The Cowboy Trail

Home, home on the range used to be the anthem of prairie towns like Calgary. These days, urban kidlets often find range animals like cows and horses a novelty. We say reconnect your family with the Wild West and hit the highway to Cochrane.

It’s a town named after politician turned cowboy, Senator M. Cochrane, who was instrumental in building cattle country late in the nineteenth century. Historic Cochrane RancheHouse still stands on the outskirts of town today and is home to the spectacular Cochrane Mural. Created by 216 individually painted images, the mural represents the connection between people and horses epitomized in this part of the world. You can view the mural Monday to Friday between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm.

If you elect to visit the Cochrane RancheHouse on the weekend, check out the Farmer’s Market Thursdays to Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm through the end of September. Don’t forget to travel up the hill from the Ranche to visit the Man of Vision statue erected in Senator Cochrane’s honor.

Of course you could travel along Crowchild Trail through Calgary to get to Cochrane. It’s a quick 20 minute commute from the edge of town. Better yet, head west and connect with the Cowboy Trail (Hwy 22) for an extra dose of foothills scenery. Upon arrival in Cochrane, turn right off the highway on to Griffin Drive and pull into the parking lot. From there walk or bike along the scenic Bow river to work up an appetite for a trip to Mackay’s Ice Cream. This Cochrane landmark has been serving delicious ice cream to locals and tourists for 50 years. It’s located on Cochrane’s main street (actually 1 St W) and surrounded by small town charm. Take your cone for a summer stroll and grab a java at Cochrane Coffee Traders down the block where they roast their coffee and bake their wares on site.

Nestled in the Bow River valley, Cochrane is surrounded to the east by steep hills topped by flat prairie grassland. Train your eyes to watch for hang gliders and paragliders catching the wind above town. If you are keen to jump off a cliff yourself, courses are provided by the University of Calgary Outdoor Center. Courses run all summer and fall and spots are still available this calendar year. 

Take advantage of the remaining weeks of summer and saddle up for a wild west daytrip to Cochrane for a refresher in big sky, small town charm and cowboy art. You might just end up feeling at home on the range after all.

Town of Cochrane
www.cochrane.ca

Cochrane RancheHouse
www.cochraneranchehouse.ca
(403) 851-2561
101 RancheHouse Road

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