Red Rock Coulee will make you feel like you’ve visited the planet Mars.
In this part of the Canadian Badlands, about 50-60 kilometres southwest of Medicine Hat , Alberta, when the sun is low in the sky, the entire landscape burns with a golden, orange glow that I have never seen before. The best time to visit is around dawn or at dusk.
It gets windy in these parts. A thoughtful traveller has propped up the sign for our benefit.
Not a lot of people here. No fast food. No interpretive centre. At Red Rock Coulee you are alone under the big sky. Alone with the landscape. An occasional deer, the threat of rattle snakes and the tell-tale signs of ranching (grass, water, fence posts) in the far distance are the only reminders of life.
It’s a great place for a private moment. Leave your cell phones in the car. They don’t work here anyway.
Round, redish sandstone concretions up to 2.5 metres in diameter, among the largest in the world, are scattered about the place in a haphazard fashion. They were formed in prehistoric seas out of materials like shells and plants, and then grew in size by collecting sand, sediments and minerals from the surrounding waters. You can actually see the growth layers on some of the broken boulders.
Tenacious orange, black and gray lichens cover the rocks. Temperatures here range between -46 C (-51 Fahrenheit) in winter and +42 C (108 F) in summer. Also, this is the sunniest place in Canada! Medicine Hat averages over 2,500 hours of sunshine every year. That’s about 330 days of bright sun. Bring your hat and a bottle of water. And don’t forget to fill the gas tank before coming out. There is no gas here either.
i can only image how wonderful the Coulee would be at dawn. Definitely on my photography bucket list. Thanks for making this post. You gotta love this country.
Yeah, I agree but just a word of caution. You are in rattler country. I knew that but only really came to the realization when reading a Calgary photog’s blog of Red Rock Coulee. He tells of camimg very close to having a run in with one.
Indeed!!! #Canada
Really incredible photos, fascinating details and lovely colours. I especially love the top pic. Great stuff!
Looks like an interesting place to visit. I will plan a trip sometime later this summer or fall after the rattlers are asleep.
The landscape has always reminded me of the early Star Trek sets. Other-worldly. Drumheller and Dinosaur Provincial Park are really cool too. The hoodoos and these amazing rocks make you feel like you’ve stepped 75 million years into the past!
Other-worldly is a good way to describe the badland formations. We’ve found them in every river valley in the Canadian Badlands. The most extraordinary we’ve seen are Drumheller Valley but you see badlands all across the region- east of Donald along the Battle River, all along the Red Deer, along the Oldman, the Bow and the South Saskatchewan. An extraordinary road trip for anyone who loves the open road.
As an Albertan, I am embarrassed to admit I have not heard of this place. This summer I am planning a photo essay in Dinosaur Provincial Park and I will try to include this incredibly beautiful place on the loop. Thanks for sharing. Excellent photographs. Rich colour.
Excellent blog! Great photos and layout. Makes me proud to be Canadian…Eh!
Very interesting place! We haven’t been to Canada yet but it’s high on our list; the landscapes are amazing! Lovely photos, as well! If you like photography, guys, we would like to invite you to participate in the next edition of our Travel Photography Competition. Every week we publish 3 winning shots on our website and write a nice bio with a link to the photographers’ websites/FB/G /Flickr pages etc.
Find more details here: http://hitchhikershandbook.com/your-contributions/travel-photography/
Have a great Sunday!