Ben and I headed out to do some exploring around Dorothy, Alberta. He had been there earlier this summer taking pictures with a buddy of his, and enjoyed it so much that he wanted to go back and grab a few more. I am glad he did, because it was a very cool experience with some fantastic scenery!
Dorothy, Alberta is a tiny Hamlet of about 15 people located in the Badlands, about 20 km southeast of Drumheller. After passing Hussar we took some gravel backroads for the final approach into Dorothy. The scenery changed dramatically as we approached the Red Deer River valley, and the final descent into Dorothy was spectacular!
Dorothy is considered a ghost town despite the fact that there a still a few residents. There are two abandoned churches (the Catholic one is still intact and you can actually go inside and look around), an abandoned store with dust-covered items still on the shelves, broken-down vintage cars and tractors at various locations for viewing, and a 1970s style playground complete with teeter-totters, steel slide with no railings, and an old-fashioned merry-go-round. The old grain elevator is still in place as a landmark for the town, but looks like it has not been used in decades. We spent about an hour walking around the hamlet looking in and around the buildings, testing out the playground attractions, and taking pictures. It honestly felt as if we had gone back in time.
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| Badlands Geography |
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| View Down To The Hamlet Of Dorothy |
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| Abandoned But Intact Catholic Church |
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| Abandoned Vehicle (Reliant) |
Once we were done touring around the Hamlet we decided to explore the Red Der River a bit before heading back home. We ended up stopping at a few places with beautiful views of the river and valley. As dry and baron as the Badlands are, there is a significant amount of diversity of plants and wildlife. In the short amount of time we were there we saw rabbits, chipmunks, and a number of different birds including a huge Osprey perched on top of one of the tall eroded hills in the area. Ben snapped a few more shots, then we were on our way back home.
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| Old Man On The Banks Of Red Deer River |
I would definitely recommend making a trip out to that area if you were looking for something interesting and unique to do in Southern Alberta. I am so glad Ben took me with him. The scenery was amazing and the town was so interesting to see. It was a great summer experience!!
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