Cochrane (Alberta)

Cochrane has a reputation for its western culture, which can easily be felt when one wanders the streets (particularly Main Street). Cochrane is also a small industrial centre.
The town is a popular destination for ice cream and coffee in its quaint western-oriented stores, and for windsports, golfing, hiking and other adventure activities. Cochrane is known for outdoor pursuits. It is a centre for paragliding instruction. The hill is a popular training ground for cyclists from the area, who take advantage of its 7% grade and 3.5 km distance.
Major industries include lumber, construction, retail, and agriculture (ranching).

History

Cochrane was established in 1881 as the Cochrane Ranche, after Matthew Henry Cochrane, a local rancher. It became a village in 1903, and it had a newspaper and volunteer fire department by 1909. Cochrane was incorporated as a town in 1971.

Cochrane is northwest of Calgary on Highway 1A where it crosses Highway 22 (Cowboy Trail).

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Car, taxi, or use the 30 km of pathways to travel by bike or on foot.

• Bert Sheppard Stockmen's Foundation Library and Archives

  phone: +1 403 932-3782
  address: 101 Ranchehouse Road
  Over 13,000 books related to western culture from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, including a complete collection of Brand Books for Alberta from 1888 to present, and some from the other provinces. 6,000 magazines on such areas as ranching, rodeo, horsemanship, veterinary science, history, Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

• Cochrane WinterFestEarly March. Activities include Crokicurl, pancake breakfast, Extreme Cowboy demonstrations, pony rides, axe throwing, ski jump demonstration.

• Cochrane Farmers' Market

  phone: +1 403-851-0562
  address: Cochrane Ranche Historic Site parking lot
  The town of Cochrane is roughly 30 minutes west of Calgary via Crowchild Trail (Hwy 1A) or 16th Ave NW (Hwy 1, Trans-Canada Hwy).

• MacKay's

  phone: +1 403-932-2455
  address: 220 1 St W
  The reason that Calgarians visit Cochrane. of great flavours of locally made ice cream, e.g., dill pickle, ginger with candied ginger, spotted cow, sticky toffee pudding, mayan chocolate, wasabi. Since 1948.

• Guy's Cafe & Bakery

  phone: +1 403-851-9955
  address: 6-201 Grand Blvd
  Specialty coffee, full meals, freshly baked bread, soups and sandwiches.

• Portofino Italian Ristorante

  phone: +1 403-932-1777
  address: 18-205 1 Street E
  Italian cuisine; reservations recommended.

• Brooklyn Social House

  phone: +1 403-362-3622
  address: 2101-101 Sunset Drive
  Pub serving only hand-crafted Alberta beers paired with innovative, locally sourced and seasonally focused food.

• Texas Gate Bar & Grill

  phone: +1 403-932-6666
  address: 304 1st Street W
  180 person Bar features 3 Pool tables, 4 Dart boards, 9 VLT's, 10 big screen T.V's, Stage & Dance floor, Karaoke Nights and live Entertainment or All Request D.J. on weekends.

Bed & breakfast

• Hereabouts B & B

  phone: +1 587-432-4096
  address: 217 Baird Avenue
  A tiny house accommodation in in a large backyard that has been designed for privacy. Kitchenette, parking. No pets or smoking.

Camping

• Bow RiversEdge Campground

  phone: +1 403-932-4675
  address: 900 Griffin Rd E
  April-October. Along the banks of the Bow River in Cochrane. Next to the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Center. Each site at Bow RiversEdge has full hook-up facilities including water, sewer, power, and Internet.

Hotels & motels

• Bow River Inn

  phone: +1 403-932-7900
  address: 3 West Side Drive

• Days Inn & Suites Cochrane

  phone: +1 403-932-5588
  address: 5 Westside Drive
  Free high-speed Internet, microwaves, refrigerators, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs. Free continental breakfast, laundry facilities, and free parking with large-vehicle spaces. Gym and heated indoor pool.

• Ramada

  phone: +1 403-932-6355
  address: 10 Westside Drive

• Rockyview Hotel

  phone: +1 403-932-6666
  address: 304 1st Street W
  The Rockyview Hotel & Saloon revels in its Wild West past and so will you when you visit the more than 100-year-old establishment on Cochrane’s main street.

• Super 8

  phone: +1 403-932-1410
  address: 11 Westside Drive

• Big Hill Springs Provincial ParkDay use area featuring a series of small waterfalls and hiking.

• Ghost LakeSmall reservoir along the Bow River, popular spot for sailing, iceboating, and ice fishing.

• Calgary
• Kananaskis Country