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Bow Valley Provincial Park

2.5 (2 reviews)

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11 years ago

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Grassi Lakes

Grassi Lakes

4.7(16 reviews)
23.9 km

Grassi Lakes are amazing!!!! Truly emerald color and crystal clear waters. Since the easy trail was…read moreunder construction and closed, we took the difficult trail, which was much more steep. Totally worth the climb. Loved it.

So grateful for the recommendation we received from a local Calgarian Canadian to try this trail!…read moreThe views are absolutely spectacular!! This hike is located near a residential area in Canmore. Follow your GPS navigation which ultimately will take you down a single road, surrounded by tall evergreen trees, and a small dirt lot on the left for parking before you embark on the trail. A few recommendations: Park on the street as the lot fills up quick, bring sunscreen, and take the harder trail. Initially when starting the hike there will be two signs for the "Easy" and "More Difficult" trail paths. Trust me when I say the more difficult path is worth the extra strenuous steps. We had no idea that halfway through the path you stumble upon a gorgeous waterfall and incredible views of a giant lake surrounded by beautiful mountains. Then as you continue on this trail, you'll ultimately come to a clearing with emerald and turquoise lakes which is the perfect spot to stop, indulge in a quick snack, and soak in all those spectacular views. All in all if you take the not so easy trail you'll complete the entire thing within an hour and a half, including those moments where you stop and contemplate just gorgeous this country is. One final tip: bring Bear spray and attach bells to your hiking gear. The last thing you want to do is startle a bear and end up in a frightening situation. Luckily we did not see any bears on the trail, but we did see a Black Bear crossing the road as we were leaving the parking lot! We heard from locals that Canmore has a lot of Bear sightings so just plan ahead, be aware of your surroundings, and enjoy your fantastic hike on this beautiful trail!

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Grassi Lakes
Grassi Lakes
Grassi Lakes

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Banff National Park

Banff National Park

4.8(174 reviews)
36.9 km

What an amazing time I had at this park! I am a big National Park junkie back in the U.S. and was…read moreexcited to visit my first Canadian National Park. I came with my running group and they combined our runs with various activities around the park. Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park and was established in 1885. It is known for its mountain peaks and turquoise glacial lakes (Lake Louise and Moraine are the two popular ones). Banff offers year-round outdoor adventures like hiking, wildlife viewing, cycling and skiing. The Town of Banff has lots of shopping and restaurants for those that aren't into the outdoor activities. Banff National Park is located in Alberta's Rocky Mountains and has several large glaciers and icefields. Nearby are Yoho, Jasper and Kootenay National Parks. The Town of Banff is at the center of the park in the Bow River Valley. The park itself has a variety of recorded mammal species. Banff National Park has been successful at reducing the number of animals killed on the roads by building wildlife crossings. We drove under a number of these while driving through the park. They are such a clever idea. My running company booked three runs in and around Banff National Park. The views were gorgeous as we did our trail runs. When I first arrived, we took a tour bus to Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Emerald Lake (in nearby Yoho National Park). I really enjoyed the beauty of those lakes and was able to do some photography work at them. They are just as pretty in person as the pictures that you see on the internet. The huge crowds in the summer was the only downer part. For activities, we canoed down the Bow River. That was a lot of fun and we got great views of the mountain ranges while on the river. We also did the Via Ferrata at Mt Norquay. It was my first time doing one of these and it was easily one of my favorite activities. On my final day, I took the Gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. You can see the whole Town of Banff from there and the breathtaking mountain ranges all around. The Town of Banff has lots of retail stores, gift shops and restaurants. I ate very well on this trip. Overall, Banff was an amazing experience for me. The flight to Calgary from Arizona wasn't too long and my running company did a great job in booking all of my activities. I look forward to a trip back someday!

I started this draft in 2019. I had to go back to Banff in 2025 as I forgot why I wanted to give…read morethem 5 stars and what to write. Banff National Park is a place where everyone needs to go! They have something for everyone. Nature is at its finest here with lakes, mountains, and wildlife. Even with all the tourists, Lake Louise is awesome. The lake itself is stunning with its turquoise blue water. If you don't feel like walking, go inside the Chateau Lake Louise and have afternoon tea or go souvenir shopping at the gift shop inside the hotel. Moraine Lake is another place that is picturesque. It isn't as popular as Lake Louise, but, it is just as awesome. They have cabins and a gift shop that was closed for the season when we visited. Access to both Lake Louise and Moraine lake is limited. They don't let you drive there anymore. You need to either join a tour, or take the shuttle bus. The city of Banff is a huge populated area inside the park with many hotels, restaurants, shops and even a supermarket. Horseback riding is available. You can take a gondola ride or even go to a hot spring. Banff is a great park. Even my city loving wife, enjoyed our visit to this wonderful national park of Canada.

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Banff National Park
Banff National Park
Banff National Park - Canadian Rockies

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Canadian Rockies

Banff Gondola - sulphur mountain

Banff Gondola

4.5(257 reviews)
35.1 km

I visited Banff for the second time recently, and I finally made it to the gondola for their…read moreChristmas event. My entire family had a blast-this was the highlight of our trip to Canada this year. Everything was so well organized and thoughtfully arranged. My kids got to complete so many creative activities: cookie decorating, meeting Santa, crafting a gondola themed ornament, roasting marshmallows, etc. as a plus, everyone was very friendly and cheerful. The views are stunning, and while I didn't get to walk through boardwalk (not stroller friendly and I have a child in a stroller), I hope to next time!

