Most of these activities can be enjoyed year round. There are always differen events and festivals going on in and around Canmore. The biggest has to be the Calgary Stampede, a must see if you are here at the right time of year (early July)

Summer Activities

White Water Rafting
Canadian Rockies Rafting Company (1-887-226-7625) which offers a range of trips to suit everyone from families with young kids, to thrill seekers.

Horse Riding:
Rafter Six Ranch (673-3622), which is an old nineteenth century ranch where you can get a real cowboy experience. A range of horse-riding trips are on offer which all bring breathtaking views of the Rockies and the Bow River. The ranch is an excellent place to eat out with local Alberta beef steaks, a wide range of beer and homemade fruit pies. Warren Stables also offers horse riding in Banff.

Mountain Biking:
Mountain biking is a great way to take in the spectacular views of the Rockies. (In the garage four top of the range bikes are available for your use; we ask that you take good care of them as we really enjoy using them too). We find the Nordic Centre offers great cross country mountain biking and Grassi lakes has a range of steep downhill tracks, which we really enjoy but are definitely not for the faint hearted (black diamond!) Our favorite is cycling into Canmore along the river trail which we find relaxing with beautiful views over the Bow River.

Kayaking and Canoeing:
Our favorite activity is rowing along the lakes surrounding Canmore and taking in the breathtaking views. (We have two kayaks which are available for your use including life saving equipment, lifejackets and throw ropes. These kayaks are used at your own risk.) We visited the Grassi lakes and had a lovely relaxing afternoon. You may wish to visit somewhere further a field such as Spray lakes. Canoes are also available for hire In Banff (Blue Canoes) and at Lake Louise.

Hiking:
Whether taking a gentle stroll or a challenging mountain trail Canmore and the surrounding areas offer many beautiful trails to explore. We really like the stunning trails around the Nordic Centre and Grassi Lakes. An enjoyable trip is to go to Lake Louise, which has breathtaking views of mountains, lakes and forests. This trip offers stunning scenery and there are even tearooms along the walks, which serve excellent banana cake and a wide selection of hot drinks. Our favourite walk is the trail from Lake Louise to Lake Agatha, especially since there is a waterfall at the top where you can cool down after the hike!

Winter Activities

Skiing:
This had to be the first to be mentioned since this is the best place we have ever skied in the world. There are five major ski resorts within an hours drive of the house; Sunshine Village (they have great Powder here), Norquay (Good for night skiing), Nakiska (For a quieter atmosphere), Fortress Mountain (With two mountains and amazing snow) and of course Lake Louise (The largest ski resort in North America, and Canada ’ s Second biggest tourist attraction after Niagara Falls.)

Snowboarding:
Obviously for those who are too cool for skiing snowboarding is the popular alternative.

Cross Country Skiing:
The Canmore Nordic Centre is where the Canadian National Cross Country Ski Team train. It consists of 60km of trails and has just been completely refurbished for the 2005 world cup. If you have always thought about trying cross country skiing for a change, now is your chance.

Ice Fishing:
25 minutes south of Canmore, Spray Lakes, offers the opportunity to try out ice fishing amongst a beautiful scenic backdrop. This is an activity we have not tried. However, there are many tours which offer day trips in heated huts and will even cook your catch for you! A local fishing trip organiser is Banff Fishing Unlimited (403-762-4936).

Dog Sledding:
The thrill of running a dog team from the back of a sled makes for an excellent afternoon. However, for the more laid back sitting down and taking in the stunning scenery can also be really enjoyable. We would highly recommend this trip, although we would advise wrapping up warm as it can get really chilly. We tend to use Snowy Owl Dog Tours (1-800-311-MUSH) as they are experienced, friendly and provide free beef jerky and cider on the trip.