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Canmore is a popular mountain town in the heart of the Canadian Rockies that attracts visitors all year round thanks to its proximity to Alberta’s most impressive peaks.
The area offers a huge array of outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and skiing, but it is also home to many interesting cultural sights. Let’s take a look at 24 of Canmore’s best attractions so that you can plan the perfect Canmore Kananaskis Country sightseeing tour.
1. Downtown Canmore
Downtown Canmore is the very heart of the town. Much of the action takes place on Main Street, and it’s here where you’ll see Canmore’s famed “Big Head” sculpture by Al Henderson.
2. Policeman’s Creek Boardwalk
Policeman’s Creek Boardwalk is an elevated 2.5-mile walkway that offers incredible year-round mountain views with no need for boots, snowshoes, or waders. The trail begins at the intersection of Main Street and Spring Creek Drive.
3. Canmore Art Galleries
If you love art, drop into some of these popular galleries.
Canmore Art Guild Gallery
- Website: canmoreartguild.org
- Address: 102 – 700 Railway Avenue, Canmore, Alberta
Canmore Art Guild champions local professional and amateur visual artists by hosting exhibitions, shows, and workshops.
Art Country Canada
- Website: artcountrycanada.com
- Address: 729 Main St. Canmore, Alberta
Art Country Canada boasts a variety of fine artworks by Robert Bateman, John Einerssen, Vilem Zach, and many more.
4. Canmore Museum
- Website: canmoremuseum.com
- Address: 902B 7th Avenue, Canmore, Alberta
Discover Canmore’s history when you visit the fascinating collection of artifacts, records, maps, and photographs on display at the Canmore Museum. You should also consider taking one of the museum’s walking tours to learn about the town’s history on foot.
5. NWMP Barracks
- Website: canmoremuseum.com/visiting-the-nwmp-barracks
- Address: 609 8th Street, Canmore, Alberta
The North West Mounted Police Barracks served as the home and workplace of the town’s police officers from 1893 until 1929. It’s the oldest of its kind in Western Canada and a great place to learn about Canmore’s history.
6. Grizzly Paw Brewing Pub
- Website: thegrizzlypaw.com
- Address: 622 8 St, Canmore, AB T1W 2B5, Canada
This local brewery has been a popular apres ski and post-hike drinking hole. Enjoy hearty pub grub and a tasty beer while taking in the incredible mountain views from the pub’s heated patio.
7. Bow River and the Historic Engine Bridge
The Bow River originates in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and flows for 365 miles through Banff, Canmore, Calgary, and out to Oldman River in the prairies. The Engine Bridge supported a railway line in Canmore’s coal mining days, and you can walk across it when you take the popular Bow River Loop Trail.
8. Canmore Nordic Centre
- Website: albertaparks.ca/parks/kananaskis/canmore-nordic-centre-pp
- Address: 1988 Olympic Way, Canmore, Alberta
The Canmore Nordic Center opened in 1988 to host the Calgary Winter Olympics, and it remains a popular cross-country skiing resort in the winter. In summer, the trails are perfect for hiking and mountain biking.
9. Lake Louise
Lake Louise is one of Canada’s most beautiful bodies of water and is accessible from Canmore within 50 minutes via the Trans-Canada Highway. Alternatively, take the Bow Valley Parkway for a more scenic drive. Plan to spend a full day in the area so you can make time for whitewater rafting in the nearby Kicking Horse River.
10. Grotto Canyon
The scenic trail to Grotto Canyon lies just outside the town of Canmore, starting in the Grotto Mountain parking lot. You’ll follow a creek bed to a pretty waterfall where there are ancient pictographs believed to be up to 1,000 years old.
11. Rat’s Nest Cave
- Website: canmorecavetours.com
- Address: 129 Bow Meadows Crescent #101, Canmore, Alberta
Rat’s Nest Cave is on the southern slope of Grotto Mountain, consisting of more than two miles of tunnels and fascinating geological features. Join a Canmore Cave Tour to explore these ancient tunnels.
