Alberta is known for its beautiful landscape. There are the Rocky Mountains to the west and the boreal forest to the north. In the southeast corner, in the middle of the badlands, not far off from Cypress Hills, there is a little-known area called Red Rock Coulee. It is a natural area that features large spherical red boulders that are scattered across the terrain. The boulders were formed by the precipitation of mineral cement within the spaces between soil or sedimentary rock particles. This process is known as concretion.
The concretions at Red Rock Coulee are thought to be 80 million years old and are considered to be some of the largest in the world, measuring up to a distance of 2.5 meters in diameter. Initially buried in soil, they have been slowly exposed to the sky through the erosion of the surrounding terrain.
The Red Rock Coulee natural area is located 54 kilometres southwest of Medicine Hat, just off Highway 887. It covers an area of 324 hectares. It was designated as a provincial natural area in 1985. There are no formal trails at this site, but there is a viewpoint and some interpretive signs.
The natural area is part of a mixed grass region, which contains grasslands, shrubs, and cacti. This area is known for its large jackrabbits, mule deer, pronghorns and rattlesnakes. If you’re worried about rattlesnakes, wear boots, and thick pants.
When the sun is setting over the prairies, it paints this entire area in a red-orange glow. With the sunlight shining on one side of the boulders, and a long shadow cast from the other, it paints a contrasting picture that helps highlight the biological diversity of this part of Alberta.
The Red Rock Coulee natural area is a great place for tourists and photographers to enjoy a unique type of landscape in the Alberta badlands.
I like giant rocks.