Cypress Hills Provincial Park in Alberta is a stunning natural area. Its diverse landscapes make it an appealing destination for outdoor enthusiasts and casual visitors alike.
Alberta is Blessed with natural area beauty spots and Cypress Hills is up there with Banff or Jasper. It is an oasis on the prairies, a freak volcanic event that prevented this little patch of Alberta (and the Sweet Grass Hills 100 KM to the South in Montana) from feeling the ravages of the last ice age.
Hot Start. Both sides of the border were formed about 50 million years ago when magma was extruded out of the mantle. Add eons of erosion, deposits and the occasional ice age, and both sets of hills are what they are today. At 1466 M, they are also the highest point between the Rockies to Labrador [1].
Nary a Cypress in Site/Sight. Despite its name, there are no Cypress trees here. Instead, the name is an anglicized version of the French name given to the area by the Metis. The lodgepole pines reminded them of a local Jackpine found in Manitoba which they called ‘le cypre‘. This area was known as ‘les montagnes des cypres‘. Each of the native groups who visited the hills had their own names for the area [2].
I’ll Be Back. In addition to seeing stunning views, a restored church, a youth camp, and a cemetery can be accessed within an hour or so drive from the central community of Elkwater. Definitely Beyond YEGVille, but I may have to go back to hike and enjoy the environ.
Table of Contents
- The Fast Facts
- Lookouts and Lakes
- St. Margaret’s Church
- Eagles Nest Ranch
- Lebanon-Thelma Cemetery
- MedAlta Pottery
- Notes and Reference
Any maps and map views are for general information only. Do not rely on them for navigation or to determine legal boundaries.
The Fast Facts
- Winter Challenge Category: Various hikes and routes for all levels and abilities. Visit Cypress Hills Trail Report for status.
- Worth Visiting
- Various Washrooms.
- Kid Focused
Area Details
- Name/Owner: Private land (open to the public) and Provincial Park.
- Is it Worth It and Why Go Here?: 5/5:
- Wayne Gretzky Units: About 475 KM.
- Trail Classification: Not Applicable.
- The Drive Out: Assuming the weather is clear, the drive is stupendous. It travels through the prairie and then climbs into the hills.
- The Other Shoe: Fat biking, walking.
- Frank’s Trip Notes
- First done: 2024-mid-October Weather: Warm was warm and clear, exceptional for the fall.
Lookouts and Lakes
Stunning Scenery Starts early as you climb up and into the Cypress Hills. To name a few, the road as it leaves Highway 41 and goes into the Elkwater town site. Horseshoe Canyon lookout faces Northwest and Medicine Hat is vaguely visible with the right conditions. Head of the Mountain looks Southwest toward the Sweetgrass Hills and into Montana. Numerous hikes and back country trails connect these points with Elk Water meaning a hub and spoke adventure is possible from the comfort of a hotel room.
Reesor Lake is further away is formed by a dam built in 1960 [3].
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Looking North from Horseshoe Canyon, Cypress Hills PP, 2024-10-14, P. Potter. 
Fall colours on the East bank of Reesor Lake, Cypress Hills PP, 2024-10-14, P. Potter. 
Looking Northwest along Reesor Lake, Cypress Hills PP, 2024-10-14, P. Potter. 
Looking Southeast from the Reesor Lake Road towards the same, Cypress Hills PP, 2024-10-14, P. Potter. 
Retired fire lookout tower, Tom Trott Forestry Museum, Cypress Hills PP, 2024-10-14, P. Potter. 
Head of the Mountain Viewpoint information sign, Cypress Hills PP, 2024-10-14, P. Potter. 
Head of the Mountain View Point, Cypress Hills PP, 2024-10-14, P. Potter.
St. Margaret’s Church
Located on the West side of the Park, the church was previously Anglican but is now non-denominational and run by an Alberta nonprofit organization. Built in 1907, it was restored in the early 1990’s and maintained every July long weekend. The stained-glass windows were created in 2005 by artist Sue Feeney of Medicine Hat. Interestingly, the cemetery is still active and is accepting new burials.
David Carter has published a book on the Church as well as other non-fiction which is available for sale: djcarter.ca.
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Looking west from the chuch, note the stain glass window on the right, St Margaret Church, 2024-10-17, P. Potter. 
Alter of the church, note the orientation of the pews, St Margaret Church, 2024-10-17, P. Potter. 
Sign in the church regarding burial plots, St Margaret Church, 2024-10-17, P. Potter. 
Weather beaten Railway Crossing Sign, East of the site, St Margaret Church, 2024-10-17, P. Potter. 
Looking East into the Cypress Hills PP from the site, St Margaret Church, 2024-10-17, P. Potter.
