Elkwater Loop
Route Details: Imagine a wooded mountain rising up straight out of the prairie and creating a true oasis. Then take the ride down to Elkwater and find out it isn’t a dream, it’s a very real and special place.
Besides the odd rattler (for real) sunning themselves on the highway the road to Elkwater is fairly uneventful. That is until you drop into the valley and find yourself gazing at what seems like an ocean of water in this very arid place and the huge expanse of the Cypress Hills rising in the background which finishes of this unexpected scene. Pulling into town you will notice immediately that this is a resort town, and for good reason. The landscape here is picture perfect and a far cry from the barren grasslands that surround it. There are limited choices in town for food and drink (and fuel) but the 12-34 Cafe serves great food and even better coffee but packing a picnic lunch and enjoying one of the many green space or rec sites in and around Elkwater. After taking in the sights and sounds of this hidden gem you could return the same way you arrived but I would take the Eagle Butte Road back to Medicine Hat which warrants a qucik stop at Bullshead Reservoir, possibly the quietest place in Alberta I have ever experienced, and it is a nice ride through some rolling hills with almost no traffic at all. If you are capable of riding gravel this area has some awesome backroads to explore where you will ride for miles and not see a house, a person or another vehicle, just make sure you have enough fuel.
Highlights: Cypress Hills, Elkwater Lake, Horseshoe Canyon Lookout, Bullshead Reservoir
Local Businesses: 12-34 Cafe and Pub (Elkwater)
KM/Hours of Riding: 147 km, 1.75 hours riding
