Alberta’s Authentic Bar-U Ranch Historic Site

A Park Canada' celebration of Alberta's ranching past

Monday, August 7th, 2023 ~ After the stellar day spent at Glacier National Park taking a Red Jammer Ride, the next day we were on the bus again heading north to Banff.

Our first stop was the Bar U Ranch, a Canadian National Historic Site. When we arrived, Wyatt and Hawkeye met us outside to talk about the ranch. Established in 1882 as the North West Cattle Company, it was known locally as the Bar U (their brand had a bar on top of a capital U).

Wyatt and Hawkeye

George Lane purchased the ranch in 1902 and he was responsible for bringing over Percheron horses. At one point, the ranch had the largest herd of Percheron horses outside France.

When Parks Canada wanted to purchase a ranch to celebrate Canadian ranching history, the Bar U with its successful history and 35 historic buildings (including log buildings dating to the 1890s and the 1920s) fit the bill. They purchased the Bar U in 1991 and the ranch opened to the public in 1995.

Parks Canada opened to the ranch to the public in 1995 to celebrate Canadian ranching history.

The ranch was established in 1882. At its peak, the corporate ranch covered 157,960 acres in Southern Alberta.

George Lane, one of the early owners, was attacked by wolves and lived to tell the tale…and the statue is in his honor.

Hawkeye is the oldest horse on the ranch at 24 years old. About 18 hands high and weighing about 2,000 pounds, Hawkeye used to pull a wagon. Check out Hawkeye’s back legs.

Wyatt telling us the history of the Bar U with Hawkeye

Though we didn’t have time to tour the historic buildings, we found the ranch history fascinating. The Percherons were gorgeous.

Before we knew it, it was time to get on the bus with a scheduled stop at Canmore for lunch before arriving in Banff.