I recently visited Banff with my running group and they planned a whole week of activities for us…read more We had a free day to pick our own activity on our last day here. Out of the options that they presented to us, I chose the Banff Gondola. We spent the whole week running and hiking and I wanted something relaxing to do. The Banff Gondola takes you 2,292 feet up a steep mountainside to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. The ride itself is eight minutes long. After buying my ticket, I chilled at the Starbucks that is at ground level and watched the gondola take people up the mountain. There is also a gift shop next to it. Each gondola cabin is designed to hold up to four people and offers a 360-degree view as you ascend up the mountain. Once you arrive at the Banff Gondola Upper Terminal on Sulphur Mountain, you have four levels to explore. The fourth level is the rooftop observation deck where you get amazing panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. You can see the entire town of Banff from up here. There is also an outdoor boardwalk that leads to Sanson Peak. I spent a few hours up here exploring the different levels. There is a coffee shop and a couple of restaurants at the top. I did the walk from the observation deck to Sanson Peak and back. The views are just stunning. The observation deck can get crowded and it can get a little windy at times. I spent my time taking photographs and relaxing on the benches. I then grabbed a coffee before heading back down. The Banff Gondola is a little pricey, but I am glad I picked this activity. It was a nice way to close out my trip to Banff.

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Banff Gondola - Here we are having reached the top of the ride!! The view was absolutely incredible!!

Here we are having reached the top of the ride!! The view was absolutely incredible!!

Banff Gondola - Nothing but views.

Nothing but views.

Banff Gondola - We ate at the buffet, very average food, pricey. Fantastic view!

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We ate at the buffet, very average food, pricey. Fantastic view!

Quarry Lake Dog Park

Quarry Lake Dog Park

4.3(3 reviews)
21.7 km

As far as off leash parks go, this one is actually rather small, especially for the middle of…read morewilderness, like Canmore is, and kind of boring. But, when the bears aren't around, I'll go into the forest behind (which is technically not off-leash) and there's better scenery, a lake, etc. and makes for a more interesting, longer walk. Lots of people do it, but I won't say it never gets patrolled. However, the background imagery cannot be beat! I've never had issues with parking - it's very easy to find. May be a little hard to turn left into the dog park if traffic is heavy but otherwise it's a good place to let your dog blow off some steam if you're not going to take him/her for a hike. Review #2 of Yelp's 30 Day Challenge

Quite the view, too bad most of the hiking spots were closed due to bear activity. Anyways, made…read morethe best of my day by taking photos with a group of friends and chilling near the lake. Oddly enough you can swim but only at your own risk. I'd imagine it would be very cold. Parking lot is fairly big with an open field next to parking lot for your dogs. There is an outhouse next to the lake which is nice. There is Canmore which is not a far drive away from this lake. People are quite friendly. If your brace enough to swim in the lake go for it, there is no life guard on site at all or ever I suppose. I would definitely comeback again just to enjoy the scenery. Mountains in the distance, what else can you say. Benches and rocks everywhere along the lake. Recommended for any adventurist or picnic's.

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Quarry Lake Dog Park
Quarry Lake Dog Park
Quarry Lake Dog Park

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Central Park - Great running/walking path alongside Bow River and Central Park

Central Park

5.0(2 reviews)
36.9 km

I can't believe there's only one other review for this beautiful park in the heart of Banff town!…read more Just a few minutes walk from downtown Banff and perfectly situated along the Bow River, Central Park is a huge park for everyone to enjoy! My first time here was actually in summer of 2019 and they happened to have live music one afternoon at the gazebo. So many people were spread out around the park relaxing on the grass, picnic blankets or sitting at one of the many picnic tables just enjoying the sunny day, hanging out and listening to the local artist/band while soaking in the gorgeous views of the mountains and Banff town! More recently, my hubby and I were back in town for the 2023 Banff Marathon/Half Marathon/10K weekend and the race hub was set up at Central Park (race packet pick up, expo, pre-race festivities, and start/finish area). We loved getting to do "Yoga in the Park" here as part of the Banff Marathon festivities and just hang out here before and after the race itself. If I lived in Banff, I'd probably be here everyday! It's just the most picturesque place to go for a run, walk, have a picnic, take your kids to play in the playground or just run around on the grass. They even have a farmers' market and craft market here from time to time (possibly weekly), and a large public washroom/restroom building by the main parking lot. Not to be missed when in Banff!

What a great place to be on Canada Day! Live music, dancing, drums, fireworks, everyone in red -…read morefrom head to toe. Great to see the community to come together to celebrate their country. Shout out to Amelie Patterson. Awesome performer- hope she comes to SF one day.

Photos
Central Park - Gorgeous views from near the gazebo (taken during my first visit in Aug 2019)

Gorgeous views from near the gazebo (taken during my first visit in Aug 2019)

Central Park - Main walkway into Central Park from parking lot

Main walkway into Central Park from parking lot

Central Park - Amazing place for outdoor yoga!

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Amazing place for outdoor yoga!

Bow Valley Provincial Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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