Big Rock (Okotoks Erratic)
A 16,500-tonne glacial erratic sitting alone on the prairie west of Okotoks.
About Big Rock (Okotoks Erratic)
Big Rock is a massive quartzite boulder, roughly 41 by 18 metres and 9 metres high, split into two main pieces. It's part of the Foothills Erratics Train, a 930-km line of boulders carried and dropped by glaciers along the eastern edge of the Rockies.
A brief history
The Blackfoot used Big Rock as a landmark for finding a crossing of the Sheep River, where Okotoks now stands, long before European settlement. The town's name comes from the Blackfoot word for rock. A Blackfoot story tells of Napi, the trickster, resting on the rock and the rock later chasing him, which explains how it came to be split.
RV tips
- A short, easy side trip south of Calgary. There's a small pull-off parking area, so larger rigs should check the space before turning in.
- Please don't climb on the rock. It's a protected historic resource and culturally important.
Before you go: Hours, road conditions, campground availability, passes and fire bans change. Check the official source below, 511 Alberta and Alberta Fire Bans before you travel. National parks need a Parks Canada pass, and Kananaskis needs a Conservation Pass.
Campgrounds
See Alberta campgrounds in this region for typical costs, hookups and booking links.
Sources & more information
Related trip planning: Alberta RV routes · Pre-trip checklist · Crown land camping