David Thompson Country

David Thompson Country is a network of wilderness parks in the Alberta Rockies region on the eastern slopes and foothills of the Canadian Rockies. This is a large region but its eastern boundary is about an hour and a half drive west of Red Deer, along the David Thompson Highway (Highway 11).

Towns & villages

 * − small hamlet and former coal mining town
 * − small settlement west of Nordegg

Understand
David Thompson County is a name used in reference to a recreation area and series of parks west of Rocky Mountain House along the David Thompson Highway (Highway 11). The area is less developed than areas further south such as Kananaskis County. The hamlet of Nordegg serves as the dividing line between the Rocky Mountains to the west and the Rocky Mountain foothills to the east.

The area derives its name from David Thompson, a British-Canadian fur trader, surveyor, and cartographer who mapped 4.9 e6km2 of North America. Thompson used Rocky Mountain House, a fur trading post, as a launching point to find passage to the Pacific Ocean, and travelled west through the area to the headwaters of the Columbia River.

Get in
From the east, drive west from Red Deer, midway between Calgary and Edmonton, along Highway 11. One can also approach from the west via the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) from Banff National Park; however, a parks pass is required to travel Highway 93 and the small portion of Highway 11 within the park.

Get around
The Forestry Trunk Road (Highway 734) is a gravel road that runs north-south from Nordegg and provides additional access to the area.

Do

 * Horseback riding
 * Horseback riding
 * Horseback riding

Eat
The David Thompson Resort has a restaurant, but otherwise, either eat a meal Rocky Mountain House or bring your own food beforehand.



David Thompson Highway




Stay safe
David Thompson Country is quite isolated, so cell coverage can be spotty, especially the further west you travel and the further you venture from Highway 11. Most campgrounds have a manual water pump, but it is recommended to bring your own drinking water. The Forestry Trunk Road is a gravel road with no cell coverage, so heed the signs and be aware that it is an active logging and oil exploration road. The nearest hospital, and other amenities, are in Rocky Mountain House.

Go next
Continue west to Banff National Park and the Icefields Parkway.