Biking Sheep River Road (Highway 546) to Sheep River Falls

For an awesome road ride, bike Sheep River Road from Sandy McNabb Campground to Sheep River Falls without cars until May 14th (the winter gate opens on May 15th).

The Sheep River Valley is one of the best places for spring road riding thanks to great early season conditions. When other mountain roads are snow covered, you can often bike here. We recommend going before May 15th so you can enjoy car-free road biking past the winter gate. Just watch for deer, bighorn sheep, and cows!

See our Road Biking in Banff and Kananaskis story for more options.

Table of Contents

Sheep River Road Route Description

Starting at the winter gate near Sandy McNabb Campground, the road climbs gently for two kilometres. After a short downhill section, the road curves to the right leaving the evergreens behind and bringing Bluerock Mountain into view. At the 3.3 kilometre mark, there’s a pullout on the left and some benches that would make a nice break spot or destination for young children.

The first few kilometres of Sheep River Road have minimal elevation gain/loss.

Carrying on from the Sheep River viewpoint, the next couple kilometres are pretty easy. The first 5 kilometres are rolling, and then climb about 75 metres over the next 1.5 kilometres. It’s all up, but isn’t crazy steep, so my kids (10 & 11 years old) managed just fine. This section of the road takes you past aspens and cliffs and offers occasional views of the Sheep River below.

At Bighorn Parking lot – a signed turnoff 7.5 km from the winter gate – there’s a 200 metre single track trail to beautiful Bighorn Sheep Lookout. We enjoyed lunch here while taking in the views of the Highwood Range and cliffs below. Interpretive signs provide some info about bighorn sheep and why this area is designated a wildlife sanctuary.

biking-sheep-river-road-3 — Bighorn Sheep Lookout

biking-sheep-river-road-2 — Bighorn Sheep Lookout

When I went with the kids, Bighorn Lookout was our turnaround point. It was just the right distance so we could have a campfire dinner at Sandy Mc Nabb Day Use Area and get home at a decent time. We found Sheep River Road to Bighorn Lookout a lot easier than Highway 40 (the north end is crazy steep and Highwood Junction to Cat Creek Falls has a couple big hills) and would do it again in a heartbeat for the awesome views.

From top left clockwise: Bighorn Sheep Lookout, Sandy McNabb Day Use, Sheep River, Sheep River Road

Going Further: If you’d like to go all the way to Sheep River Falls, you’ll have to climb some more, but lose some elevation first. Between 10.1 km and 12.6 km, you’ll gain 135 m in elevation. That’s a grade of 5.4% so pace yourself! Thankfully the last few kilometres to the falls are relatively flat.

From the Sheep River Falls turnoff, it’s a 250 metre walk to the falls where there are some benches to relax at. If you’re up for a little hike, it’s 3.5 km round trip to Indian Oils Falls (or 300 metres from Indian Oils parking lot on your way back).

Sheep River Falls on April 27, 2023. Trees were snowy in the morning, but the road was snow free!

Sheep River Road at a Glance

0 km Highway 546 Winter Gate (near Sandy McNabb Campground)
3.3 km Sheep River Viewpoint – look for unmarked pullout on left hand side of the road and park benches
7.5 km Bighorn Parking Lot (89 metres elevation gain): Take 200 metre Bighorn Sheep Lookout Trail to viewpoint
15.4 km Sheep River Falls (202 metres elevation gain/83 metres elevation loss from the winter gate): The falls are 250 metres from the turnoff.

For a longer ride, a) Continue to the end of Sheep River Road (18 km one way, 30 m elevation gain from Sheep River Falls turnoff), or b) start in Turner Valley and follow Sunset Boulevard west. It turns into Highway 546; follow the signs to Sandy McNabb Campground. It’s about 35 kilometres to Sheep River Falls.

Getting Here

Navigate to Sandy McNabb Campground and park on the side of Highway 546 before turning in to the campground. Get Google Map directions here. Make sure you don’t block the gate or you could get towed! It’s approximately 1 hour 15 minutes from Calgary (1 hour 40 minutes from the north side of the city).

Know Before You Go

The winter gate is closed until May 14th. From May 15 to November 30, expect to share the road with cars.
Note that there are a few cattle guards across the road. I would advise young children or beginner cyclists to walk across them (pretty bumpy if you miss the flat sections).
Pit toilets are available at Sandy McNabb Day Use, Bighorn, and Sheep River Falls. Bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer.
There is no cell phone service in the Sheep River Valley. Pack the essentials, flat tire kit, and a first aid kit. More info below.

What to Bring

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Bring a hydration pack or water bottle, snacks, a down hoody or fleece, windproof-waterproof shell, cycling gloves, first aid kit, bike tube (get the right size for your tire), bike tools, and portable bike pump. A bike pannier rack and pannier bags are handy if you don’t want to carry a backpack.