| Anyone contemplating a Brokeback
trip must begin somewhere. These notes provide some
thoughts that we hope may be useful to you as you begin
organizing your visit. You may also wish to refer to
“Travel Reminders and Suggestions” where you
will find practical information and recommendations. July
and August give you the chance to see Brokeback
movie locations with a minimum of weather problems. Given
the latitude, the days are quite long then, allowing you
to see a lot in just a few days. The mountain areas, in
particular, are best visited in the summertime. Canyon
Creek is in its glory in the spring but the creek slows
in the early summer and it becomes a highway of stones by
fall.
Some may want to visit the mountain locations first.
This approach allows flexibility in case weather proves
to be a problem. Because your experience at sites in
other areas will not be as weather dependent, you can
always do them while you wait for the sun to shine. Since
you will likely be flying in and out of Calgary, that
city’s sites can be split; do some upon arrival, the
others on your last day. One circuit that has worked for
many is Calgary > Canmore > Cowley > Fort
MacLeod > Beiseker > Calgary.
There are four principal areas, all in southern
Alberta, that contain Brokeback movie locations.
FindingBrokeback.com gives you directions to all the
known Brokeback locations. These are some
highlights.
Mountains:
 A
must-do. Allow one or two days. Start near
Canmore and check out the Postcard Mountains
(Mount Lougheed and Windtower), then drive south
on Hwy 40 where you will find the Basque Bridge,
Bear Creek, and the road to “I Did
Once” Lake. Then drive north on Hwy 742 past
many great mountain locations, culminating in
Campsite #2 with its Pole Bridge, Dozy Embrace,
Tent Site, and “Get Goin’ Cowboy”
Hillside (Fight Hill).
|
 If you
enjoy hiking, travel to Bragg Creek, head west on
Hwy 66 and climb Moose Mountain to the
“Ain’t Queer” Mountainside or
enjoy the nearby Canyon Creek hike (Sheep
Procession #1, Campsite #1, and Creek Crossing).
A bit further west on Hwy 66, find the site of
the “Sweet Life” and “Maybe
Texas” Riversides at Elbow Falls.
|
 The Sheep
Staging scenes and the Sheep Tangle were shot
between Canmore and Bragg Creek at Buffalo
Paddock on the Stoney Reservation. This is a
glorious area which is well worth a visit. The
Seebe Cliffs are nearby, though increased
security measures will probably keep you from
accessing them.
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If you can distance yourself from your Brokeback
obsession for just a bit, you are also perfectly situated
to see some of the world’s most remarkable
high-altitude scenery in nearby Banff, Jasper, and Lake
Louise.
Calgary:
 An
interesting place to visit in its own right,
Calgary was originally an outpost of the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police. Its biggest Brokeback
attractions are definitely the interior of the
Childress Dance Hall, Jack and Lureen’s Bar
(Ranchmans), Monroe’s House, Jack’s
Alley, and Newsome Farm Equipment (now
demolished). Although the city center area has a
lot to offer, be advised that parking is
expensive in downtown Calgary and the city has
good mass transit options.
The sites of Monroe’s
Grocery Store and Jack’s Murder are just
north and east of Calgary and could be squeezed
into your time there.
|
Beiseker, Carseland, Dorothy, Rockyford,
Dinton, and Blackie:
 This
cluster of “vintage” towns, generally
east and northeast of Calgary, can be done as a
group. Beiseker has the Siesta Motel, the site of
Ennis’s Trailer and the Paving Scene, and
east of town is the amazing Twist Ranch.
|
 Carseland
has the Drop Off and the Signal Bar. (If you are
really in this deep, it is also the site of the
Signal Gas Station scene, which was not included
in the movie.)
|
 Dorothy,
which is a bit out of the way, is quite
interesting in its own right, a tiny hamlet with
lots of worn, rustic, and somewhat romantic
buildings. This geologically unique area is known
as Alberta’s Badlands. You’ll find
Ennis’s Flashback here, as well as the
“Entering Wyoming” and Texas Highways.
|
 Rockyford
is a trove of great Brokeback sites: the
Electra and Childress Rodeo Grounds, Lureen and
Jack’s Parking Spot, the Childress Dance
Hall Façade, the Riverton Post Office, as well
as JT’s Bar and where the Phone Booth stood.
|
 Tiny
Dinton won’t take you long. The Wedding
Chapel and Drive-In Theater are opposite one
another.
|
 A few
minutes away, Blackie has the Riverton
Thanksgiving (Fight) Bar.
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Cowley, Fort Macleod, Claresholm:
 Cowley (a
special favorite of our webmaster Barry Gilligan)
has the Signal Street, Ennis’s Alley,
railroad, and the site of Joe Aguirre’s
trailer (sorry, no trailer there anymore).
|
 Fort
Macleod is another honeypot. The Laundry
Apartment and the Stairwell, the ELKS Building,
the Courtroom, the Fireworks Area, Cassie’s
Bar, and the Bus Café (the Java Shop) are all
here.
|
 North of
Fort Macleod and west of the town of Claresholm
is the site of both Ennis and Alma’s
Lonesome Ranch and Ennis’s Divorce Cabin.
Paradoxically, they are very close to one
another.
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***
The FindingBrokeback.com site should help
you with your plans and, to the extent that we have been
privileged to see these great places, we are happy to
respond to questions or make any suggestions we can.
Wherever you spend your time, whatever you choose to see,
you will have a great trip, we promise!
***
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