The Town of Cochrane is located 35 km Northwest of Calgary at the junction of Highway 22 and Highway 1A. The 10,000 plus residents of Cochrane welcome you and your family to"Discover the Natural West".

Cochrane is named for Senator Matthew Hendry Cochrane.
He began the first large-scale ranching in the area in the 1880’s. He would raise cattle in the area and drive them to the stockyards beside the railroad in Calgary.

Cochrane truly embodies the Western spirit of Alberta, the heart of Canada's West. Although this town is now rather sophisticated with all the services a person will need (or really close to them) , it is still a typical western ranching/farming community. People here still say "howdy" to you at the grocery, hardware or beer store. Cowboy hats and boots are everywhere and most people have or know somebody with horses. It is also a town that still has strong family values.

The climate here is very pleasant, with hot summers and warm Chinook "breezes" to take away the bitter chill of winter. Mosquitoes and biting insects are rare. The scenery is magnificent with rolling foothills, vast mountain panoramas and the beautiful Bow River valley winds through the town. This is a very desirable place to live, raise a family or retire in.

Here in Cochrane the air is fresh, clean and the atmosphere is peaceful. The community has lots of walking trails, skating rinks. a swimming pool and other recreation facilities. The Mountains are only about 30-40 minutes away with Kananaskis Country, Banff and Canmore accessible for day trips . These resorts are world class vacation destinations with almost everything the outdoors oriented person can desire.

Calgary is literally only minutes away with great employment, culture, entertainment and all the services a major city can provide, You can go to NHL hockey games, world class music, plays and opera and still be home in a few minutes to fly fish the Bow, golf at the awesome Gleneagles golf course or go for a horseback ride in the hills while the sun sets behind the Rockies.

Cochrane Hill, north east of the town, has an incredible view south over the town, the Bow River, across the foothills and west to the Rocky Mountains.
The Stoney Indians called the prominent hill "Manachaban" (the Big Mount) where they collected their bows and arrows.

The town is home to Mackay’s Ice Cream, which for over 50 years has attracted visitors with its popular homemade ice cream. ( some are downright weird, like chicken noodle soup and Chinese vegatables)

The town’s architecture is distinctly western-style. This creates an appropriate atmosphere for the local arts scene. The town is close to several unspoiled film locations for westerns, including "Legends of the Fall" and the Lonesome Dove television series, Jackie Chan's latest, "shanghai" and a new Tom Selleck western.

Discover for yourself why Cochrane has long been a highly desirable community to live and play in.