Where the Badlands Meet the Prairie: Discover Starland County
Big skies. Rolling prairie. Working farmland. Cottonwood-lined river valleys. And, of course, badlands.
The Canadian Badlands are more than dramatic cliffs and hoodoos. Across Starland County, the landscape unfolds in remarkable contrasts—rugged coulees and winding river valleys giving way to rolling prairie, working farmland and wide-open skies. It’s a place where badlands scenery and the quiet rhythm of rural Alberta exist side by side, creating a landscape that feels distinctly its own.
With five seasonal campgrounds throughout Starland County, there are plenty of places to settle in, spend a few nights and experience this side of the Canadian Badlands at your own pace. Cast a line into a prairie reservoir, paddle along the Red Deer River, camp beneath towering cottonwoods or wake up to the sight of fields stretching toward the horizon.
From camping beneath endless prairie skies or watching the sun set over open farmland, Starland County offers a camping experience as varied as the landscape itself.
And there’s plenty of time to experience it. Starland County’s campgrounds stay open into October, making it one of the places where you can stretch your camping season a little longer.
And with Drumheller just a short drive away, it’s easy to make the most of both.
Five Campgrounds. One Big Alberta Landscape.
Michichi Dam: Prairie Views & Badlands Adventures
Just south of Michichi and approximately 25 kilometres north of Drumheller, Michichi Dam Recreation Area is an easy place to combine a rural camping getaway with a day exploring Drumheller and the surrounding Canadian Badlands.
The campground sits among rolling grass-covered hills and offers 18 formal powered campsites, overflow and group camping areas, fire pits, picnic tables, camp kitchen facilities and a playground. A highlight for visitors is the Michichi Creek Boardwalk, a one-kilometre trail beginning within the campground. Follow the trail along the edge of the reservoir to a scenic gazebo, with interpretive signs along the way sharing stories about the area’s geology, history, flora and fauna. Fully serviced seasonal lots are also available, contact campgrounds@starlandcounty.com or phone (403) 772-3793 to inquire.
The reservoir is also regularly stocked with rainbow trout, making it a popular spot for fishing. Join in the fun a the Annual Starland County Fishing Derby on September 12, 2026.
This is the spot for: Fishing, families, hiking and combining camping with a Drumheller adventure.
Good to know: Online registration is required for all non-seasonal sites. The Michichi shower house is open throughout the campground season, from opening through to closing.
Rates: $25/night for unserviced sites and $35/night for serviced sites.
McLaren Dam: A Quiet Prairie Fishing Getaway
About 24 kilometres north of Delia, McLaren Dam Recreation Area offers a peaceful escape surrounded by the open agricultural landscape of Starland County. It’s a destination for campers who like their getaways centred around the water. The large reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout, and motorized watercraft are permitted.
The campground has fire pits, picnic tables, a playground for the kids, a camp kitchen, serviced sites with water and electrical hookups, and group camping areas. Spend the day on the water, cast a line from shore and watch the prairie sky change colour as evening settles over the countryside. With low levels of light pollution, McLaren Dam is also becoming a favourite spot for stargazers, offering dark skies and an incredible view of the night sky.
When you’re ready to explore, make a stop in the nearby Village of Delia and discover the area’s agricultural and community history at the Dawson Historical Museum and Grist Mill.
This is the spot for: Anglers, RV campers, stargazing, and groups and relaxing by the water.
Good to know: Online registration is required for sites 1–18. Open for hunting season (November)
Rates: $25/night for unserviced sites and $35/night for serviced sites.
Starland Recreation Area: Where the Prairie Meets the River
Travel west of Morrin and the landscape begins to change. Situated in the Red Deer River Valley, Starland Recreation Area is surrounded by the scenery that makes this part of Alberta so special: broad prairie above, dramatic river valley below.
With 50 formalized campsites plus overflow and group camping areas, there’s plenty of room to settle in. The campground offers river access for fishing and boating, a short hiking trail, playground equipment and a gazebo for gatherings. It’s also a popular stopping point for canoeists travelling the Red Deer River.
Spend a day exploring the river valley, then take a drive into Morrin to visit the Morrin Historical Park & Sod House, where you can step back into the early settler history of the Alberta prairies.
This is the spot for: Paddling, fishing, hiking, families and getting away from the notifications.
Good to know: Sites are first-come, first-served.
Rate: $25/night for unserviced sites.
