Guest Information

Information on how to get to the Ranch whether you’re flying or driving.

Driving:
If you are driving out to join us on one of our horseback riding vacations or trail rides, here is a map, showing the location of the ranch in relation to Calgary. We are located 15 KM west of Turner Valley off secondary Hwy 546. A link to our location on Google Maps can be found here.

GPS Warning

Please do not plug Anchor D into a GPS, as it has a tendency to send people in the wrong direction. If using a GPS simply plug in the town of Turner Valley and when you arrive there head West from the 4-way stop.

Directions from Downtown Calgary: Drive south on Macleod Trail to Stoney Trail West overpass. Go right (west) on Stoney Trail West until you come to the Hwy 22 intersection. Watch for the big orange sign with flashing lights that says ‘Divided Highway Ends 2 KM’, about 1 KM after this sign is the turn for Millarville, Black Diamond, Turner Valley. Go left (south) and follow the signs into the town of Turner Valley. Once you’re in Turner Valley there’s a 4-way stop (the only one in town). Turn right (west) and go for 15 km, until you see the sign for Anchor D Guiding & Outfitting on the right (north) side of the road. That’s us!! Give yourself around an hour and a half (depending on traffic) to get here from downtown.

Directions from the Calgary Airport: Go south on Deerfoot Trail to Stoney Trail West and turn right (west). Drive west until you come to the intersection of Hwy 22, turn left (south). Watch for the big orange sign with flashing lights that says ‘Divided Highway Ends 2 KM’, about 1 KM after this sign is the turn for Millarville, Black Diamond, Turner Valley. Follow the signs into the town of Turner Valley. Once you’re in Turner Valley there’s a 4-way stop (the only one in town!). Turn right (west) and go for 15 km. until you see the sign for Anchor D Guiding & Outfitting on the right (north) side of the road. That’s us! Give your self around an hour and 20 minutes to get here from the airport.

Please Note

If you drive south on Deerfoot to Okotoks and head west on Hwy 7 through Black Diamond go straight at the 4 way stop in Turner Valley

Directions from Banff: Drive east on #1 (Trans-Canada) Hwy, until you come to the intersection of Hwy. 22 South. Turn right (south) and go 17.5 km. to Bragg Creek. At the 4-way stop in Bragg Creek, turn left and go 3.4 km to Hwy 22 again. Turn left onto Hwy 22, and follow it until you come to the intersection of Hwy 22X and Hwy 22. Turn right on Hwy. 22 (south) and follow the signs into Turner Valley. Once you’re in Turner Valley, there’s a 4-way stop (the only one in town!). Turn right (west) and go for 15 km. until you see the sign for Anchor D Guiding & Outfitting on the right (north) side of the road. Come on in!!! Give yourself around 2 hours to get here from Banff.

Answers to some questions you might not have even known you had!

How do I get to Anchor D?
We are located 15km West of the town of Turner Valley off Hwy 546. Please visit our Contact page with map or Travel and Transportation section above for more detailed directions.

When should I arrive for my ride?
For 2 hour, half day (3 hour), and full day rides we encourage guests to arrive at the ranch a minimum of 30 minutes before your ride is scheduled to depart. This will allow you time to get signed in at our office, meet the wranglers who will be leading your ride, receive a riding demonstration and be on your horse by the scheduled ride time. For camp trips, please arrive at 9am for every ride except the weekender, please arrive at 1pm for the weekender.

What is the minimum age for a rider?
The minimum age for our riders is six years old. We do not allow for more than one person per horse meaning children will be riding their own very quiet and well behaved horse. Our horses and wranglers are excellent at building the confidence of young riders. If necessary, we will have a wrangler lead the horse of a nervous child until the child feels comfortable steering on their own. All children under the age of 13 need to be accompanied by an adult on the ride.

Can I go riding if I have a medical condition / disability?
Absolutely! Call our office today to discuss what will work best for you.

Do I need to book ahead of time?
Yes. Please call at least a day in advance of when you would like to ride. On occasion we will take last minute day-of bookings but we do not accept walk-ins. Bookings with 24 hours or less notice must be made by phone.

