Alberta Highway 5
 .svg) Highway 5 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Highway 5 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors | ||||
| Length | 127.2 km[1] (79.0 mi) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end | Waterton Park | |||
| North end |  Highway 4 in Lethbridge | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | Canada | |||
| Province | Alberta | |||
| Specialized and rural municipalities | I.D. No. 4, Cardston County, Warner No. 5 County, Lethbridge County | |||
| Major cities | Lethbridge | |||
| Towns | Magrath, Cardston | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Highway 5 is a 127-kilometre (79 mi) highway that connects Lethbridge to Waterton Lakes National Park in southern Alberta, Canada. It begins as an east–west highway in Waterton and transitions to a north–south route before ending at Highway 4 in Lethbridge.[2][3]
Highway 5 is part of the Cowboy Trail between Highway 6 in Waterton Lakes National Park and Cardston.[4]
Highway 5 begins in the Hamlet of Waterton Park within Waterton Lakes National Park. After leaving the park, the highway generally travels east, passing by the hamlets of Mountain View and Leavitt, to the Town of Cardston.[1] After Cardston, the highway crosses Blood 148, a reserve of the Blood (Kainai) First Nation, before passing by the Hamlet of Spring Coulee, the Town of Magrath, and the Hamlet of Welling Station. Shortly after Welling Station, the highway travels north, passing the Hamlet of Welling, before entering Lethbridge.[2]
A 75-bed addiction recovery facility for members of the Blood Tribe is under construction along Highway 5 west of Moses Lake, as part of the Alberta Recovery Model.[5]
In Lethbridge, Highway 5 follows Mayor Magrath Drive to the Scenic Drive/24 Avenue South intersection. Historically, Highway 5 continued along Mayor Magrath Drive to Crowsnest Trail (Highway 3);[6] however, it officially turns east and follows 24 Avenue South to 43 Street and terminates at Highway 4.[3] Signage is in place along Highway 3 that directs traffic to Highway 5 via 1st Avenue South and Scenic Drive (from downtown Lethbridge),[7] Mayor Magrath Drive,[8] and 43 Street.[9]
Major intersections
[edit]The following is a list of major intersections along Alberta Highway 5 from southwest to northeast.[6][10]
| Rural/specialized municipality | Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I.D. No. 4 (Waterton Lakes National Park) | Waterton Park | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| | 8.6 | 5.3 |  Highway 6 north (Cowboy Trail) – Pincher Creek | West end of Highway 6 concurrency and Cowboy Trail | |
| 9.5 | 5.9 | Highway 6 south – Chief Mountain, Glacier National Park | East end of Highway 6 concurrency | ||
| Cardston County | | 26.4 | 16.4 |  Highway 800 north – Hill Spring | |
| Mountain View | 28.6 | 17.8 | |||
| | 33.0 | 20.5 | Highway 501 east – Beazer, Police Outpost Provincial Park | Highway 501 is unsigned | |
| Cardston | 53.3 | 33.1 |  Highway 2 south (Main Street) – CarwayCardston Truck Bypass (Highway 501 south) | West end of Highway 2 concurrency; east end of Cowboy Trail | |
| Blood No. 148 | | 54.0 | 33.6 | Highway 2 north – Fort Macleod | East end of Highway 2 concurrency |
| Blood No. 148–Cardston County boundary | | 57.1 | 35.5 | Crosses the St. Mary River | |
| Cardston County | | 58.1 | 36.1 |  Highway 503 east | |
| 74.3 | 46.2 |  Highway 820 south | |||
| Spring Coulee | 76.8 | 47.7 |  Highway 505 west | ||
| Magrath | 94.8 | 58.9 |  Highway 62 south – Del Bonita | ||
| Welling | 102.6 | 63.8 |  Highway 52 east – Raymond, Milk River, Coutts | ||
| Lethbridge County | | 118.9 | 73.9 |  Highway 508 east | |
| 121.8 | 75.7 |  Lethbridge Airport | |||
| City of Lethbridge | 125.8 | 78.2 | Scenic Drive / 24 Avenue S Mayor Magrath Drive | Highway 5 officially follows 24 Avenue S;[3] Highway 5 formerly followed Mayor Magrath Drive[6] | |
| 127.2 | 79.0 |   43 Street (Highway 4) to Highway 3 / I-15 – Coutts, Great Falls | Northern terminus | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
[edit]External links
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Highway 5 in Alberta" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- 1 2 Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors (April 16, 2025). Alberta Numbered Highway Network (PDF) (Map). Government of Alberta. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- 1 2 3 Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors (April 16, 2025). Alberta Numbered Highway Network (PDF) (Map). Government of Alberta. Lethbridge & Coalhurst inset. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Cowboy Trail Map". The Cowboy Trail. The Cowboy Trail Tourism Association. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
- ↑ "Future Developments". Blood Tribe Department of Health. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "2015 Provincial Highway 1-216 Progress Chart" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. March 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
- ↑ "Google Street View - Hwy 3 & 1st Avenue" (Map). Google Maps. June 2025. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Google Street View - Hwy 3 & Mayor Magrath Drive Ave" (Map). Google Maps. May 2025. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Google Street View - Hwy 3 & 43 Street" (Map). Google Maps. June 2025. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ↑ Alberta Official Road Map (Map) (2010 ed.). Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation. § N-6, O-5, O-6.
