Dinosaur Trail Golf & Country Club

Dinosaur Trail Golf & Country Club sits in the heart of Drumheller's Badlands, one of Alberta's most geologically striking landscapes. The course opened in 1965, designed by Sid Puddicombe, and has grown into a full 18-hole, par-72 layout stretching 6,409 yards. Its setting along the Red Deer River valley gives it a character unlike virtually any other parkland course in the province.

The round divides into two distinct halves. The front nine plays through wooded, river-valley terrain — sheltered, relatively lush, and characteristic of a traditional parkland layout. The back nine is something else entirely. Built atop the Hoodoos, it trades tree cover for open badlands: eroded columns of rock, desert-like conditions, and exposed lies that demand a different kind of shot-making. The 11th hole was specifically routed to avoid disturbing dinosaur bone beds beneath the ground, a detail that speaks to both the area's paleontological significance and the constraints that shaped the course's design.

Dinosaur Trail suits golfers who want more than just a round of golf — the landscape itself is the draw. Players comfortable with links-style exposure and variable conditions on the back nine will find it engaging; those expecting a manicured parkland throughout may need to adjust their expectations mid-round. The contrast between the two nines is genuinely sharp, and experienced players tend to find it one of the more memorable 18-hole sequences in Alberta.

Drumheller is roughly 90 minutes northeast of Calgary, making it a natural stop on any Alberta road trip that takes in the Royal Tyrrell Museum or the surrounding badlands scenery. The town has accommodation options ranging from motels to boutique stays, and the course rounds out a full day's worth of activity in the valley.