Bassano Dam

A cool piece of engineering in the prairies. The scale of it is neat.

You can’t really explore too much but there is a trail that goes down by the River there were quite a few snakes and crayfish.

The road is rough, the water smells bad and there is lots of garbage and metal along
The shores.

Go once to check it out!

was ABSOLUTELY spectacular!! the mist on my face from the dam was the icing on the cake ... we had a great time, fished 🐟 a little, walked alot, enjoyed the weather, perfect day!

A bit off the beaten path, this place is a wonderful engineering project in southern Alberta. It is simple to access and you can walk it's length with ease. Used for irrigation, the dam holds back a picturesque reservoir. When walking on the actual dam you get a nice view of the spillways and a refreshing mist to cool you off on hot days. There is a small, well maintained park on the hill that explains it's construction and use. Views of the surrounding countryside are wonderful. Well worth the drive down gravel roads to visit.

This was our first time visiting the Bassano Dam. Our family enjoyed checking out the dam itself and enjoying the overlooking picnic area. There is a historical aspect to the lookout area with placards and pictures of construction. There were pelicans enjoying the dam falls and some other interesting birds like meadowlarks. I much preferred this location to the Brooks Aqueduct. Recommend.

If you've wondered about this place for a couple of decades, it is worth the few minutes detour off the highway to see it, especially if you like seeing dams in general. I enjoyed stretching my legs for 15 minutes. The is a couple of nice views from different vantage points. I probably won't stop again for a really long time, but I'm glad I stopped by today after wondering about it every time I've passed through Bassano for the last 30 years. The river bank is a lot higher than it looks in the photos, but it isn't super high either.