The Largest Wooden Train Trestle in North America

The largest wooden train trestle in North America is right here in Alberta. Spanning over 700 metres, the Rochfort Bridge Train Trestle is a sight to behold. Not only because of its size, but also because of the fact it is made of wood! What’s also amazing is that it was built in 1914.

The trestle spans Highway 43 so you can admire it as you drive under it or you can stop at the lookout on the hill for a longer look. The Rochfort Bridge Train Trestle is about 1 ½ hours from Edmonton and is an easy drive on divided highway.

The trestle alone is worth the trip but there are also plenty of other attractions along Highway 43 such as:

• the Sangudo Speedway
• George Pegg Botanic Garden near Sangudo
• E.S. Huestis Demonstration Forest near Whitecourt
  

Big Things are Popping up all Over Alberta

Roadside attractions are the giant cocktail swizzlesticks of travel tales. Use them to stir up conversation (“I peeked out of the T-Rex’s jaws just in time to see Bob disappear”) and as pokers to deflate your rival’s one-upmanship stories (“Look my sausage is 12.2-metres tall, yours is a cocktail weenie.”) Throw in having your photo taken with a giant gun-toting Pinto bean and how could you NOT want to check out Alberta’s weirdest roadside attractions? From Weapons of Mass Construction by Mike Ross.

I agree whole-heartedly. What’s not to love about these big and bold statements of a town’s community spirit? Grab your sense of adventure and explore the wacky side of small town Alberta.

Some of my favourites:

• Beaver (Beaverlodge) What’s not to love about a 3000 pound beaver?
• Golf Tee (Trochu) Trochu’s my home town. I’m a tad biased.
• Pysanka (Vegreville) So pretty… and turns in the wind like a weather vane.
• Sundial (Lloydminster) Wonderful simplicity. It reminds me a little of Stonehenge.

Check out the following links for more unique and oversized attractions:
Big Things
Large Canadian Roadside Attractions
Kalyna Country Western Canada’s Roadside Attractions Capital