McKenzie's Trails West — Attraction in Alberta

My wife and I went on the four-day pack trip with McKenzie's in the fall of 2021 and had the most amazing experience that exceeded even our wildest expectations by a long shot. Despite the fact that I had never sat on a horse before I had a great time and was able to sit, walk, and hike again the next day without any troubles.

I specifically chose McKenzie's Trails West because they are a small, family-run operation with long-running ties to the area. From the minute we arrived at basecamp to the last goodbye it was clear to see that this is an operation driven by the love and passion for the animals and the lifestyle. Everything is extremely well organized, the horses are well trained and cared for, and even providing vegan options for my wife was not a problem.

Shelley - who runs the operation - gave us the warmest welcome possible, provided outstanding service and advice every step of the way, and answered all my numerous questions with great expertise and patience in advance. Lane, Logan, and Maddy - our guides on the trip - were fantastic and did an incredible job guiding the daily rides, caring for the horses, looking after guests, telling stories, and preparing delicious meals (I don't think I have ever eaten as much good food in my life). All three of them, live and breathe for this life out in nature among horses and actually leave their work every summer to take on the tough and poorly-paid job of a guide. They know these valleys like the back of their hand and are very skilled and caring riders.

The country in these mountains is simply stunning and we couldn't stop gasping at the beauty of nature with every turn we took. Not many people have the opportunity to see this kind of country for themselves and we consider ourselves very fortunate. We even got to see the change of colours and had clear skies for most of the way.

All in all this was the adventure of a lifetime and my wife and I will be talking about this for the rest of our lives. A massive thank you to Shelley, Logan, Lane, and Maddy for this truly unique and unforgettable experience! You guys...

What an experience! If you're driving the Icefield Parkway from Between Jasper and Banff and looking for to add to your adventures, McKenzie's Trails is a great option!

My, now, Fiancé and I went out to McKenzie's Trails for the 3 hour guided ride with lunch. Although she didn't know, this experience was the prelude to our engagement.

Due to the forecasted weather everyone else postponed, and the result was a private trail ride for the two of us. Kenzie took us out on the trails, where she talked to us about the Rocky Mountain geography and the lifestyle of living out in the mountains, she was great!

The lunch was fantastic too! Cold cuts, cheese, and pickles and a flaky buttery croissant...so good. They also pack you with beef jerky, potato chips, nuts, and an apple (which you can feed to your horse when you're done)... you wont go hungry!

Our horses were fun too. I had Blue (Steal), the lad was was looking around throughout the ride as if he was taking in the sights along the way.

And the scenery, how can you get tired of looking at mountains... the ride through the trails takes you up to some fantastic viewpoints, and you do it all on horseback.

What a fantastic experience to lead our day to our engagement!

Thank you to Kenzie, and everyone that made our experience so great. Truly Recommend this experience!!!

P.S. if you're doing these trials you should also checkout Rockie Mountain Heli, where you can do a helicopter ride through the mountains (I believe they provide a combination...

My husband and i had spent our anniversary in nordegg and happends upon this amazing place out in a drive one day. When we were driving in and reached the main house, there were just no words for it beauty! The very same can be said for the lovley people who run this perfect piece of paradise. We come fr. Edmonton and for anyone who's been here, u know it's not hard to loose urself in the hustle and bustle of daily lives. Being in the property in its serene setting was the perfect way to feel a connection to the rich history of our beloved mountain's. More then beauty, it was really nice to hear about how things worked there in the generations before her time. How the ranch had changed through the changing of time and what each generation did differently to help keep it alive and flourish in its field. The best part of my week 100% On the way back down the canyon, My phone actually came out of my pocket and upon arriving back at the ranch i realized it wasn't with me. I mentioned to the staff that I had lost it and they happily mounted there horses and went in search. They stayed connected with me as tgey searched through the next day. Luckily a hiker picked it up on our trail a d braught it to them. They did go beyond expectation. Even as far as dropping it in tge post for me All in all, i cant wait for next year. I will happily return here Thank you to the whole,...