🤠 Canada Day Cowboy-Style: Day Trip to Bar U Ranch!

Let’s celebrate Canada Day by heading south of the city to the historic Bar U Ranch National Historic Site near Longview. We’ll step back into the late 1800s, check out the historic ranch buildings, sit around the campfire for some authentic cowboy coffee and bannock, and take in the stunning views of the Rocky Mountains.
Admission is completely free for Canada Day!

📅 When & Timeline
Wednesday, July 1, 2026
9:45 AM:* Meet at the carpool location to load up into vehicles.
10:00 AM Sharp:* Depart Calgary (about a 1-hour to 1-hour-and-15-minute drive south).
11:15 AM:* Arrive at Bar U Ranch, park, and gather at our rendezvous spot.
11:30 AM – 2:00 PM:* Head down into the valley to explore the ranch and enjoy a picnic lunch.
2:00 PM:* Meet back at the vehicles and head back to the city.
3:15 PM:* Arrive back at the Calgary carpool lot.

📍 Meetup & Carpool Logistics (No Driving Separately)

Anderson LRT Station – South Park & Ride Lot
(Look for the group in the south parking lot, near the main station entrance and bus loops).

We are all driving down together as a group.

Please arrive by 9:45 AM so we can efficiently sort everyone into vehicles and ensure we have enough seats before hitting the road. Leaving your vehicle parked here for the day is free and safe.
Gas Contribution:* If you are hitching a ride, please bring $10–$15 cash to chip in to your driver for gas!

🚗 How to Sign Up (Driver vs. Passenger)
You must answer the RSVP question when you sign up!* Please indicate whether you are driving (and how many seats you have) or if you need a ride.

• I will monitor the responses and update the vehicle count here. We cannot take more passengers than we have confirmed driver seats for!

📍 Rendezvous Point At the Ranch
If vehicles get separated on the highway, our official regrouping point is just inside the main entrance doors of the Bar U Visitor Centre lobby (by the reception/gift shop area). We will gather there at 11:15 AM so we can make the trek down to the ranch valley together.

🌦️ Weather & Cancellation Policy
Rain or Shine:* This event will proceed rain or shine! While most activities are outdoors, there is plenty of cover if things turn damp, including the historic cookhouse, bunkhouse, and visitor centre. If extreme weather is forecast, an update will be posted here 24 hours prior.

🛑 RSVP Cutoff & Strict No-Show Policy
The RSVP deadline is Monday, June 29, at 8:00 PM.*
Because vehicle and driver logistics depend entirely on a finalized headcount, anyone who cancels after this cutoff or fails to show up for the carpool will be automatically marked as a "No-Show." No exceptions.* Please be respectful of our volunteer drivers and the people on the waitlist!

🌾 The Plan & Activities
Lunch (Bring Your Own Picnic): Please pack your own lunch, water, and snacks!* While there is a food service on-site, the Canada Day crowds mean massive lineups. Bringing a picnic ensures we don't spend our short visit waiting in lines, and we can find a scenic spot to eat together along the Pekisko Creek Trail.
The Ranch Experience:* Wander the historic trails, look for the famous Parks Canada red chairs, try your hand at lassoing, check out the heavy horse wagon tours, and meet the ranch animals.

🎒 What to Bring

• A packed lunch, snacks, and plenty of water.
• A picnic blanket (optional, if you want to sit on the grass).
• Sturdy walking shoes or boots (the ranch core is a 10–15 minute walk down a gravel trail from the Visitor Centre).
• Sunscreen, a hat, raincoat and layers (it can get windy out on the foothills!).
  Note: Parks Canada regulations state that pets are not allowed* on the site grounds or inside the visitor centre, so please leave your furry friends at home for this trip.

🗺️ Driving Directions (For Our Drivers)
Bar U Ranch is about 95 km south of Calgary on Highway 22 (just 13 km south of Longview).

• Head south on Highway 2, turn west onto Highway 540, cross over Highway 22 (The Cowboy Trail), and continue west for about half a kilometer to the main parking lot.

See you on Canada Day! Please make sure to fill out the pop-up question when you click RSVP so we can get the cars organized!