Cochrane (Alberta)

Cochrane is a town of 26,000 people (2016) in the Calgary Region of Alberta.

Understand

Overview of Cochrane

Cochrane has a reputation for its western culture, which can easily be felt when one wanders the streets (particularly Main Street). Cochrane is also a small industrial centre.

The town is a popular destination for ice cream and coffee in its quaint western-oriented stores, and for windsports, golfing, hiking and other adventure activities. Cochrane is known for outdoor pursuits. It is a centre for paragliding instruction. The hill is a popular training ground for cyclists from the area, who take advantage of its 7% grade and 3.5 km distance.

Major industries include lumber, construction, retail, and agriculture (ranching).

History

Cochrane was established in 1881 as the Cochrane Ranche, after Matthew Henry Cochrane, a local rancher. It became a village in 1903, and it had a newspaper and volunteer fire department by 1909. Cochrane was incorporated as a town in 1971.

Get in

Cochrane is 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Calgary on Highway 1A where it crosses Highway 22 (Cowboy Trail).

• On-it Regional Transit, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Three commuter buses daily from various locations in Calgary leaving between 4PM and 5PM. Return buses to Calgary leave early in the morning. (updated Apr 2018)

Get around

Car, taxi, or use the 30 km of pathways to travel by bike or on foot.

See

• 🌍 Bert Sheppard Stockmen's Foundation Library and Archives, 101 Ranchehouse Road (in the Cochrane Ranchehouse), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-F 9AM-noon, 1PM-4PM, closed weekends on statutory holidays. Over 13,000 books related to western culture from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, including a complete collection of Brand Books for Alberta from 1888 to present, and some from the other provinces. 6,000 magazines on such areas as ranching, rodeo, horsemanship, veterinary science, history, Royal Canadian Mounted Police. (updated Apr 2018)

Do

• Cochrane WinterFest. Early March. Activities include Crokicurl, pancake breakfast, Extreme Cowboy demonstrations, pony rides, axe throwing, ski jump demonstration. $5 per person, $15 per family, children 10 and under free. (updated Apr 2018)

Buy

• 🌍 Cochrane Farmers' Market, Cochrane Ranche Historic Site parking lot (near junction of Hwy 1A & Hwy 22), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Jun-Sep: Sa 9AM-1PM. The town of Cochrane is roughly 30 minutes west of Calgary via Crowchild Trail (Hwy 1A) or 16th Ave NW (Hwy 1, Trans-Canada Hwy). 

Eat

• 🌍 MacKay's, 220 1 St W, ☎ [phone]. Open daily, hours vary seasonally. The reason that Calgarians visit Cochrane. of great flavours of locally made ice cream, e.g., dill pickle, ginger with candied ginger, spotted cow, sticky toffee pudding, mayan chocolate, wasabi. Since 1948. (updated Apr 2018)
• 🌍 Guy's Cafe & Bakery, 6-201 Grand Blvd, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 7AM-5PM. Specialty coffee, full meals, freshly baked bread, soups and sandwiches. (updated Apr 2018)
• 🌍 Portofino Italian Ristorante, 18-205 1 Street E, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Lunch: Tu-F 11AM-2PM; Dinner: Tu-Sa 5-9PM. Italian cuisine; reservations recommended. $20-46. (updated Apr 2019)

Drink

• 🌍 Brooklyn Social House, 2101-101 Sunset Drive, ☎ [phone]. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-1AM. Pub serving only hand-crafted Alberta beers paired with innovative, locally sourced and seasonally focused food. (updated Apr 2019)
• 🌍 Texas Gate Bar & Grill (inside Rockyview Hotel), 304 1st Street W, ☎ [phone]. Daily 10AM-3AM. 180 person Bar features 3 Pool tables, 4 Dart boards, 9 VLT's, 10 big screen T.V's, Stage & Dance floor, Karaoke Nights and live Entertainment or All Request D.J. on weekends. (updated Apr 2019)

Sleep

Bed & breakfast

• Hereabouts B & B, 217 Baird Avenue, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. A tiny house accommodation in 247 ft² (22.9 m²) in a large backyard that has been designed for privacy. Kitchenette, parking. No pets or smoking. From $115. (updated Apr 2018)

Camping

• 🌍 Bow RiversEdge Campground, 900 Griffin Rd E (3 km SE of the town centre), ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. April-October. Along the banks of the Bow River in Cochrane. Next to the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Center. Each site at Bow RiversEdge has full hook-up facilities including water, sewer, power, and Internet. $45-50/night, $275-325/week. (updated Apr 2018)

Hotels & motels

• 🌍 Bow River Inn, 3 West Side Drive, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Apr 2019)
• 🌍 Days Inn & Suites Cochrane, 5 Westside Drive, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Free high-speed Internet, microwaves, refrigerators, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs. Free continental breakfast, laundry facilities, and free parking with large-vehicle spaces. Gym and heated indoor pool. From $107. (updated Apr 2018)
• 🌍 Ramada, 10 Westside Drive, ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. $129+. (updated Apr 2019)
• 🌍 Rockyview Hotel, 304 1st Street W, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. The Rockyview Hotel & Saloon revels in its Wild West past and so will you when you visit the more than 100-year-old establishment on Cochrane’s main street. $89+. (updated Apr 2019)
• 🌍 Super 8, 11 Westside Drive, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. $99+. (updated Apr 2019)

Connect

Go next

• Calgary
• Kananaskis Country

Routes through Cochrane

END ← Canmore ←	W  E	→ Calgary → END
Rocky Mountain House ← Sundre ←	N  S	→ Jct E W → Bragg Creek → Turner Valley & Black Diamond