Rocky to Nordegg Rail Trail

In 2009, Clearwater County started developing a multi-user trail system along abandoned Rail line, covering 109 kilometers between Rocky Mountain House and Nordegg. View or download the Rocky Nordegg Trail Concept Plan here (25.72 MB)

The trail plans to include rest stops, picnic sites and a few remote campsites. Users will be able to access the trail through a number of staging areas at: Prentice Creek Road, Chambers Creek, Jackfish Creek, Saunders, Harlech and Nordegg townsite. The three-metre wide trail will be open for use by quads, motorbikes, pedestrians, mountain bikers and horseback riders. In the winter, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and dog sledding will also be possible.

Update for 2023

Multiple priorities have been established in 2023 for advancing the Rocky to Nordegg Rail Trail.

Currently, the trail is constructed from the Forestry Trunk Road to Saunders/ Alexo with portions constructed beyond Misty Valley Ranch.

The Rocky to Nordegg Trail was upgraded from the staging area at Nordegg to Beaverdam a few years ago. In 2019, the section from Beaverdam to Harlech was completed. On the 2009 Concept Plan Map you will see there is an alternate option for the Beaverdam to Harlech route that stays south of the highway and this is the route that was followed. The plan is to proceed from Harlech to Saunders along the existing rail trail when provincial grant funding becomes available.

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.