Description of Historic Place

The Hoodoos are a group of stone columns with caprocks situated on approximately 11 hectares of land between Drumheller and East Coulee. Ranging in height from roughly one to three meters, the group of approximately 10 Hoodoos feature white sandstone caprocks overlying dark brown marine shale bodies.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Hoodoos lies in their status as one of Alberta's most popular and recognizable geological formations.

Formed by the effects of erosion caused by water, wind, and frost, the Drumheller-area Hoodoos are striking geological formations that have become internationally recognized icons of Alberta's badlands. The distinctive appearance of the Hoodoos was created through the deposit of materials during the Cretaceous Period between 70 and 75 million years ago. The soft base of the Hoodoos are formed from the dark brown marine shale of the Bearpaw Formation, while the harder pillars and caprocks are composed of sand and clay from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation. The caprocks also contains almost 40% calcite cement, making them particularly resistant to erosion. The solid, strong caprock protects the softer, underlying base and imparts the Hoodoos with their unique mushroom-like shape. Within the broad sweep of geological time, Hoodoos are fragile and highly ephemeral phenomena, eroding at a rate as rapid as one centimetre per year - quicker than virtually any other geological structure. The varied colour and texture of the rock, visible as horizontal banding on the Hoodoos columnar form, presents the distinctive stratigraphy of this region of Alberta in bold cross-section. This profile speaks of the ancient environments of inland sea and coastal swamps that in time became the coal deposits so vital to the early economic development of the Drumheller area. Their relative rarity, fragility, and unique appearance have captured thousands of visitors' aesthetic and scientific imaginations.

Source: Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch (File: Des. 851)

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Hoodoos include such features as:
- distinctive column and caprock appearance;
- natural materials, including white basal sandstone and dark brown marine shales;
- varied colour and texture of rock;
- horizontal banding on columns;
- ridges, clefts, and other natural landforms;
- sight lines to Red Deer River valley.