David Thompson Country

The Westbound, Highway 11 snakes from the aspen parkland around Rocky Mountain House, into the depths of the verdant forests surrounding the foothills of the great Rocky Mountains. This area is home to no shortage of adventure activities, ranging from, backcountry camping, canoeing down riveting rivers, trying your hand at cattle ranching or perhaps most popular, scrambling up boulders to test your free-hand rock climbing abilities.

David Thompson Country is best known for some of its stunning lakes: Cow Lake, Sylvan Lake and Crimson Lake. All offer great day spots for a refreshing dip on a hot summer's day, as well as some popular local campgrounds for sleeping under the stars. Continue further down Hwy 11 and you’ll arrive in the “Land of the Falls,” where it’s almost impossible to miss one of the roaring, magical waterfalls dispersed throughout the area. Some can’t miss highlights include: Crescent, Siffleur, Ram, Bighorn and Hummingbird Falls

Continue onwards towards the west, and you’ll eventually hit the Kootenay Plains, which are considered an important native heritage site and home to one of the first settlements in western Canada. The David Thompson Highway also connects to the Banff-Jasper Icefields Parkway, offering travellers and locals alike access to all of the best mountains for exploring in Alberta.

Convinced you need to visit David Thompson Country yet? Get off the beaten path and discover our guides below for some of the best hidden gems and explorations the area has to offer!