Cypress County facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cypress County
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Welcome sign
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Location within Alberta
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| Country | Canada | |
| Province | Alberta | |
| Region | Southern Alberta | |
| Census division | 1 | |
| Established | 1985 | |
| Incorporated | 1985 | |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 12,977.99 km2 (5,010.83 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 7,524 | |
| • Density | 0.6/km2 (2/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | |
Cypress County is a large area in southeastern Alberta, Canada. It's called a municipal district. This county completely surrounds the City of Medicine Hat and the Town of Redcliff. It's part of a bigger area known as Census Division 1. The very first farm in this area was started in 1890, showing its long history.
Contents
Exploring Cypress County's Landscape
The land in Cypress County is mostly made up of shortgrass prairie, which means it's covered in short grasses. The ground is mostly flat or gently rolling. A special part of the county is the Cypress Hills region. Here, you can find different kinds of grasslands, wet areas, and even mountain-like habitats.
The two main rivers flowing through the county are the South Saskatchewan River and the Milk River. Near these rivers, you'll see deep valleys called coulees. These valleys create interesting badlands terrain, which looks like a rugged, eroded landscape.
The Badlands Guardian
Near Walsh, Alberta, there's a really cool natural landmark called the Badlands Guardian. It's a huge landform that looks like a head wearing a feathered headdress! This "head" is about 300 meters (almost 1,000 feet) wide and 25 meters (about 82 feet) deep. It was formed naturally over time by the wind and water eroding the prairie land.
Towns and Villages in the County
Cypress County is home to several communities. Some larger towns and cities are surrounded by the county, while smaller villages and hamlets are located right within it.
The larger places surrounded by Cypress County are:
- Medicine Hat (a city)
- Redcliff (a town)
The smaller communities, called hamlets, that are part of Cypress County include:
There are also many smaller localities scattered throughout the county.
Weather in Cypress County
Cypress County has a semiarid climate. This means it has cold, dry winters and warm to hot summers. Sometimes in winter, warm, dry winds called chinook winds blow in from the west, making the cold weather a bit milder. In summer, even though it can get hot during the day, the air isn't very humid, and it cools down quickly in the evening. Most of the rain falls in late spring and early summer.
How People Live and Work
In 2021, about 7,524 people lived in Cypress County. The county covers a very large area, about 12,978 square kilometers (about 5,011 square miles). This means there aren't many people living in each square kilometer, making it a very open and spacious place.
Economy and Jobs
The main ways people make a living in Cypress County are through farming and the oil and gas industry.
- Farming: Farmers here raise cattle (ranching), grow crops like wheat and oil seeds, and use irrigation to grow alfalfa and other special crops. Water for irrigation comes from the St. Mary River Irrigation District and other water groups.
- Oil and Gas: The county also has a lot of oil and gas production. Natural gas is collected through pipes and processed at special plants, like one near Hilda.
Fun Things to Do in Cypress County
Cypress County offers many places for outdoor fun and learning:
- Bullshead Reservoir - Great for camping and fishing.
- Cavan Lake Municipal Recreation Area - You can camp, boat, and fish here.
- Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park - A big park with lots to do! You can camp, boat, fish, golf, swim, hike, and even enjoy winter activities like skiing.
- Desert Blume Golf Club - A place for golfing.
- Golden Sheaf Municipal Recreation Area - Good for boating, fishing, water skiing, and camping.
- Irvine Prairie Memories Museum - Learn about the local history with interesting displays.
- Michelle Reservoir - Another spot for camping, fishing, and boating.
- Murray Lake Reservoir - Good for fishing.
- Reesor Lake - Offers camping, fishing, boating, and hiking.
- Sandy Point Municipal Recreation Area - A place for camping, fishing, and boating.
- Spruce Coulee Reservoir - You can camp, fish, and boat here too.
- Cypress County Welcome Centre - A great place to get information about the county.
Getting Around Cypress County
Roads and Highways
Several important highways run through Cypress County.
- The Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) enters the county near Walsh, goes through Dunmore, and continues towards Medicine Hat and then Calgary. There are plans to make this highway even better.
- The Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) enters near Seven Persons and goes towards Medicine Hat.
- Highway 41 starts at the U.S. border and goes north through the county, crossing the Trans-Canada Highway near Dunmore.
The county also has a huge network of local roads, totaling over 2,700 kilometers (about 1,678 miles) of paved, oiled, and gravel roads.
Train Travel
The main train line of the Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway also crosses Cypress County. It enters near Walsh, passes through Dunmore, and continues towards Medicine Hat and Calgary. Another train line connects Dunmore to Lethbridge. There are large train yards in Dunmore where trains can be switched and goods can be loaded or unloaded.
County Services
Cypress County provides many important services to its residents. These include programs for farmers, road maintenance, making sure rules are followed (bylaw enforcement), planning how land is used, fire protection, and services for recreation, waste collection, recycling, water, and sewer systems. They also have emergency services and support for families and the community.
Schools and Learning
Schools for Kids
Most public school students in Cypress County attend schools managed by the Prairie Rose School Division #8. Some of these schools include Eagle Butte High School, Irvine School, Schuler School, and Seven Persons School. The main office for this school division is in Dunmore.
For Roman Catholic students, the Medicine Hat Catholic Separate Regional School Division #20 runs schools in Medicine Hat and Bow Island. These include McCoy High School and St. Mary's School.
There is also Cornerstone Christian School, which provides Christian education for students from kindergarten to grade 12.
Learning After High School
After high school, students can attend Medicine Hat College in Medicine Hat. This college offers programs where students can transfer to a university, get special applied degrees, and learn skills for trades (apprenticeship programs). The college also has sports teams for basketball, volleyball, and soccer.
