cowboy Trail' that runs from along the West side of the city, deep in to the southern prairies. Many people tie a trip to Bar U Ranch with visiting Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump National Historic Site which is an extra 90 minute drive further south, but is a UNESCO world heritage site and well worth a visit.

What to Expect at Bar U Ranch

While the original ranch operations have faded into history, the ranch has recreated 35 heritage buildings, for visitors to explore, and every one of them has a story to share about Bar U’s history. In fact, Bar U Ranch stands as the only National Historic Site under the administration of Parks Canada that honors the significance of ranching in Canada.

As you enter through the visitor information centre, you will head down a hill via a gravel path, with a beautiful backdrop of the Canadian Rockies to start your adventure in the heart of the ranch. The visitor centre hand out a handy information booklet upon entry, that gives detailed information on each of the buildings, plus a map, to help you navigate the ranch. There are some really informative interpreters inside the Harness Repair shop, Saddlehorse Barn and the Cookhouse as well so if you have questions, ask away!

You can walk the various trails and dirt roads to see the cattle, horses, chickens and other farm animals (including a bison). Once you cross over the Pekisko Creek, there is the Stoney Nakoda encampment, where you can explore the tipi's and listen to Indigenous interpreters share their stories. There are also the famous Parks Canada 'red chairs' by the banks of the river which is a great spot to sit and reflect over lovely views of the ranch.

What are some of the Activities for Children?

There are some fun activities for the kids scattered around the ranch grounds. Our kids favourite was the painting station located outside the cookhouse on the picnic benches. The kids are given a piece of wooden bark and can use the paints provided to create some artwork that they can take home with them.

There is also a roping station, where cowboys demonstrate how to to cast a rope loop over a replica steer's horn, and the kids can have a go themselves. It's a lot harder than it looks but is incredibly addictive! Another fun activity was the camp fire talk at the Roundup Camp, where interpreters explained the history of the ranch and how cowboys lived and worked back in the day. It was great to try the free cups of 'cowboy coffee' and hot chocolate for the kids - a nice touch.

The Bar U Ranch also is part of the Xplorer (older kids) and Club Parka (younger kids) program, which are fun booklets filled with engaging activities designed to entertain and educate kids. You can pick these booklets up at the information desk and return them at the end of your trip to pick up a prize (a Parks Canada tag for the location).

Unfortunately on the day that we were there, there was no horse drawn wagon rides as the person was off sick, however typically horse drawn wagon rides are available from the Roundup Camp. These rides are a great opportunity to get a different viewpoint of the camp, as well as a chance to meet the wonderful Percheron horses, for which the Bar U Ranch is famous.