NEW! Northeast Alberta Trails Map
TCT Fact Sheets
Now Online!
Keep checking back for further updates! You can also refer to the Trails Canada website at www.trailscanada.com for those trails not yet featured here.
Calgary
- map (downtown Calgary section)
- trail description
Banff
Canmore
Edmonton
The TCT is proposed to travel several routes through Alberta.
There will eventually be two east-west routes. One will enter Alberta at Cypress Hills then head northwest to Medicine Hat, Calgary, connecting onward to British Columbia through Canmore, Banff and Kananaskis Country. The other route will enter Alberta at Onion Lake (east of Edmonton) and head west to Edmonton then south to Calgary through Devon, Leduc, Wetaskiwin, Ponoka, Red Deer, Olds and Airdrie.
The northern land route leaves Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan and heads north to Athabasca, Peace River, Fairview, crossing to northern British Columbia at Cherry Point.
The northern water route traces the path of the historic fur traders from Athabasca along the Athabasca River northeast to Fort McMurray, Fort Chipewyan and Fort Smith in the NWT.
When complete, Alberta will embrace approximately 2200 km of the TCT land route. Approximately 60% of the trail is completed.
Trail building is either in progress or complete along many sections of
the route north of Edmonton. The route from Wetaskiwin north to Peace
River is now nearly complete.
The CPR donated approximately 422 kms of abandoned rights of way to the
TCT in Alberta. Not all segments are suitable for trail development. Once
complete, less than 15 per cent of the Trans Canada Trail in Alberta will
use abandoned rail rights of way. Rural Albertans living along these rights
of way and in other rural areas along the preferred route for the TCT
are expressing a number of concerns related to the development of the
TCT. Most of these farmers and ranchers are not opposed to the concept
of trails, and in fact many of them enjoy recreational activities related
to trail use. They are however concerned about a new land use that has
the potential for negative impacts to their traditional lifestyles and
land management activities. Alberta TrailNet is working to address legitimate
concerns and mitigate the impact of the Trail through these areas.
- Alberta TrailNet has recently established a multi stakeholder Alberta Trail Advisory Council to advise TrailNet's Board on issues respecting the development of trails through rural areas. The Council is currently exploring issues related to enforcement and accountability with input from the RCMP and Rural Crime Watch. Studies of existing rural trails in Alberta and across North America have also been initiated to determine adjacent landowner impacts and best solutions to rural concerns.
- TrailNet is one of a number of groups seeking reform of Occupiers Liability legislation and is also actively promoting the creation of provincial legislation specific to recreational trails, their management and use.
- In conjunction with the Trans Canada Trail Foundation, Alberta TrailNet has purchased a unique $10 million liability insurance policy. Adjacent landowners are covered under this policy at no cost to the landowner.
- The Alberta Government has donated $1.1 million towards planning, design and construction of the TCT in Alberta. Communities and trail building groups along the TCT route may apply to Alberta TrailNet for trail building assistance under this fund. Successful trails are the result of good trail design and proper management. Trail operators and "Friends of the Trail" around the province are contributing their skills, time and energy towards addressing these issues at the local level and furthering the development of trails in Alberta.
- A new Trans Canada Trail marker, the third in Alberta (the first two pavilions are located in Calgary and Edmonton) was dedicated on May 21st 2000, as Relay 2000 passed through Medicine Hat. Alberta leads the country in per capita donations to the TCT and the names of these many generous supporters appear in these structures.
- TrailNet has initiated the production of a series of fact sheets on completed Trail segments in Alberta. These segments are being individually showcased in our newsletter, on this web site, and on the TrailPAQ web site. While these will provide detailed trail information on portions that are registered and complete in Alberta, they also form part of a larger outreach initiative - communicating to Albertans that we're not done yet and are still very much in need of your donations and support.
