Things to do at Horseshoe Canyon and the Hoodoos

Horseshoe Canyon and the Hoodoos are two separate roadside stops on the way to Drumheller, about 300 km and 3 hours from Banff, not one combined site. Horseshoe Canyon has a rim viewpoint and unmarked trails dropping roughly 130 metres to the badlands floor, open year-round with no entry fee.

The hoodoos, a few kilometres past Drumheller on Highway 10, are a fenced viewing area and boardwalk around the mushroom-shaped pillars; climbing on them is prohibited to limit erosion. Both sites are provincial or municipal land, unrelated to the Rocky Mountain national park pass system, so no permit is required.

Summer temperatures at both can exceed 30 degrees with zero shade and only basic seasonal toilets, so carry your own water.