Alberta's Rockies facts for kids
Alberta's Rockies is a special part of the Rocky Mountains located in Alberta, Canada. This beautiful area is in the southwest of the province, right along the border with British Columbia. It covers most of Census Division 15, which is a way the government divides up the land.
Alberta
Rockies
Capital Region
The main activity in this region is tourism. Lots of people visit to see the mountains and enjoy nature.
Contents
Geography of Alberta's Rockies
This region is very similar to a natural area called the Alberta Mountain forests ecozone. An ecozone is a large area of land with similar plants, animals, and climate. The Rockies here have two main mountain ranges: the Central Front Ranges and the Continental Ranges.
You'll find famous national parks in this area, like Banff National Park and Jasper National Park. There's also the Kananaskis Country park system and the Willmore Wilderness. These parks protect the amazing natural environment.
Important travel routes go through mountain passes like the Kicking Horse Pass and the Yellowhead Pass. These connect Alberta to British Columbia. The beautiful Icefields Parkway runs north to south, following the Bow Valley and Athabasca River valley. Another important river in this region is the North Saskatchewan River.
Fun Things to Do in the Rockies
The Alberta Rockies are a top spot for tourists, especially for winter sports! Some of the best ski resorts are here, like Fortress Mountain Resort, Lake Louise, Marmot Basin, Mount Norquay, Nakiska, and Sunshine Village. These places are great for skiing and snowboarding.
You can also see huge sheets of ice called glaciers. Some famous ones are found in the Columbia, Wapta, and Waputik Icefields. Look for the Athabasca, Bow, Crowfoot, Hector, Peyto, Saskatchewan, and Vulture Glacier.
Many beautiful Glacial lakes are scattered throughout the valleys and along the Icefields Parkway. These lakes were formed by glaciers long ago. Some of the most stunning ones include Bow, Hector, Louise, Maligne, Moraine, Peyto, Pyramid, and Vermilion lakes.
Getting Around and Services
The main towns in Alberta's Rockies are Banff and Jasper. The famous Icefields Parkway connects many parts of the region. Major highways like the Trans-Canada Highway and the Yellowhead Highway also cross through, leading into British Columbia.
Other important roads include the David Thompson Highway, which goes from Saskatchewan River Crossing into central Alberta. The Banff Windermere Parkway connects to the Kootenay National Park. The Bighorn Highway forms most of the eastern edge of the region.
Health care in Alberta is managed by Alberta Health Services. There are several health centers in the area to help people who live there or are visiting:
- Seton Jasper Healthcare Centre in Jasper
- Hinton Healthcare Centre in Hinton
- Canmore General Hospital in Canmore
- Banff Mineral Springs Hospital in Banff
How the Region is Governed
At the provincial level, people in southern Alberta vote for members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. These representatives are called MLAs. They represent areas like Banff-Cochrane, parts of Rocky Mountain House, and West Yellowhead.
Communities in the Rockies
Many towns and smaller communities are located in Alberta's Rockies:
- The towns of Banff and Canmore.
- The specialized municipality of Jasper.
- Summer villages like Ghost Lake and Waiparous.
- Hamlets such as Lake Louise, Harvie Heights, Exshaw, Dead Man's Flats, and Lac des Arcs.
- The unincorporated community of Saskatchewan River Crossing.
- The resort community of Kananaskis Village.
Sometimes, towns like Grande Cache and Hinton, which are on the eastern edge of the Rockies, are also considered part of this region.
Several rural municipalities also make up the Alberta Rockies:
- Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8
- Improvement District No. 9 (which includes Banff National Park)
- Improvement District No. 12 (which includes Jasper National Park)
- Improvement District No. 25 (which includes Willmore Wilderness Park)
- Kananaskis Improvement District
See also
In Spanish: Montañas Rocosas de Alberta para niños
