Canmore travel guide

Though the highway around Canmore is now entirely engulfed by satellite suburbs of hotels and condos, its Downtown core, centred on Main (8th) Street, just about manages to retain the comfortable feel of an authentic small town, making this an attractive and cheaper alternative to the insanely busy and commercially-oriented Banff, just 21 km to the west. There are some decent, down-to-earth pubs, fine restaurants and as many sports equipment shops as anyone could desire. Moreover, many fine hikes into Banff and Mount Assiniboine Parks are most easily accessed from Canmore, a number of tour operators are based here and all kinds of outdoor activities are seriously pursued in the region, particularly climbing, Nordic skiing and mountain biking.

Across the bridge from town, past the Nordic Centre, a steep, rough road leads to the Spray Lakes, a nice quiet spot to camp. On the way, this road passes Canmore’s most worthwhile attraction, Grassi Lakes. The unreal aquamarine/lime green colour of these lakes is extraordinary, even by local standards, and the whole area is a lovely, relaxing place. North of the lakes is a very popular spot for rock climbing; there’s always plenty of action to watch for those who do not partake. Those who do will find lava cliff faces riddled with holes and all levels of climb with routes already anchored by locals.