Calgary 
Cross a river on a cable ferry this summer!
There are unique ways to travel all over Alberta, especially in Spring and Summer. You can book helicopter rides, zipline flights, boat and fishing tours, bus tours, and more.
You can also travel by ferry in several parts of Alberta. Thanks to our many rivers, there is a need for these ferries in connecting people/communities to more remote areas. You can use a ferry to cross the Red Deer, Peace, Athabasca, or Crowfoot rivers!
If you live in Central or Southern Alberta, you can easily plan a day trip to include three ferries (Bleriot Ferry, Finnegan Ferry, Crowfoot Ferry) and some of the Alberta Badlands attractions.
Check 511 Alberta for the current operating status of ferries before you go.
Bleriot Ferry
You can find Alberta’s oldest ferry crossing on a trip to Drumheller. The ferry is part of the North Dinosaur Trail (Highway 838) and uses cables to take you 105m across the Red Deer River, connecting Kneehill County and Starland County. The ferry can hold up to 13 cars.
When: May 17 to September 2 | 8 am to 11 pm daily; September 3 to October 31 | 8 am to 9 pm daily
Where: Highway 838 over the Red Deer River
- Scenic Road Trip Alberta: Calgary to Edmonton Via The Badlands
Crowfoot Ferry
The Crowfoot Ferry, originally built in 1927, also uses cables to take you across the Bow River for a length of 150m. The ferry, which can hold up to 8 cars, connects Wheatland County and Vulcan County.
When: May 1 to September 30 | 7 am to midnight daily
Where: Range Road 201, 5 km south of the junction of Highways 1 and 56
Finnegan Ferry
Named for John Finnegan, a homesteader in the area, the Finnegan is another Red Deer River Ferry and uses cables to help guide you and your car or bike across the water. It can hold 13 cars and is about the same size as the Bleriot Ferry.
Spot the ferry in Tom Cochran’s Life Is A Highway video.
When: April 20 to October 19. | 7 am to midnight
Where: Highway 862 over the Red Deer River
Klondyke Ferry
You can utilize the Klondyke Ferry to cross this wider portion of northern Alberta’s Athabasca River at about 230 m wide. Again, this cable ferry can hold up to 13 cars.
When: May 3 to November | 6:30 am to 11:30 pm daily
Where: Highway 661 over the Athabasca River
La Crete Ferry
Unlike the ferries listed above, the La Crete Ferry, located in Mackenzie County, is self-propelled. It takes you 680m across the Peace River. La Crete Ferry is Alberta’s largest ferry and can carry a load of 95,000 kg.
When: mid-Spring to mid-November | 24 hours a day
Where: Highway 697 over the Peace River
Shaftesbury Ferry
The 1962-built Shaftesbury Ferry is a hull/tug boat which can assist you across the Mighty Peace River. Your crossing is over 300m, but this is considered a narrower part of this massive river. Shaftesbury Ferry has the lowest capacity of all Alberta’s ferries at 8 mid-size cars, 2 crew members and 46 passengers.
When: mid-Spring to mid-November | 7:00 am to 11:30 pm
Where: Highway 740 over the Peace River
