THE DINOSAUR CAPITAL OF CANADA

The rich, rolling farmlands of Alberta break away to a twisting, curving canyon. Its walls are multi-layered with sandstone, mudstone and coal that alternate with shale sequences. These rock layers dates back to the Cretacious Period just before the gigantic dinosaurs became extinct.

The Badlands Of Drumheller are very rare. A natural process has exposed the sedimentary layers from early time periods. A rich cache of fossils as well as intact dinosaur skeletons have been found here.

The history of the Drumheller Valley began thousands of years ago. Reptiles, some as high as a two-story building, eventually gave way to a universal quest for energy. Thousands of coal miners infiltrated this valley and began boring mines to feed the steam engines that ran the rails of Canada's western provinces. Pioneer families followed close behind where they established farms and put down roots in the fertile soil of Drumheller.

As glaciers retreated more discoveries were made. Unique rock formations and dinosaur fossils soon surfaced. Now, after two world wars during the 20th Century, coal has been replaced with gas and oil.

Museums provide a great formulation for developing culture in the Drumheller Valley. Talent from around the world is represented here.

The Royal Museum of Palaeontology is popular all across North America. Scientists from around the world gather here to use the research facility.

Drumheller has a natural amphitheater, the Canadian Badlands Passion Play that has been quoted as being "life changing" and "world class." Art, theatre and excellent dance facilities are always available.

The Drumheller Valley is located in South Central Alberta. The area offers picturesque scenery as well as a multitude of interesting activities. It is within easy driving distance of Red Deer, Banff, and Calgary. The highways are good and lead you back to prehistoric times, which contrasts effectively with the present. As you enter the valley, hills give way to steep, dry coulees that have been eroded by wind and rain for thousands of years.

A half million tourists visit the Drumheller Valley annually. There are more than fifty attractions that can be visited within one 60 square mile radius. What is now Drumheller once lay on a coastal lowland of a vast inland sea. Dinosaurs roamed here because of the warm, humid climate and lush vegetation.

Duckbilled creatures lived in the lowlands followed in time by such mammoths as the Tyrannosaurus Rex. About 10,000 years ago, the glacier melt carved deep gorges into the prairie landscape. Since that time, erosion has further sculpted the valley, shaping the Badlands and revealing dinosaur fossils.