Central Alberta

• – largest city in Central Alberta

Central Alberta is made up of small towns and rural landscapes stretching from prairie plateaus in the east to foothills in the west and includes the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. It is primarily agricultural in the east and forested in the west as it transitions to the the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The main area is the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor, located along the Queen Elizabeth II Highway (also know as Highway 2 or "the QE2") between Calgary and Edmonton, which contains many towns and smaller cities and is anchored by the city of Red Deer. Central Alberta includes:

• Eastern Rocky Mountains: A remote back-country with waterfalls, inland lakes, larger white-water rivers, and creeks. They are divided into 2 sections: "Big Horn Back Country" and "Ghost Area". Its lower elevations support the largest herds of wild horses in Alberta as well as more common species such as mountain sheep, elk, moose, deer, cougars, and bears. There are no towns or villages. There is a small seasonal population of rangers, lodge and tourism service staff, oilfield workers, and loggers.
• Foothills: Traditional ranching country and with forested area increasing to the north. Many of the roads through this area were placed on older established foot or horse paths, such as the historic Cowboy Trail (Hwy 22), one of Alberta's most scenic roads.
• Parkland: Alberta's boreal and aspen parkland run in north-south strips across the province. Parkland is mainly rolling green hills, pastures, and large sections of mixed forest. A fertile area consists of agricultural areas with small groves of trees. The low coulees and high plateaus have been reforested by area ranchers and farmers.
• Prairies: Rural farms, small and medium towns lay along or near Alberta's busiest highway corridor between the cities of Calgary (south) and Edmonton (north) The prairie towns grew up in the late 1800s around stations of the Calgary-Edmonton Railway. The first residents came as homesteaders and opened businesses around the stations to cash in on travellers passing through. The railway still runs through the centre of each town and is surrounded entirely by ranches and farms, raising flowers, grains, buffalo, elk, sheep, horses, cattle, and chickens.

By plane

International flights are available to the Calgary and Edmonton airports, which are both conveniently located on the south and north end of their respective cities. Red Deer has a regional airport with connections to Calgary.

By train

Central Alberta is not serviced by passenger rail, with the nearest Via Rail station located in Edmonton.

By car

The spine of Central Alberta is Highway 2, which connects Calgary and Edmonton. Highway 22 (Cowboy Trail) runs along the eastern edge of the foothills and continues into the ranch lands of Southern Alberta. Highway 11 (David Thompson Highway) connects Central Alberta to Banff National Park and the Icefields Parkway, while Highways 12 and 13 connect to Eastern Alberta and Saskatchewan.

By bus

Red Arrow and sister brand Ebus offer direct service from Red Deer to Edmonton or Calgary.

• Rocky Mountain House National Historic SiteOutdoor museum operated by Parks Canada, includes bison paddock.

Go camping in one of the many provincial parks. Take a guided horse-back tour of Rocky Mountain Foothills near Nordegg. Visit one of many small-town museums for some local history. Float or paddle one of several main rivers (Pembina River Provincial Park and Red Lodge Provincial Park are especially popular for this). Go mountain biking at Baseline Mountain near Rocky Mountain House or Willmore Park near Edson. Or in winter try cross-country skiing at Hornbeck Forest Recreation Area near Edson. Watch a hockey game in Red Deer at the Westerner Park Centrium.

This is beef ranching country, try the steak!

Craft beer.

Wear bright orange whenever out in the wilderness in the autumn, as this is hunting season. This way you won't be mistaken for a deer.