Pincher Creek

Pincher Creek is a town of about 3,600 people in the foothills of Southern Alberta. It is a good base for exploring provibcisl parks in the region, and has some heritage sites.

Understand
The town received its name in 1868 when a group of prospectors lost a pincer in the small creek at this location. These pincers would have been used as a mechanism for trimming the feet of the horses and thus had some value to the group. In 1874, the North-West Mounted Police came to southern Alberta. One of them discovered the rusting tools in the creek, and they named the area Pincher Creek. In 1898, Pincher Creek was incorporated a village. In 1906, the community was incorporated as a town and named Pincher Creek.

Get in
Pincher Creek is located along Highway 6. The Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) is located 3 km north of Pincher Creek at the hamlet of Pincher Station. Pincher Creek is west of Lethbridge and  southwest of Calgary.

Go next

 * Waterton Lakes National Park: south of Pincher Creek on Highway 6; offers many outdoor recreation options and beautiful scenery.
 * Frank Slide Interpretive Centre: In 1903, the mining town of Frank, Alberta, was devastated by 82 million tonnes of limestone crashing down from Turtle Mountain. The Frank Slide Interpretative Centre in the Crowsnest Pass, west of Pincher Creek on Highway 3.