Looking to explore southern Alberta’s Crowsnest Pass? Enjoy outdoor adventure? Like learning about historic places linked to a coal mining past? You’re going to love cycling the Crowsnest Community Trail – and don’t worry, you can always rent an e-bike if the thought of pedalling the whole distance is too much! It’s active outdoor adventure with a side of history at its finest!
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What and Where is the Crowsnest Community Trail?
The Crowsnest Community Trail is a southern Alberta gem that often gets overlooked as visitors hop in their cars to tour the historic sites of the Crowsnest Pass. This non-motorized trail system connects communities in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass – Hillcrest, Bellevue, Frank, Blairmore and Coleman – together. The trail is 23 kilometres in total length. One way!
The best part of the Crowsnest Community Trail is that you can pick and choose where you want to start and end and what you want to see along the way. If you have a road bike, you’ll want to stick to the paved sections. Gravel bike? The short section on the old road through the Frank Slide is a must-do. Have a mountain bike and quads strong enough to power up a few hills? The upper natural trail section from the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre to Bellevue will give you views that few people take the time to see.
No bike? No worries! Rent an e-bike from Alpenland Ski & Cycle in Blairmore (limited selection; book ahead) and power on!
10+ Historic Sites and Attractions Along the Trail
You can do this cycle tour either west to east (Bellevue to Coleman) or east to west (Coleman to Bellevue) – or even start in the middle at Blairmore if you are set up at Lost Lemon Campground and go out one direction and then the other.
But I have to pick a direction to make this tour work! For sake of argument, I will start in Bellevue and follow the lower path from Bellevue to Coleman and return the same way. We’ll save the slightly rougher and hillier mountain biking section from Bellevue to the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre for another day. Pick and choose which sites you want to see on the bike ride – or make a day of it and do them all!
1. Bellevue Underground Mine Tour
Before we pedal too far, let’s go underground. Following the road off main street, drop down the hill next to the Old Dairy Ice Cream Shoppe to access the Bellevue Mine entrance.
Strap on a battery pack and adjust the light on your helmet as you join the group for stroll deep into the underground world of the past. Don’t worry, the heritage interpreter will keep you on track and you won’t have to wander lost through the 240 kilometres (150 miles) of combined mine tunnels! The one-way hour tour is packed with info and you’ll only travel 300 metres (1000 ft) into the historic mine.
Mine tours run from May to September. They start at 10 am with the last one heading underground at 4 pm. Pre-booking online is required for every tour.
2. Hillcrest Mine Disaster Memorial and Cemetery
Pedal down to the tunnel under Highway 3 and head on uphill to the Hillcrest Mine Disaster Memorial and Cemetery. It’s a sobering reminder of the dangers faced by coal miners in the Crowsnest Pass. Learn all about Canada’s worst mining disaster in this post.
The memorial park delves into life in a mining community and the roles each man had within the mine – from miner to rope rider to bucker to brattice man to fan boy. Nameplates on the railing surrounding the two mass graves list a few of their names, ages and roles in the mine.
The oldest of the 189 men who lost their lives that fateful June day was Robert Muir. He was a miner. Age 51. The youngest was brattice man Alex Petrie. He was 17 years old.
3. Lime City
Time to hop on your bike and blow any somber feelings away. Cycle along the Crowsnest River on the back road towards Frank. Just before the pavement ends, you’ll see the remains of the large lime kilns built on the edge of Frank Slide. Local entrepreneur Joe Little saw a boon in the slide. There was a huge supply of limestone that didn’t need to be quarried. It’s worthwhile stopping to read the interpretive panel about the site’s history before detouring the short distance down the dirt road to see the kilns up close for yourself.
4. Ride the Back Road Below Turtle Mountain
Keep heading west from the lime kilns. There is a short stretch of gravel road ahead as you approach the slide. Off to the right, the old roadway can be cycled. Imagine the work it took to put this in when the dust settled in April of 1903 after over 100 million metric tonnes of rock fell in Canada’s deadliest rockslide!