Eagles Nest Ranch
A Passion. This camp was the passion for Wes and Janice Reinheller. Their vision was to build a ranch that would be a place where kids are important. With a dream of what could be, and the determination to see it through, the Eagles Nest Ranch was born. Armed with a dream and the perseverance to see it through, Wes and Janice poured their hearts into seeing a camp develop [4].
Passion Takes Money. Wes Reinheller founded the company Medican in 1974 which operated as a developer and contract builder and constructed thousands of homes in Western Canada. It entered bankruptcy protection in 2010 [5]. This fact likely impacted funding for the camp as it was dormant for two years 2014 to 2016 [6, 7] when it was re-launched. According to a source on the grounds, the camp may be transitioning to new owners as of writing.
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Looking West at the camps main buildings, Eagle’s Nest Ranch, 2024-10-15, P. Potter. 
A western motif is part of the camp, Eagle’s Nest Ranch, 2024-10-15, P. Potter. 
An impressive set of buildings given the camp started with ATCO trailers, Eagle’s Nest Ranch, 2024-10-15, P. Potter. 
A poignant memorial to a young man who enjoyed the camp but whose life was cut short, Eagle’s Nest Ranch, 2024-10-15, P. Potter. 
The Eagle’s Nest House, Eagle’s Nest Ranch, 2024-10-15, P. Potter.
Lebanon-Thelma Cemetery
Last Resting (Visit) Place. A survey of the names buried here shows the German-Russian routes of immigration into the area in the late 1800’s. For those interested in the graves of these early settlers, visit Clarence Janke’s post in the local genealogical society: Cemeteries of SE Alberta & SW Saskatchewan – mhdgs.ca. As for the origin of the name ‘Lebanon’, a cursory search yielded no information.
The original Baptist church connected to this cemetery was built about two miles south of this site, a second church was built near the cemetery.
This plot is located near the south boundary of Elkwater Lake Park, on the northwest corner of NW 25-07-02-W4, one mile north of township road 74 and on range road 31.
The cemetery committee has erected a cairn which lists those interred here. Recent research indicates that there are several more burials than those listed on the cairn. The cairn lists 70 names, only 16 of the graves have a marker. As at February 13, 1999. [8]
(On smart phones, swipe to advance the pictures)
A visitor enters the site, Lebanon-Thelma Cemetery, 2024-10-15, P. Potter. 
Looking south from the entrance, Lebanon-Thelma Cemetery, 2024-10-15, P. Potter. 
Cairn erected, Lebanon-Thelma Cemetery, 2024-10-15, P. Potter. 
Written in German, the view of the valley from the site, Lebanon-Thelma Cemetery, 2024-10-15, P. Potter.
MedAlta Pottery
Okay, not technically part of Cypress Hills but close enough for a rainy-day activity. MedAlta is a restored pottery plant located NE in Medicine Hat. The plant had two unlikely progenitors: the CPR and geological wealth.
Medicine Hat is situated halfway between Vancouver and Winnipeg and quickly developed into a transportation hub. It also is located near natural gas reserves and local clay deposits. Natural gas allowed for economic firing and the clay was deemed excellent for brick, pottery and porcelain [9]. The result was a massive industrial enterprise that lasted into the early days of plastic and glass bottles.
Door above the dance hall floor, Medalta Potteries, 2024-10-17, P. Potter. 
A jumble of machinery makes sense with the excellent signage and handouts, Medalta Potteries, 2024-10-17, P. Potter. 
Making a bowl, an example of static information in the facility (back wall)., Medalta Potteries, 2024-10-17, P. Potter. 
Multi-media displays (e.g. a video, right side of the image) add to the understanding and experience, Medalta Potteries, 2024-10-17, P. Potter. 
A gallery has evolving artistic displays as well, Medalta Potteries, 2024-10-17, P. Potter. 
SPACE by Fritz Vehring (Germany) 2018, Medalta Potteries, 2024-10-17, P. Potter. 
Looking across the South Saskatchewan River valley and downtown Medicine Hat; note the CPR engines bottom right – stay integral to the City, 2024-10-17, P. Potter.
Notes and Reference
- Head of the Mountain Viewpoint information sign (see photo).
- DONOVAN, LARRY. ALBERTA PLACE NAMES: The Fascinating People & Stories behind the Naming of Alberta. Canada: DRAGON HILL PUB, 2007.
- Reesor Lake (Alberta) | Wikipedia, accessed 2024-10-19.
- eaglesnestranch.ca/about-us via the Way.archive.org, accessed 2024-10-19.
- Medican finalizing payments to creditors | Red Deer Advocate
- eaglesnestranch.ca/about-us (2021) via the Way.archive.org, accessed 2024-10-19.
- enr.ca (2014) via the Way.archive.org, accessed 2024-10-19.
- Lebanon Thelma Cemetery – Find a Grave.
- Heritage – Medalta.
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YEG Ville 