12. Ha Ling Peak
Ha Ling Peak lies just south of Canmore and east of Spray Lakes Road. It’s the town’s most-hiked mountain, no doubt due to the relatively easy trail to the mountain’s saddle, which is suitable for beginners.
13. Grassi Lakes
Grassi Lakes Trail is an easy, family-friendly 2.5-mile hike at an elevation of 5,000 feet and offers incredible views over Canmore.
14. Radium Hot Springs Mineral Pools
Take a day trip to the old town of Radium Hot Springs Mineral Pools to experience these pools which include a hot spring mineral pool and a cooler swimming pool to dip in afterward.
15. Three Sisters Mountains
The Three Sisters Mountains are recognizable by their bare peaks that crest from lush pine forests. Big Sister and Middle Sister offer challenging scrambles for experienced hikers, but Little Sister is only suitable for skilled rock climbers.
16. Mount Rundle
Mount Rundle lies just south of Banff, which makes it one of the most popular climbs in the Canadian Rockies. The East End of Rundle (EEOR or “Eeyore”) is a great route but keep in mind that it’s steep the whole way and requires some scrambling.
17. Canmore Town Pond
Canmore Town Pond serves as a natural ice skating rink throughout winter, and it’s regularly resurfaced to keep it smooth and safe. It’s also lit at night, which is perfect for couples looking for a romantic date night.
18. Legacy Trail
The Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail is a 16-mile paved pathway that connects Canmore to Banff, with lots of scenic rest stops and picnic areas along the way. A round-trip takes two or three hours by bike, and there are several bike rentals available in Canmore if you don’t have your own.
19. Dog Sledding
- Website: howlingdogtours.com
- Address: Box 8055, Canmore, Alberta
One of Canmore’s more unique outdoor activities is dog sledding during the winter months. You can either be bundled up on a sled as a musher leads a team of dogs, or you can learn to be a musher and try your hand at a solo ride.
20. Lake Minnewanka
Lake Minnewanka is home to an array of archeological sites where artifacts have been found that date back 14,000 years. There are plenty of activities to try here, including canoeing, hiking, and swimming in the summer and ice skating in the winter.
21. Bow Valley Provincial Park
- Website: travelalberta.com/listings/bow-valley-provincial-park-1754
- Address: 800 Railway Ave #201, Canmore, Alberta
Bow Valley Provincial Park lies on the eastern edge of the Rockies, where the Kananaskis and Bow Rivers meet. The park is lined with hiking and biking trails, and there are plenty of picnic areas, washrooms, and campgrounds throughout.
22. The Icefields Parkway
Icefields Parkway is a 144-mile stretch of highway that connects Lake Louise with the pretty mountain town of Jasper. It’s considered one of the most beautiful highways in the world since it cuts through 11 ancient glaciers. You can expect to see waterfalls, rock spires, mountain peaks, ice fields, turquoise lakes, and dense forests.
23. Johnston Canyon
- Website: travelalberta.com/listings/johnston-canyon-1199
- Address: Bow Valley Pkwy, Improvement District No. 9, AB
Johnston Canyon has a well-maintained trail that’s suitable for all ability levels. It passes through lush evergreen forests with suspended catwalks to reach gorgeous waterfalls. The route is particularly magical in the winter when it’s covered in snow, and the waterfalls freeze over.
24. Nakiska Ski Resort
Skiing is popular throughout the Canadian Rockies, and Nakiska Ski Resort is the perfect place for beginners to hit the slopes. Snowshoeing and snowtubing are also popular activities here. Book a snowshoeing day tour with one of the resort’s guides to see some incredible mountain views.
Plan Your Canmore Itinerary
Canmore and the surrounding Kananaskis Country have a huge variety of cultural sights and natural beauty spots to admire. Which of these popular attractions will you add to your Canmore vacation itinerary?
