Located in southeastern Alberta, this city earned its name from an indigenous headdress legend. Its 63-meter brick chimney and natural gas fields shaped its industrial growth.
chewan River cuts through dry coulees under clear skies. This city records over 330 sunny days a year, more than any other in Canada. Start at the 215-foot Saamis Tepee near the Trans-Canada Highway, a steel structure highlighting Indigenous traditions. Watch a Medicine Hat Tigers hockey game at the Canalta Centre or walk trails along the riverbanks in Police Point Park. Explore the Historic Clay District, where early 20th-century factories produced ceramics now displayed at the Medalta museum. Each July, the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede brings rodeo competitions and live music to the fairgrounds. The city also gained attention for its Housing First program, which reduced long-term homelessness by providing direct access to shelters.
Trails and Parks
With consistent sunshine, Medicine Hat’s trails stay accessible most of the year. Follow the South Saskatchewan River through Police Point Park, where paths pass under cottonwood trees and herons nest near the water. At Strathcona Island Park, children play in splash pads, and paddleboats can be rented during summer. Kin Coulee Park includes skateboard ramps, picnic areas, and a hill for sledding when snow arrives. For a less crowded area, drive 40 minutes southwest to Red Rock Coulee, where round, rust-colored boulders scatter across the ground.
Museums and Historical Sites
The Saamis Tepee displays 10 illustrated panels explaining local Blackfoot and Cree stories near its base. Downtown, over 20 murals painted during the annual Mural Festival depict scenes like railroad construction and Indigenous ceremonies. The Medalta museum in the Historic Clay District holds workshops where visitors shape clay on vintage pottery wheels. At the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre, rotating exhibits include contemporary art and photographs from the early gas industry days. Visit the Shannon House to see original furniture and appliances from a 1906 family home.
Annual Events
Attend the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede in July for bull riding, chuckwagon races, and evening concerts. The Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival launches dozens of balloons at sunrise over the river valley each September. During Tongue On The Post in March, folk musicians perform in cafes and theaters across the city. JazzFest turns unconventional spaces like parking garages into stages for live music in June. Local and international artists add new murals downtown every August as part of the Mural Festival.
Local Dining and Breweries
Hell’s Basement Brewery serves bold IPAs and smoked meats in a warehouse-style space near downtown. Travois Ale Works focuses on European-inspired beers like Czech pilsners and Belgian ales. Medicine Hat Brew Co. offers citrus-flavored beers alongside poutine and burgers. Stop by Madhatter Coffee Roasters for espresso made from locally roasted beans or family-owned bakeries for fresh pastries. On Saturdays, the Farmers’ Market sells seasonal produce, baked goods, and handmade crafts from regional vendors.
Day Trips from the City
Drive 45 minutes southwest to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, where trails lead through pine forests to beaches along Elkwater Lake. Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, 90 minutes southeast, contains thousands of Indigenous rock carvings in a valley lined with sandstone hoodoos. Closer to town, Echo Dale Regional Park has a swimming lake formed in an old coal mine and a farm with heritage sheep and chickens.
Housing and Energy Programs
In 2021, Medicine Hat became the first Canadian city to provide immediate housing for anyone experiencing long-term homelessness, avoiding temporary shelters. Residents benefit from low natural gas prices due to city-owned wells and infrastructure. Free trolley tours run by volunteers explain these initiatives and highlight landmarks like the Saamis Tepee and Historic Clay District.
Sports and Local Teams
Watch the Medicine Hat Tigers, a Western Hockey League team, play at the Canalta Centre from October to March. In summer, the Medicine Hat Mavericks baseball team hosts games at Athletic Park, a stadium with views of the surrounding plains. Golfers play at courses like Cottonwood Coulee, which blends into the dry coulee landscape. During winter, locals drill holes in the South Saskatchewan River to fish for walleye and pike.
