Lethbridge

For many visitors to Alberta, they want to experience a little taste of the old west. Popular places to get that western vibe are usually the Bar-U-Ranch, the Cowboy Trail, and small towns scattered throughout the prairies. But old west culture is also in Lethbridge, Alberta, and we recently had the chance to experience a slice of it at Fort Whoop-Up.

Located right down in the beautiful Lethbridge Coulees, the fort is surrounded by canyon-like scenery, mixed with dry desert-like conditions, cactus, and the odd rattlesnake. As we made our way towards the fort, we imagined what it would have been like hundreds of years ago when there would have been horses instead of cars, and much less civility.

Fort Whoop-Up is a replica of an original fur trading fort built in the late 1800s, not too far away from here. It was originally called Fort Hamilton and during the late 19th century, served as a centre for a variety of trading activities, one of which was the illegal whiskey trade. Whiskey traders flourished here due to the lack of police force prior to 1874, and the high prices they could command for their goods. [Read more…] about Experiencing the Old West at Fort Whoop-Up in Lethbridge, Alberta