Tolman Campgrounds: Under the Cottonwoods and Along the River
At Tolman Bridge, the landscape settles into the Red Deer River Valley, where cottonwood trees, open spaces and rugged badlands create one of the area’s most scenic places to camp.
On the east side of the bridge, Tolman East Campground is tucked beneath mature cottonwoods, with many sites naturally sheltered by trees and shrubs. It offers 40 unserviced sites, each with a fire pit, along with a playground, pit/vault toilets and a hand launch area for canoeists. On the west side, Tolman West offers a more open camping experience, with 25 spacious unserviced sites that are particularly well suited to RVs. Campers have access to a large camp kitchen, pit/vault toilets and a boat launch.
Whichever side you choose, the setting is the real draw. Spend your day paddling the Red Deer River, fishing along its banks or exploring the surrounding badlands, then settle in beneath the cottonwoods or under a wide-open prairie sky as evening falls. The river campgrounds also put you close to the landscape that has made this region famous for palaeontology. Each year, palaeontological field crews from Alberta and the United States base their fieldwork out of campgrounds along the river.
And Tolman makes a great starting point for exploring some of the area’s most scenic attractions, including Horsethief Canyon and the Bleriot Ferry.
This is the spot for: Paddlers, anglers, tent campers, RV travellers and anyone looking to spend a little more time in the Red Deer River Valley.
Good to know: Individual campsites at both Tolman East and West are first-come, first-served. The Tolman East group site requires advance online registration and accommodates a maximum of five units, totalling 20 people.
Rate: $25/night per unit.
Book the Tolman East Group Site →
Make a Day of It
One of the best things about camping in Starland County is that the adventure doesn’t have to end when you leave the campground. The roads between communities wind through a landscape that shifts constantly—from productive farmland and rolling prairie to dramatic river valleys and badlands. Take your time. Turn down a gravel road. Stop for a photo. Explore a historic site. Follow the river. There’s plenty to discover between one campsite and the next.
Follow the River
The Red Deer River is one of the defining features of the landscape, carving its way through the prairie and creating the valleys, cliffs and badlands that make this region so distinctive.
For an especially scenic drive, cross the Bleriot Ferry, which has connected the two sides of the North Dinosaur Trail across the Red Deer River since 1913. From here, you can explore the roads leading toward Horsethief Canyon and Orkney Viewpoint.
At Horsethief Canyon, walk along the rim and take in sweeping views of the rugged Red Deer River Valley—a striking contrast to the farmland and prairie surrounding it.
Discover the Stories of the Prairie
The landscape isn’t the only thing that tells a story. Throughout Starland County, small communities and historic sites offer a glimpse into the people who built lives here.
In Rowley, restored historic buildings and grain elevators bring an Alberta prairie ghost town to life. Wander through the historic community, take some photos and imagine the town as it once was, surrounded by the farms and railway that helped shape its story.
In Delia, the Dawson Historical Museum and Grist Mill offers another window into the region’s agricultural history. Housed in an original 1914 two-room schoolhouse, the museum features local artifacts and historic photographs, while the restored early-20th-century grist mill remains a remarkable reminder of the area’s farming heritage.
And at Springwater School, a century-old stone schoolhouse built by a local stonemason using local stone offers a beautiful glimpse into the craftsmanship and resourcefulness of early rural communities.
Plan Your Starland County Camping Trip
Starland County’s five seasonal campgrounds are open May 15 to October 13, with opening and closing dates subject to change depending on weather conditions.
Most individual sites are first-come, first-served. Online reservations are required for:
- All non-seasonal sites at Michichi Dam
- McLaren Dam sites 1–18
- The Tolman East group site, with a maximum of five units and 20 people
Online bookings open May 1 through Let’s Camp.
Book your Starland County camping trip through Let’s Camp →
A Few Things to Know Before You Go
Camping in Starland County is about enjoying the outdoors, so come prepared.
- Bring your own firewood—campgrounds are not stocked with firewood. Wood is available for purchase from the campground attendant at Tolman East and West.
- First-come, first-served sites can be paid by e-transfer to info@starlandcounty.com. Include the campground name in the memo.
- Cell service is not available at Starland Recreation Area, Tolman East or Tolman West.
- Water at McLaren Dam will be shut off once temperatures reach freezing.
- The shower house at Michichi Dam may only be open on weekends.
- Check current campground information before your trip, as conditions and opening dates can change.