Popular Alberta mountain viewpoint faces possible shut down
Posted Sep 23, 2026 4:50 pm.
The Alberta government is preparing to shut down a well‑known roadside viewpoint in the mountains, citing growing safety concerns along the busy highway leading toward Banff.
The pullout off Highway 1 near Lac des Arcs has long been a familiar stop for travellers to catch their first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains.
Visitors on Wednesday described it as “gorgeous” and “a natural beauty,” but local officials say the postcard moment masks a dangerous traffic set‑up.
Reeve Lisa Rosvold of the MD of Bighorn says the layout creates a risky merge point.
“A merge going onto the highway at exactly the same spot where there is a merge coming off the highway,” she said, noting several near‑misses at the site.
Residents share the concern. Lac Des Arcs local Helen Rose pointed out the hazards as a driver accelerated out of the pullout.
“He’s got to worry about the traffic that’s in the right‑hand lane because they’re not pulling over, and you see he’s gunned it there,” she said.
Rosvold says the MD has been pushing the province to act, and the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors confirms it plans to temporarily close the pullout while rebuilding the westbound on-ramp to modern standards.
In a statement, the ministry said the upgrade is expected to cost about $1.4 million, saying “once funding is secured, we will have a timeline for design and construction.”
Rosvold stresses the province has not finalized any decisions.
“They’ve just asked for us to provide a letter of support if we felt so inclined,” she said.
The viewpoint is the first drivers come across when getting into the mountains, but it isn’t the only one in the area, as two more sit along the next two kilometres of the highway.
Rose notes the dilemma that comes with shutting just one down.
“So do you shut all three down? I don’t know. That’s a really good question,” she said.
Since the proposal is still in its early stages, no date has been set for the closure.
