Wind Chasing Road Trip Across Southern Alberta

Southern Alberta is famous for its Chinook winds and is a place that sees a lot of strong winds in general.

The winds can gain strength travelling across the flat prairies or as they travel down the eastern slopes of the Rockies. In 1990, one of Alberta’s first commercial wind farms was established to help harness the wind power travelling through southern Alberta.

Today, Alberta has about 30 operating wind farms.

Wind Farms Road Trip:

The wind turbines which make up these farms are an incredible sight to see. The turbines are all located in flatter prairie areas, but with backdrops of rolling foothills, or distant mountain peaks. Plus, the sheer size of the wind turbines is enough to take road trippers by surprise.

Wind chasing would involve literally following the wind through southern Alberta. Travelling east to west in southern Alberta can fit into a day trip thanks to this narrower part of the province. The powerful chinooks or winds from the Rockies will rush through wind farms in southwestern Alberta, and past many more wind farms. And this is not the only place to see a wind farm in Alberta: the largest of all is in east-central Alberta.

The official wind-chasing road trip would begin/end near the Cypress Hills and begin/end on the west side of the Crowsnest Highway (near Pincher Creek). Turn it into a photography or scenic road trip, or add the wind chasing as part of a larger road trip.

About the Wind Farms & Where to View

Begin your travels near Lundbreck and Pincher Creek to take the wind chasing west to east. Or, start the road trip in Etzikom to take the wind chasing east to west!

Stay on the road and do not trespass. 

• Now decommissioned, Cowley Ridge Wind Farm was Canada’s oldest wind farm. Built in 1993 with an original 257 turbines that generate enough electricity for 7,500 houses. The Cowley North, located just north of the decommissioned Cowley Ridge, comprises 15 turbines mounted on 46-meter towers, generating 1.3 megawatts of power each. The town of Cowley is between Lundbreck and Pincher Creek on Highway 3.
• The Castle River Wind Farm, still in operation, can easily be view on the drive from Cowley to Pincher Creek, with a detour down Range Road 11.

• Continue east to see the impressive Kettles Hill Wind Farm, south of Highway 3 and using Township Road 64 from Pincher Creek.
• Stop by Oldman Dam Provincial Recreation Area for a picnic, and enjoy the sights of the reservoir backdropped by the Oldman wind facility located north of Pincher Creek.
• Eventually, Highway 3 and the southern secondary highways will meet with Highway AB-810. Follow this to McBride Lake (Fort Macleod) to get one of the best viewing areas of the farms, along with interpretive signs and info. Around Highway AB-810, you can see many other TransAlta-owned wind farms.
• Make Etzikom your first or last stop on the wind-chasing adventure. Here, you can view antique windmills which once provided power to numerous areas around North America at the Etzikom Museum & Canadian Historic Windmill Interpretive Centre.

Natural Attractions & Recreation:

While you travel and make your way across southern Alberta, there are natural attractions to see and enjoy, as well as windmills. Stop at these parks for a picnic, a hike, a dip in the water or learn more about Alberta’s history:

• Lundbreck Falls
• Waterton Reservoir Provincial Park
• St. Mary Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area
• Town of Pincher Creek
• Crowsnest Pass
• Oldman Dam Provincial Recreation Area
• Fort Museum of the North West Mounted Police and First Nations Interpretive Centre
• Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Interpretive Centre
• Best Things to Do in Southwest Alberta

For more information:

Alberta Culture & Tourism: Alberta & Modern Wind Power

Alberta Southwest Tourism: Wind Chasing

TransAlta Wind Facilities