Canmore, Alberta, Canada

Canmore, Alberta is a picturesque town about 50 miles west of Calgary. It is the closest town to Banff National Park. It thrived as a coal mining town starting in 1887. By 1970, the mining industry diminished, ceasing completely in 1979. Canmore became a touristic destination. Its landscapes are idyllic. I saw amazing photo opportunities literally everywhere we went.

We visited on September 15, 2022. We stopped and photographed the view at a beautiful roadside overlook on the way to Canmore from Calgary. In Canmore we hiked Three Sisters Creek Trail. We also walked sections of the Bow River Trail, the Bow River loop and Canmore Creek Trail. We stopped briefly to photograph the stunning backyard of a beautiful log home along the river path, visiting with its talented owner Verna Korkie, a local painter and avid gardener. We drove to the three Sisters Overlook, not to be missed for its stunning views.

Downtown streets were closed to cars when we drove to dinner allowing pedestrians to roam freely. It’s a cozy downtown with flower baskets in every corner and statues decorating the streets. I very much enjoyed the local vibe and all the dinners we had. My favorite dinner was at Elita, a Ukranian restaurant. Both dishes were delectable. It was not busy when we arrived so the owner, an experienced chef, chatted with us after the meal. It was a very interesting conversation about the current culture in the corporate world. I realized that though my field is software development and his is cooking, the same work environment struggles applied. Our other meals were a take-out shawarma plate the first night and dinner downtown where we sampled poutine, a popular Canadian dish of fried potatoes, beef broth and melted cheese.

I do recommend the Bow River Trail. The views are amazing, and the trail is very easy meandering parallel to the river.

I very much enjoyed our time in Canmore. It is an incredibly beautiful place. I would not hesitate to return.

Reference Bow River Loop, Bow River Trail, Canmore, Wikipedia

Three Sisters Overlook