Back on the gravel road, be sure to stop at the interpretive sign overlooking the slide. See if you can spot the entrance to the Frank Mine – buried by the slide with 17 miners still inside. Good news – they tunneled their way out to safety.
5. Historic Frank Townsite
Be sure to take a moment to pause at the Frank Slide Memorial along Gold Creek. It marks the nearby location of the seven homes along the creek taken out when the rocks came crashing down.
Also, watch for the historic fire hydrant on your left just before the trail crosses Highway 3. You can’t miss it surrounded by a protective yellow fence. This hydrant and a few depressions where buildings once sat is all that remains today from the old downtown of Frank.
Stay on the sidewalk after crossing Highway 3 and roll down to the Crowsnest Public Art Gallery. The gallery offers rotating exhibitions of local, provincial, and national art. Be sure to check out the artwork on the west side of the building itself!
6. Blairmore Courthouse
Commissioned in 1922, the Blairmore Courthouse is listed on the Alberta Register of Historic Places. The Spanish-Colonial Revival Style courthouse was the first in Alberta to include both courthouse and police facilities. What we like about this historic building is the nod to features from missions in the American Southwest – another favourite place of ours!
To view the courthouse, you’ll need d to detour off the community trail onto the sidewalk on 20thAvenue for a couple blocks. Head back down to the river path after checking it out. From here the paved path meanders alongside and crosses the Crowsnest River. Follow it past the grocery and hardware stores. Cross the road where the path ends and continue along between the greenspace and the railway tracks towards Coleman.
7. Crowsnest Museum
Located in the old high school in Coleman (7701-18thAve), the museum is off the path – but it’s a worthy detour. Artifacts and displays bring back to life another time in the Pass. There’s a lot to absorb, so don’t feel too bad if you need to save this one for a rainy day!
8. Visit the Alberta Police Barracks
Although technically part of the Crowsnest Museum tour, the former barracks track the history of Canada’s most infamous rum-running murder. It’ll leave you gasping in disbelief at the tragic shooting of Constable Steven Lawson as you learn all about Florence Lassandro and Emilio Picariello.
in the Alberta Provincial Police Barracks (Photo: Megan Kopp)
9. Coleman National Historic District
Outside of the museum, be sure to pick up a walking tour pamphlet from the kiosk. Whether you ride your bike to tour the sites or pocket it for another day, the Coleman National Historic District pulls all the pieces of early mining community life together – from stores and hotels, to the firehall and mining office, to the coke ovens and the hospital.
10. End of the Trail
If you’ve detoured into historic Coleman, get back on the path. If not, continue along the roadway (18thStreet), turning left on 81stAvenue. Turn right on the small footbridge crossing the creek and along beside the river through the old mine area. The path is not paved for this section until it comes back to the junction of 67th Street and 16thAvenue.
Keep pedalling along 16thAvenue through a quiet neighbourhood. You’ll see signs for a shared roadway for bikes and cars. You’ll cross over the Crowsnest River again and then Star Creek before the road ends at a final footbridge over the Crowsnest River. This is the end of the trail. Still have energy to spare? You can always lock up your bike and hike up to Star Creek Falls before heading back!
Want even more hiking adventures? Check out Hiking in the Crowsnest Pass: The Promised Land.
Rewards for Your Effort!
Congratulations – you did it! Or at least you’re halfway there. You do have to go back to where you started from – either that or have dropped off a shuttle vehicle. Regardless, you deserve a reward.
If the weather’s hot, we like to detour up onto Highway 3 in Coleman to grab an iced coffee and date square from the Cinnamon Bear Café. Sometimes you just need a little boost for the return trip. When showing off the neighbourhood to visitors, we’ll stop in at The Pass Beer Company in Blairmore for a cold bevy and a wood-fired pizza. With kids – young and young-at-heart – in tow, the lure of an ice cream cone at Bellevue’s Old Ice Cream Shoppe is irresistible. It’s also great incentive to make the return trip.
Enjoy whatever you choose – you earned it!
Leave a comment below after your own tour! What was your favourite stop along the way?
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