Horsethief Canyon (Alberta)

For other uses, see Horsethief Canyon.

51°32′17.6″N 112°52′13.2″W / 51.538222°N 112.870333°W / 51.538222; -112.870333

Horsethief Canyon

Horsethief Canyon is found 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) northwest of the town of Drumheller, in Starland County in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is on the east bank of the Red Deer River, along Highway 838 (known locally as North Dinosaur Trail). Both Horsethief Canyon and Horseshoe Canyon are distinctive features of the surrounding badlands of central Alberta. Although the two canyons look similar, they are separated by several kilometres and were created by different tributaries of the Red Deer River. [1][2]

The name "Horsethief" was given to this area because of an illegal horse trade network used in the last century.[3] Horses being smuggled illegally between the United States and Alberta were supposedly hidden in this canyon, but the true origin of the name is not clear.

Horsethief canyon, Alberta, Canada
  1. ^ Ebner, Dave (May 28, 2010). "Horsethief Canyon: 'A window into the past'". The Globe and Mail.
  2. ^ "Drumheller, Alberta, Canada - Things to do. Hike Horsethief Canyon". www.ehcanadatravel.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
  3. ^ "Horsethief Canyon". Travel Drumheller. Archived from the original on 29 May 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.