Hoodoos of Drumheller Valley in Alberta 2025

Drumheller Valley is located 135 km northeast of Calgary. It is considered to be the best badlands area in Canada, famous for hiking trails and the peculiar mushroom-shaped hoodoos composed of sand and clay from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation. Being an origin of local legends, the hoodoos attracted many photographers to the area. Native American tales say that these rocks are petrified giants, who can come alive to scare off intruders by throwing stones at them.

Sacred burial sites and petrified giants are commonly associated with the hoodoos believed to have cultural significance in multiple Native American tribes. Climbing the hoodoos is not permitted since they are rather fragile. Drumheller Valley is often called the “Dinosaur Capital of the World” due to its rich fossil beds. The nearby Royal Tyrrell Museum houses one of the most extensive dinosaur fossil collections globally.

Hoodoos origins

While they may look supernatural, the formations have been formed by wind and water over millions of years. Hard rock caps on that top protect the soft sandstone "chimneys" from harsh weather and destruction. The Drumheller Hoodoos are estimated to be around 70 million years old, dating back to the Late Cretaceous period when the area was a subtropical environment filled with lush vegetation and dinosaurs. Without the protective caprock, the softer sandstone can wear away at a rate of 1 inch (2.5 cm) per year due to wind, rain, and frost.

How to get to hoodoos

Head to the Hoodoo Trail area, which is approximately 10 mi (16 km) east of Drumheller, a small town located in Alberta province. Visitors can get to the reserve without any difficulty by driving or with an organized tour. The area has parking spaces, washrooms, and drinking water to enjoy the region's Badlands Interpretive Trail or any of the other trails.

Best time to visit Drumheller Valley

For an enjoyable hike in the Drumheller Valley, visitors should plan to visit between the months of late June to early September. This timeframe is the busiest, with some parts of the reserve closed off for the remainder of the year. The pleasant weather conditions of this period allow for stunning views of the hoodoos available on nearby trails. To avoid disappointment, reservations for accommodations should be made well in advance to ensure availability.