Covered Wagon Ride in Banff with Western Cookout

Ride a covered wagon to a backcountry cookout, then try your hand at roping and horseshoes.

A covered wagon ride in Banff National Park along the Bow River leads to a remote backcountry cookout at 3 Mile Cabin, where you choose between steak or vegetarian dinner, play western games, and return by wagon. The 3-hour activity runs mornings or evenings and suits all ages. The remote kitchen serves set menus only.

The experience

What's the best way to experience a working backcountry cookout without arranging your own transport? The wagon does the traveling for you. You'll ride for about two hours along the Bow River, watching for wildlife and taking in views of Sulphur Mountain and the Canadian Rockies while the horses handle the route. Midway through, you arrive at 3 Mile Cabin, a remote outpost where the kitchen operates with what it has on hand: no custom orders, just honest food cooked to order.

Before eating, you work up an appetite with western games: lassoing and horseshoes are the main events, and they're the kind of thing that keeps kids and adults occupied the same way. Then comes the meal: your choice of an 8oz AAA steak or a vegetarian plate, both served with baked beans, roasted potatoes, fresh-baked cornbread, coleslaw, and dessert, plus coffee, tea, juice and hot chocolate. The food is hearty and meant to stick with you after a morning or evening ride.

You'll need to arrive 30 minutes before your departure time, and the whole experience runs about three hours from start to finish. This is a wagon ride only (you're not on horseback), which makes it accessible for families with younger children and for anyone who wants the backcountry experience without the saddle. The remote location is part of the appeal: you're genuinely away from the main park facilities, eating under open sky with the Rockies around you.

What’s included

• A 2-hour covered wagon ride along the Bow River with views of Sulphur Mountain.
• your choice of an 8oz AAA steak dinner or vegetarian dinner with baked beans, roasted potatoes, cornbread, coleslaw, and dessert.
• coffee, tea, juice, and hot chocolate.
• western games including roping and horseshoes.
• a live English-speaking guide.

Options for this experience

2 options

Wagon Ride/LunchGuide in English · Available from 7 May 2027Lunch and a wagon-ride tour

Dinner and wagon rideGuide in English · Available from 30 Apr 2027Barbecue dinner

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 30 Apr 2027

Book up to5h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 56

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Banff Trail Riders

Is this one for you?Book the morning departure if you want the ride and meal finished by early afternoon, or choose evening if you prefer to spend your day elsewhere and end it with the cookout. Either way, the remote location and set menu mean you're eating genuine backcountry food, not a catered version of it, which is exactly what makes the experience different from a standard park activity.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I choose what time of day I want to go on the covered wagon ride?

Yes. The covered wagon ride in Banff runs as either a morning or evening departure, and you pick which one suits your schedule when you book. The meal changes with the time (lunch or dinner), so the experience adjusts to your choice.

What's included in the meal at the cookout?

The covered wagon ride includes either an 8oz AAA steak or a vegetarian dinner, both served with homemade baked beans, roasted mini potatoes, fresh-baked cornbread, coleslaw, and dessert. Coffee, tea, juice, and hot chocolate come with both options. The remote kitchen serves these set menus only and cannot accommodate special requests.

How long does the whole experience take?

The covered wagon ride and cookout run for about three hours total, including the two-hour wagon journey along the Bow River, the games at 3 Mile Cabin, and the meal. Plan to arrive 30 minutes before your departure time.

What should I know about the location and the kitchen?

The cookout happens at 3 Mile Cabin in a remote backcountry area of Banff National Park. Because of the remote location, the kitchen operates with limited resources and serves only the set steak or vegetarian menus: no substitutions or custom orders are possible.