Get off the beaten path and into the genuine Alberta lifestyle of Medicine Hat. Marvel at the unusual landscape of cliffs and rifts, with a lush river valley meandering through it. Over 100 km (62 mi) of trails wind through “The Hat,” the prefect way to get the lay of the land. Beyond the city, the wide open plains unfold under big prairie skies.

Medicine Hat has always been a gathering place. Discover the valley and its waterways that attracted the Aboriginal peoples and the bison since ancient times. When the Canadian Pacific Railway arrived in 1883, the town of Medicine Hat was born - supposedly named after a Cree medicine man’s lost headdress.  

Tucked into the southeastern corner of Alberta on the Trans-Canada Highway, the prairie oasis of Medicine Hat is two and a half hours from Calgary. Don’t forget your sunglasses, you’re entering the sunniest city in Canada!

Coulees. Culture. Kilns. Concerts. Here’s your insider Medicine Hat checklist!

Play with clay

Get your hands dirty in the Medalta Historic Clay District, a living, working museum of china and pottery and a tribute to Medicine Hat’s early industry.

Jazz it up

Get into the groove at JazzFest, a week-long party showcasing homegrown and international talent.  

Start your engines!

The Hatters are mad about auto racing, so catch the excitement of the drag races that draw drivers from all over North America.

Aboriginal artifacts

Explore the Saamis archaeological site, said to contain over 80 million artifacts. On the ridge above the site stands the world’s tallest teepee.

Ride ‘em, cowboy

Four days of bull ridin’, steer wrestlin’, cattle ropin’ good times at the Medicine Hat Stampede rodeo and festivities.

He scores

Join the locals and cheer for the home team at a Medicine Hat Tigers WHL hockey game.  

Get outta town!

600 meters (1,970 ft) above the Great Plains lies the plateau of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. Spend a leisurely day at the beach on Elkwater Lake or go camping in the backcountry. Just 65 km (41 mi) southeast of town.

Carve up the slopes and terrain park at Hidden Valley Ski Area, 65 km (40 mi) south of Medicine Hat.

Explore the authentic prairie lifestyle of the towns near Medicine Hat, like Redcliff or Bow Island, “Bean Capital of the West!”