Canmore is located approximately 106 Km (66 miles) west of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway and 22 Km (12 miles) east of the Banff on the Trans-Canada Highway. Canmore is adjacent to the Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8 near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park within the Alberta Rockies.
Canmore is a small mountain town that is appreciated for it's charm, community culture, and abundance in spectacular scenery. Canmore has a young, energetic, diverse and well-educated population that values a vigorous, outdoor adventure lifestyle that allows them to come home to comfort and amenities usually reserved for city life.
Canmore offers over 71 Km of multi-use trails within the town limits. The town is adjacent to the Canmore Nordic Centre, and 5 major ski resorts including Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Sunshine Village, and Mount Norquay. Canmore is favored as the perfect location for hiking, scrambling, climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, and other popular outdoor activities.
The Town of Canmore is one of the most beautiful places in all of Canada to live, work and play! Opening out across the floor of the Bow River Valley and flanked on all sides by the front ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Canmore offers the best of all possible worlds. Beginning with an enviable geographic location approximately an hour and a half from downtown Calgary and five minutes from Banff National Park east gate, Canmore offers not only a spectacular location but unequaled outdoor recreational opportunities, great food, and great shopping in the heart of some of the world's most breathtaking scenery.
Canmore enjoys a singular relationship with its surroundings. Throughout its transition from humble working class beginnings to its current eclectic mix, Canmore has managed to retain its small town, wilderness flavour. In spite of unprecedented growth it has integrated this with some of the best dining and shopping in western Canada. Canmore is home to a community whose vision is based on the conviction that environmental sensitivity and economic sustainability can be reconciled.
View of Canmore from Ha Ling Peak
Canmore is minutes away from Banff National Park, Kananaskis Country and Bow Valley Provincial Parks, five world-renowned ski resorts, and six breath-taking golf courses. With an international airport just 1.5 hours away, Canmore has a myriad of opportunities to offer adventurous locals and visitors alike.
The town centre elevation is 1309 metres (4296 Feet) with surrounding summits reaching heights of 2936 metres (9,633 feet). The Bow River flows through the heart of town connecting residents to a network of wildlife corridors and trails. This unique geography supports an abundance of local wildlife and wildflowers and provides endless opportunities to experience nature at her best in and around town.
Capitalizing on opportunities presented by the 1988 Winter Olympics the residents of Canmore turned a small mining town with a once uncertain future into an international tourist destination earning a reputation for excellence and innovation. Our youthful, energetic and well-educated population values a vigorous, outdoor adventure lifestyle; a lifestyle that supports and encourages an entrepreneurial spirit. This compelling combination has made Canmore one of the fastest-growing and most desirable communities in Canada.
From Calgary, take the Trans-Canada Highway (Route 1) West. Canmore is the first major town you'll find on your drive west through the Canadian Rockies there are three exits off the Trans-Canada Highway. The second exit provides the quickest access to the town center. The drive from Calgary is on a divided, double-lane highway and it takes you from the prairies, through the foothills and into the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
The Canadian Rockies offers some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. It may seem a daunting task to try and see it all in a limited amount of time.
Fortunately there are a host of companies available that eliminate the hassle, giving you the opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy the view. The friendly guides offer fun and informative sightseeing tours in and around the Banff area in comfortable vehicles.
Stewart Creek Golf Club, 4100 Stewart Creek Drive, ☎ 1-877-993-GOLF (4653) (fax: 1 (403) 609-6085), [12]. $85-195/round, depending on date and time of day. edit
Aurora Theatre, 187 Kananaskis Way, ☎ 1.403.609.3600. The Aurora Theatre in Solara Resort & Spa is Canmore's only movie theatre. Movies are shown at the Aurora Theatre nightly at 7:00pmedit
Cornerstone Theatre and Restaurant (Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Show), 125 Kananaskis Way, ☎ 1-403-609-0004, [21]. A warm welcome awaits you at Cornerstone Theatre, home of the popular Oh Canada Eh Dinner Show. The show is a musical celebration of Canada with a 2 hour live show and 4 course dinner. edit
One Wellness & Spa, 187 Kananaskis Way, ☎ 1-403-679-7179, [22]. Full service spa offering all spa services, fitness services, wellness coaching, physiotherapy, and nutritional guidance. Spa includes a sauna, steam room, relaxation lounge, fitness centre, and change rooms. edit
Canmore Caverns, Railway Avenue, ☎ 403-678-8819, [23]. Twisting passages and chambers of stalactites and stalagmites.edit
Every year Canmore hosts a variety of festivals and event., below are some of the special events in the area.
- Canada Day - July 1
- Miner's Day - July
- Canmore Folk Music Festival - August (Heritage Day Long Weekend)
- Canmore Highland Games - September (Labour Day Long Weekend)
- Canadian Rocky Mountain Marathon - September
- Vic Lewis Band Festival - November
- Light up Canmore - December
Enjoy strolling alongside locals and world-travellers as you discover a cosmopolitan collection of galleries, boutiques and cafés. Shops range from unique furniture, florists, gifts, to independently-owned establishments.
Canmore offers a wide variety of dining options all within easy walking distance of each other. Main Street (8th Street) is the heart of downtown and is filled with everything from upscale dining rooms to corner cafes, from brew pubs to casual bistros.
Banff Boundary Lodge, 1000 Harvie Heights Road, Harvie Heights, ☎ 1-877-678-9555, [42]. Just outside the Banff Park Gates, it offers 1 and 2 bedroom chalets with gas fireplaces.$84 to $239. edit
Blackstone, 170 Kananaskis Way, Canmore, ☎ 1-403-609-8098 (stay@blackstonecanmore.ca, fax: 1-403-679-7098), [43]. Condo-style suites with full gourmet kitchens, granite breakfast bar and counter-tops, wine cabinets, living rooms, dining rooms, large bedrooms, large balconies. Bathrooms feature rain sower heads. Has pet friendly rooms available.$109 - $399. edit
Canadian Rockies Chalets, 1206 Bow Valley Trail, ☎ 1-800-386-7248, [44]. Condominium style accommodations.$89 - $279. edit
Canmore Crossing, 1120 Railway Avenue, Canmore, ☎ 1-403-679-7152 (stay@canmorecrossing.ca, fax: 1-403-255-1181), [45]. Condo-style suites with full kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms. Has pet friendly rooms available.$124 - $384. edit
Copperstone Resort, 250 2nd Avenue, Dead Man's Flats, ☎ 1-403-678-0303 (info@copperstoneresorthotel.com), [46]. Condo style suites, full kitchen, in suite laundry (washer/dryer), satellite television, balcony, hot tub, pet friendly rooms availableedit
Fire Mountain Lodge, 121 Kananaskis Way, ☎ 1-403-609-9949 (stay@firemountain.ca, fax: 1-403-678-9390), [47]. Two story condo-style suites with full kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, in-suite laundry, internet access, satellite television, and private balconies. Has pet friendly rooms available.$144 - $384. edit
Rocky Mountain Ski Lodge, 1711 Bow Valley Trail, Canmore, ☎ 1-800-665-6111, [50]. Next to Downtown, Canmore.edit
Solara Resort & Spa, 187 Kananaskis Way, ☎ 1-403-609-3600 (stay@solararesort.ca, fax: 1-403-609-3455), [51]. Condo-style suites with full gourmet kitchens with win fridge and bar sink, living rooms, dining rooms, in-suite laundry, internet access, satellite television, and private balconies with electric grill. Has pet friendly rooms available.$139 - $449. edit