What information will I need for booking?
In order to book a ride we will require your name, phone number, and number of people in your group. For cabin rentals, riding trips, and full day rides we require a 50% non-refundable deposit to hold your reservation. For 2-hour and 3-hour we do not require a deposit but we do require a credit card number to have on file should you fail to show up for your ride. We will also require the age,height, weight, and riding level of all riders in your group. This will allow us to pick the perfect horse for each rider. Please be sure everyone in your party is prepared to ride, once you are at the ranch and checked in the ride is nonrefundable.

Will we trot, lope or gallop?
Our rides primarily travel at a walk with some occasional trotting. Whether or not you will go any faster than a walk is up to the discretion of the wrangler leading the ride. They will base their decision on the rider’s abilities and confidence as well as the footing conditions for the sake of the horses. We will never take off at a faster speed without first asking if it is something you are interested in.

Can I bring my dog to the ranch?
No, we ask that you please leave all pets at home.

What should I wear?

• Long pants must be worn for riding (no shorts or skirts). We recommend comfortable jeans.
• Boots or shoes that have a small heel are the safest for riding. We will not allow anyone to ride in sandals/crocs or open toed shoes of any kind.
• Sunglasses and a hat/baseball cap.
• A waterproof jacket/raincoat can be brought with you just in case. These can be tied onto the saddle when not being worn. No ponchos, please.
• A bottle of water and small camera fit nicely into the saddle bags on our saddles. For safety reasons we will not allow backpacks, fanny packs, large camera cases, purses or loose items to be worn while riding.
• Sunscreen and insect repellent are always great to have on for your ride.

Do you provide helmets?
No. While we highly recommend helmets we do not supply them because they need to be professionally fitted, so if you wish to wear one or have your child wear one, you will need to bring it with you.

How can I pay?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, Debit, e-transfers and cash. Please note a 3% surcharge will be added if paying by credit card.

How can I cancel or reschedule my ride?
We have no problem cancelling or rescheduling your 2 hour or 3 hour ride for you however we do require at least 24 hour notice. We can reschedule mountain day ride with at least 24 hour notice. Camp trips can be rescheduled, but we prefer more than 24 hour notice. Please call our office if you need to cancel or reschedule.

Where to stay the night before and after your trip with us.

If you’re flying in to join us on a horseback vacation, please arrive the day before the trip begins. Here is a list of places to stay for the night before the trip. If you are driving to the Ranch, please arrive at 9:00 a.m. the morning the trip begins (1 p.m. for Weekender trips).

For the Night Before or After the Trip:

Grandpa’s Cabin and Hunter’s Cabin –  (403) 933-2867 – Log cabins located on Anchor D Ranch, fully self-catering cabins!  See Cabin Rentals.

• Windflower B&B – Just west of Turner Valley
• Idle Spurs B&B – Located in Black Diamond

Overnight Trip Packing List

Do you have any allergies or dietary restrictions we should know about?

Allergies:
If you have an allergy or condition that may require medication, an inhaler, or an Epi-Pen please make sure to bring them along on your ride.

Dietary Restrictions:
Accustomed as we are at being at the top of the food chain, you will rarely see a meal on any of our horseback holidays that does not have some type of meat. We serve prime cuts of beef, as well as pork and chicken.  For those of you who have special dietary needs, please help us by suggesting things that you CAN eat. With enough advance notice, we will do our best to accommodate you.

We are very proficient at Gluten-Free meals so be sure to let us know if this is something you will be needing.

Please remember that once the horseback riding trip is underway, we have a set menu that cannot be changed.

Numerous links to fun things to do in the area.

In the area around our Ranch (about an hour southwest of Calgary), there is an abundance of activities and attractions that you can visit and get involved in. Here are some links to check out:

• Town of Turner Valley
• Town of Black Diamond
• Calgary Stampede
• Calgary Zoo
• Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump
• Spruce Meadows
• The Cowboy Trail
• Glenbow Museum
• Fort Calgary
• Heritage Park
• Remington Carriage Museum
• Royal Tyrrell Museum
• Bar U Ranch