Frank Slide Interpretive Centre

Driving through the Crowsnest Pass is an eerie and ethereal experience for a stretch of two kilometers. Piled high on both sides of Highway 3 around the town of Frank is the remnant of the deadliest rockslide to ever happen in Canada – a massive debris field that looks more like the surface of the moon than a mountain valley, and a stark reminder of Mother Nature’s awesome power.

Hunched on a grassy bluff above the fallen stones, just 1.5 kilometers off the highway, is a building that pays homage to the disaster that happened there at its feet more than 100 years ago. The Frank Slide Interpretive Centre tells the extraordinary tale of the night in April 1903 when 82 million tonnes of rock came crashing down from the side of Turtle Mountain, burying a portion of the burgeoning mining town of Frank forever.

Filled with interactive displays, audio-visual experiences and activity areas, Frank Slide Interpretive Centre places visitors in the moments before, during and after the great rock avalanche. Guests discover why the mountain fell, and learn whether it will ever happen again. Friendly and knowledgeable staff members weave tales of the area’s history, telling stories that visitors never forget.