Plan a trip along the Rail Trail to experience the natural beauty and rich heritage of the area for yourself! The trail is open year-round and provides opportunities to hike, snowshoe, ride off-highway vehicles, snow vehicles, bicycles, horses and more. There are multiple staging areas for users to access the Rail Trail. Motorized users must access the trail from staging areas outside of PRAs such as Saunders (informal), Harlech, or Nordegg Industrial. 

Users looking to extend their stay in the area can find accommodations within the hamlet of Nordegg, or make use of one of several campgrounds in the area. 

For more information about Rail Trail and other trails in the area check out Alberta's Public Land Trail Guide. Use this guide alongside provincial trail maps that include rules and regulations and wayfinding information to help you explore Alberta’s public land trails. View provincial trail maps by visiting, Alberta.ca/public-land-recreation-maps.

Updates

Old Taunton Trestle	Old Taunton Trestle	Decking and handrail for Taunton Trestle (220m) is complete as of February 1, 2022.  Staff and AEP (Alberta Environment and Parks) have been discussing options for additional protection around the abutments of the bridge and additional signage.
		Click here to read the Government of Alberta News Release for Nov 23, 2023

Misty Valley By-Pass Trail

The railroad from Rocky to Nordegg, constructed in the early 1900s, was one of the first developments to exist in the area. Following the closure and decommission of the railroad, the old right of way remained, continuing to be utilized as a popular trail that was present prior to the approval and development of the Misty Valley Subdivision. 

During the approval process for the development of the Misty Valley Subdivision, a recreation caveat was registered to recognize the existence of the trail and to ensure that future residents of the Misty Valley Subdivision were aware that the adjacent land use included recreation. 

The Misty Valley Outline Plan, Section 4.7, requires public access and recreation co-exist with the residential development. Included in this information package is the Misty Valley Development Agreement as well as the outline plan that references and requires Clearwater County and the developer to acknowledge that recreation is an existing use on adjacent lands to the Misty Valley Subdivision. 

Clearwater County has been supporting the Alberta Government, Environment and Parks Department (AEP) in upgrading the existing trail and re-routing sections that can no longer utilize the old railroad right of way. AEP has identified and registered a new route for the trail that by-passes the subdivision and re-routes the trail around the community to the north, this route is identified as the red line on the Misty Valley by-pass trail map included in this information package. 

When considering the new route, the trail planning team had the goals of minimizing the community impact from the trail, creating the least disturbance and environmental impacts, and ensuring safety for trail users. 

As Clearwater County is not the trail owner, adjacent landowner or approval authority for the adjacent land; we are providing this information to the Misty Valley Community only as a notification. 

If you have questions regarding this notification, you may email them to RailTrail@clearwatercounty.ca. 

Click here for the full information package. 

Rocky to Nordegg Rail Trail Maps