Canmore Travel Guide
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31km (19 miles) E of Banff, 97km (60 miles) W of Calgary
Kananaskis Country is the name given to three Alberta provincial parks on the Rocky Mountains' eastern slope, southeast of Banff National Park. Once considered only a gateway region to more glamorous Banff, the Kananaskis has developed into a recreation destination on a par with more famous brand-name resorts in the Rockies.
Located just west of the Kananaskis and just outside the eastern boundary of Banff National Park, Canmore is a sprawl of condominium and resort developments in a dramatic location beneath the soaring peaks of Three Sisters Mountain. Only 20 minutes from Banff, Canmore hasn't yet topped the list of Canadian resort destinations, but the scenery is magnificent and the accommodations generally much less expensive and considerably less overbooked than those in Banff.
Weather is generally warmer and sunnier here, which is conducive to great golf: The championship course at Kananaskis is considered one of the best in North America.
When the 1988 Olympics were held in Calgary, the national park service wouldn't allow the alpine ski events to be held inside the parks. Nakiska, in the Kananaskis, became the venue instead, vaulting this ski area to international prominence.
The Kananaskis offers stunning scenery without Banff's crowds and high prices. Also, because Kananaskis Country isn't governed by national-park restrictions, there's better road access to out-of-the-way lakeside campgrounds and trail heads, which makes this a more convenient destination for family getaways (there are more than 3,000 campsites in the area!). This provincial parkland also allows "mixed use," including some traditional (though heavily regulated) ranching. Some of the best guest ranches in Alberta operate here.
The main road through Kananaskis Country is Highway 40, which cuts south from Highway 1 at the gateway to the Rockies and follows the Kananaskis River. Kananaskis Village, a collection of resort hotels and shops, is the center of activities in the Kananaskis and is convenient to most recreation areas. Highway 40 eventually climbs up to 2,206m (7,237-ft.) Highwood Pass, the highest pass in Alberta, before looping around to meet Highway 22 south of Calgary.
