Guided badlands day trip · Tickets from $65 · Park admission included Book Now
Guided · UNESCO World Heritage Site

Walk where dinosaurs roamed.

Skip the two-hour drive from Calgary and touch a 75-million-year-old bone instead. A guided day in Alberta's badlands — hoodoos, coulees, and one of the richest fossil sites on the planet.

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Round-trip coach from Calgary · Explorers Bus Tour included

75M yrs
Since these fossils were buried
300+
Skeletons pulled from this valley
300,000+
Parkbus riders since 2010
UNESCO
World Heritage Site
"You'll board a bus deep into the Natural Preserve — the 80% of the park most visitors never see — and touch real fossils still emerging from the ground."
"Strangers who board the bus together in Calgary often find themselves pointing out the same fossils by afternoon."
Part 1

We handle the drive

Two hours from Calgary in an air-conditioned coach while the prairies turn into badlands. Logistics handled, no rental car.

Part 2

The Explorers Bus Tour

A Parks Alberta interpreter takes you into the restricted Preserve. Four stops, real fossils, 75 million years of history.

Part 3

The park is yours

Free time to hike the badlands, climb hoodoos, and explore the Visitor Centre before the coach brings you home.

Park admission included · Guided Explorers Bus Tour · Air-conditioned coach · Touch real fossils · Kids & solo travellers welcome

Where to catch the bus

Two Calgary pickup points. Get there 15 minutes early — the drive to the park takes about two hours.

Anderson Station Way SW

Park-and-ride lot off Anderson Station Way SW, south Calgary. Easy LRT access.

Departs
8:00 AM
Returns
6:00 PM

Calgary Stampede Trailblazer Centre

Downtown pickup at the Stampede grounds Trailblazer Centre.

Departs
7:45 AM
Returns
6:20 PM

How the day works

One ticket, three parts. We get you there, a park interpreter guides you into the restricted Preserve, and then the badlands are yours to explore.

1
Parkbus coach to Dinosaur Provincial Park

The drive from Calgary

Depart Calgary 7:45–8:00 AM · Arrive park ~10:00 AM

You sit back in a full-size, air-conditioned coach with big windows and watch the prairies transform into badlands. About 220 km east, near Brooks — roughly two hours. We handle the highway so you don't have to.

Good for: napping, photos, meeting the group
2
Explorers Bus Tour interpretive program

The Explorers Bus Tour

~2 hours · Led by a Parks Alberta interpreter

This is where the magic happens. You board a bus deep into the Natural Preserve — the 80% of the park most visitors never see — and stop four times to get out and explore. You'll touch dinosaur bones buried for 75 million years, hear stories of the Blackfoot nation and early fossil hunters, and maybe place a protective casting on a fossil like a real field paleontologist. Restricted areas you can only reach with a guide.

Good for: real fossils, geology, Blackfoot history, all ages
3
Hiking the badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park

Free time in the badlands

Several hours · Park departs ~4:00 PM

After the tour, the park is yours. Hike the Badlands Interpretive Trail (1.3 km, easy), follow the Trail of the Fossil Hunters (0.9 km) with your eyes down for bone fragments, climb the hoodoos, or scramble through terrain that genuinely feels Martian. Visitor Centre with interactive exhibits and a theatre, plus cold drinks at the Cretaceous Café.

Good for: hiking, hoodoos, Visitor Centre, photos

One ticket, everything that matters included

Round-trip coach from Calgary and the guided Explorers Bus Tour into the protected Palaeontological Preserve — admission built in.

Adult$130
Student / Senior$117
Child$65

Not included: meals and snacks (Cretaceous Café is seasonal), and optional add-on guided hikes booked on-site. Kids under 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

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In partnership with Dinosaur Trips

Why this valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Over 75 million years ago this region was an inland sea. Dinosaurs died in river channels and were buried in sand and mud. Those layers eroded into towering hoodoos, sculpted coulees, and otherworldly badlands — and more than 300 complete skeletons have been pulled from this single valley, now displayed in museums around the world.

About 58 species have been found here, from massive Albertosaurus to herds of horned Centrosaurus. The Blackfoot nation are the traditional keepers of this land; they called the hoodoos matapiiski — "the people" — believing them spirits that watch over the valley.

