Experience the Cochrane Ranche

“A place where culture, nature, and history play”

Dipping and diving along the quiet, spring-fed creek, the ride along the Cochrane Ranche Trail is just my speed. No gut-busting uphill sections. No death-defying descents. The 5.9 km trail is flowy, fun, and epitomizes what a green (with some shades of “blue”) mountain bike trail should be all about. Indeed, the under-the-radar multi-use trail – just like the Historic Cochrane Ranche Site itself – is a gem that more people need to discover.

Photos Courtesy of Town of Cochrane and Jo-Anne Oucharek

Unquestionably, riding (or walking) the beautiful creek-side trails is just one of the items on the “to do list” during a visit to the Historic Cochrane Ranche Site. Located in the heart of Cochrane, just a ten minute walk from the historic downtown area, the Historic Cochrane Ranche Site is a beautiful place to relax, explore, and immerse yourself in the western themes and natural beauty of this character-filled town. Their tagline, “A place where culture, nature, and history play,” is definitely an appropriate summation of what this park is all about.

Photos Courtesy of Town of Cochrane and Jo-Anne Oucharek

You can also think of the Cochrane Ranch Site as a very large community park (in a gorgeous natural setting) that’s steeped in western culture and First Nation’s history. In addition it has numerous recreational opportunities, including, of course, family-friendly mountain biking trails. A few of the additional attractions in the park include: a quaint museum located in a historic 109-year-old building, a Farmer’s Market (quite popular every Saturday from Jun-Sept), a reconstructed corral, an interpretive trail that highlights the natural and the human history of the site, picnic sites with fire pits, an outdoor stage for concerts and community events, the famous “Men of Vision” statue, archaeological remains, and panoramic vistas of the aspen-coated foothills and soaring Rocky Mountains. Regardless of your interests, you’ll find something that is truly “your speed” in the 136-acre park.

Photos Courtesy of Town of Cochrane and Jo-Anne Oucharek

The site is also home to the Cochrane RancheHouse. It is owned and operated by the Town of Cochrane, the Cochrane RancheHouse is, first and foremost, a meeting place. Home to a library, theatre, spacious banquet rooms, an exquisite western-themed tile mural, the Town of Cochrane Administrative Offices, and a wonderful collection of ranching artifacts, the Cochrane RancheHouse is a state-of-the-art facility perched on the bluff overlooking the park. A visit to the RancheHouse will definitely provide an enjoyable experience and additional context to the ranching roots of the region.

Photos Courtesy of Town of Cochrane and Jo-Anne Oucharek

Not surprisingly, the central theme of the site – the area’s rich ranching history – is an integral part of the experience at the Historic Cochrane Ranche Site. In 1881 Senator Mathew Cochrane was granted the first of the huge western grazing leases doled out by the Federal Government. This site became the first large-scale ranching operation in Alberta.

Photos Courtesy of Town of Cochrane and Jo-Anne Oucharek

Situated at the base of The Big Hill with a spring-fed creek, easy access to the Bow River, regular warm Chinook winds to melt the snowpack, and plenty of grassland ideal for grazing, the site was as good as it gets for ranching. And, yet, it didn’t take long before the ranch fell on hard times. An extremely harsh winter and some questionable management decisions led to major stock losses and, after a couple of years, the ranch was actually moved to the Fort McLeod area. However, even though that early ranch struggled, history was made and the door was opened to a vibrant ranching community that’s still the heartbeat of the town today.

Photos Courtesy of Town of Cochrane and Jo-Anne Oucharek

Speaking of “heartbeats,” on my recent spring visit it didn’t take long before my little ticker was going a mile a minute on the Cochrane Ranche Trail. And just ten minutes into my bike ride I was totally convinced this trail is a keeper. Crossing bridges, spinning through meadows, descending rocky ridges, and curling along the creek bed, it was arguably one of the most enjoyable rides I’ve ever done.

Photos Courtesy of Town of Cochrane and Jo-Anne Oucharek

I couldn’t resist climbing up the hill for one last look at the scene and the “Men of Vision” statue, after winding my way back to the parking lot after the invigorating ride. And, just like the beautiful bronze cowboy on the hill (perhaps the most recognizable landmark in Cochrane), I too looked west, over the cattle-flecked foothills, to the rising Rockies not far in the distance, and realized this place celebrates something truly special. And I left knowing I would return many more times in the future.

By: Andrew Penner