Calgary, Alberta
228 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2005 : 10:56 AM
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I haven't been in those formations for a couple years so these are 'guestimates' in distance. Drive through Jenner and 10kms or so later on 844 come down a long hill before you reach the Red Deer. You can see the bridge. On the east side (right) there's a gravel road going in about a km. You'll see a n pump jack (at least it was there a couple years back). Park at the oilwell 'or' you can camp if you spend the night just a bit towards the river. There's an informal (free) 'sort-of' campground.
Look down river about a kilometer and you'll see the hoodoos sloping down to the river. Walk along the field (it's stuffed with cacti)and reach the hoodoos and either climb up to the tops or keep along the river for a while longer. Either way you'll hike east as far as you can in a day without leaving the canyons. I've walked in about 4 or 5 kms...around the bend in the river and couldn't see what was beyond. Once in the coulees you could hike for a year and never retrace your steps.
There's a lot of wildlife in the area including the biggest golden eagle nests I've ever seen (I'd describe the size buy nobody would believe it). The nests are only about 15 to 20 feet off the ground on hoodoo ledges. The same sites must have been used for years as the ground around is littered with thousands of small bones. There's also lots of mule deer, bobcats, and you'll come across a couple rattlers and bullsnakes in a day's hiking. There's a spot with dozens of rattler sheds so there's probably a wintering hibernaculum but I've never found it.
The area has a lot of dino fossils but not as many as a few kms upstream at the east end of Dino Prov. Park. I did, however find the skull cap of a Pachycephalasaurus (one of those head butting guys) as well as other odds and ends.
The north side of the river isn't that interesting. I haven't hiked the area but the high points around the cottonwoods would probably have lots of teepee rings.
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After hiking for 35 years I still haven't reached the end of the trail. |
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Jenner hiking?