You can literally see 75 million years of time on display.

Badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park
Hiker in the badlands

What to bring (the heat is real)

The badlands are one of Alberta's hottest, driest places — midsummer highs of 25–30°C with almost zero shade. That harsh light is part of what makes the landscape so dramatic, but you'll want to come prepared.

  • Closed-toe, sturdy shoes — required. No sandals, flip-flops, or Crocs, or you can't join the program.
  • Hat, sunglasses, and plenty of sunscreen
  • Lots of water — there's no shade out there
  • Layers for the air-conditioned ride back, plus DEET insect repellent
  • A camera or phone — you'll want it

June weather in Alberta is variable — check the forecast and dress in layers.

300,000+ riders. Here are a few.

★★★★★  4.6/5.0 on Google · what riders actually say (not paid)

★★★★★
I have always had excellent experiences with Parkbus. The ambassadors have been knowledgeable and friendly, and the drivers drive safely with the passengers' comfort in mind.
Sharlene H. · Google
★★★★★
It's convenient, destinations are all great, and the staff is nice, polite and funny. I recommend Parkbus to everyone, especially if you don't have a car but want to explore.
Natalie N. · Google
★★★★★
Reasonably priced and no need to think about a rental car to get to the wilderness. The ambassadors checked everyone in at their pickups and stuck to the schedule.
James Johnson · Happy Parkbus adventurer

The badlands in photos

Dinosaur Provincial Park badlands Interpretive program Hiking the coulees Parkbus coach Hoodoos

FAQ: Before you go

Logistics
What's included in my ticket?
Round-trip transportation from Calgary on our coach bus, plus the Explorers Bus Tour into the protected Palaeontological Preserve — a guided experience with access to restricted fossil areas and off-bus stops. Your guide is a Parks Alberta interpreter. Meals, snacks, Visitor Centre purchases, and optional extra guided hikes are not included.
Is this a day trip or can I stay overnight?
It's a day trip — you return to Calgary the same evening. The park does have a campground if you'd like to extend your stay separately.
How far is the park from Calgary?
About 220 km east, near Brooks — roughly two hours of driving each way. Removing that highway hassle is exactly why Parkbus exists.
The Explorers Bus Tour
Will I actually see real fossils?
Yes — real fossils still eroding out of the ground. You'll have the chance to see and touch real dinosaur bones discovered in the field, and may place a protective casting on a fossil just like paleontologists do. To protect the sites, digging isn't permitted.
How long is the guided tour?
Approximately two hours. You'll get on and off the bus about four times to view significant fossils, formations, and landscapes.
Is it suitable for kids and all fitness levels?
Absolutely. The Explorers Bus Tour is designed for all ages and abilities, with short stops to view fossils and scenery — no special fitness required. Children of all ages are welcome (kids under 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult). Note: the tour isn't suitable for wheelchairs or strollers due to the terrain, though the Visitor Centre and some paved areas are accessible.
After the tour
What can I do during free time?
Five self-guided hiking trails, outdoor fossil displays, and a Visitor Centre with interactive exhibits and a theatre. Hike the Badlands Interpretive Trail (1.3 km), the Trail of the Fossil Hunters (0.9 km), climb hoodoos, and explore the coulees. Plan three to four hours if you want to do real hiking.
What should I wear and bring?
Closed-toe, sturdy walking shoes are required (no sandals, flip-flops, or Crocs). Bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, plenty of water, layers for the air-conditioned ride back, and DEET insect repellent. The badlands are hot and exposed with almost no shade.
What if the weather turns bad?
The park may cancel guided tours during extreme weather such as heavy rain or excessive heat. If conditions are questionable, check with Parkbus or the park before departure. In the event of unsafe conditions we'll do our best to offer an alternate program, though it can't be guaranteed.
Going solo
I'm travelling solo — will I feel out of place?
Not at all. Solo travellers are regulars on Parkbus trips, and the guided tour creates natural conversation — everyone's looking at the same fossils. Before your trip you can join the Parkbus ActiveDays Facebook group to introduce yourself and meet fellow travellers.

75 million years are waiting in the badlands.

Leave the car in Calgary. Touch a fossil, climb a hoodoo, and be home by evening.

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