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Black
Bears are Plentiful in K-Country1 |
Just west of Calgary,
Alberta, Canada
are the rolling foothills, steep crags and the canyons of the front ranges
of the Rocky Mountains
in Kananaskis Country.
The area is a rural municipal district that encompasses a total area of
4,211 sq km (1,625.9 sq mi). It was set aside in the 1970s by the provincial
premier Peter Lougheed as an outdoor destination Canadians could enjoy
for generations. It attracts thousands of visitors per year who are mainly
drawn to the area's countless outdoor opportunities offered by its diverse,
wild and rugged terrain.
Although very similar
to the Banff
National Park area, Kananaskis isn't nearly as well-known and
accordingly attracts fewer people, giving Kananaskis Village a certain
peace absent in Banff's
inner township. Bountiful angling, hiking, cycling, snowboarding, cross
country skiing and virtually every other outdoor activity is performed
in K-Country. The area received international attention in 1998 for hosting
the Winter Olympic Games and in 2002 for holding the highly-publicized
G8 Summit. Numerous documentaries and films have also been shot in Kananaskis,
the natural beauty of which lends itself to any lens.
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| The
Cascade Known as Elbow Falls2 |
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Kananaskis Country
has few accommodations and is far more isolated when compared with the
area of Banff but
is still home to dozens of natural attractions
and a plethora of pristine provincial parks.
The teeming park wildlife, which includes bears, elk, big horned sheep
and mountain cats, is also an integral part of the K-Country experience.
The
Kananaskis
Accommodations Guide provides links to the the accommodation guide
for Kananaskis.
ACCESS
From Canada
Olympic Park in Calgary, Kananaskis Country is located 61 km (38
mi) west on the Trans-Canada
Highway and about 7 km (4.3 mi) south on Highway
40. This route takes visitors into the area through the Bow
Valley Park area. From farther south, visitors can enter the Elbow
River Valley Park area by driving to Bragg
Creek westbound on Highway 8 and into the parks on Highway 22.
This route is about 22 km (13.7 mi) in length.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Hotels and Resorts
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A
Suite at the Executive Resort3 |
For a luxurious stay
in K-Country, many visitors opt to lodge at the Executive
Resort at Kananaskis in Kananaskis
Village just off Highway 40. Many are drawn to the hotel for business
conferences, luxurious alpine vacations and instant access to the areas
trails
and pathways. This upscale resort provides deluxe smoke-free and pet-free
rooms with stunning views of the Rocky Mountains. They host 91 rooms with
balconies or outdoor patios. Their business and conference centre is popular
for large functions that require accommodation of groups up to 300 people
strong. The resort boasts the Wildflower Restaurant on site serving Canadian
culinary, and Woody's Pub and Patio to give guests the opportunity
to relax over a few drinks in a sublime outdoor setting.
The
Delta Lodge at Kananaskis is another popular destination for those
seeking high-class accommodation in Kananaskis Country. This hotel is
also situated in Kananaskis Village just off Highway 40 and mainly draws
skiiers and snowboarders during the winter season and casual tourists
looking to get away from the city, hikers, scramblers and outdoorspeople
during the summer months. Close to a number of ski resorts, many families
choose the Delta as their holiday ski or getaway destination. The Delta
offers 321 recently renovated rooms, most of which have spectacular panoramic
views of the surrounding wilderness. The hotel also provides a Signature
Service for those that desire extra decadence, five internal restaurants
with lounge areas, and the Summit Spa & Fitness Centre.
Adventurer Accommodations
Kananaskis Country is known as one of Alberta's premier camping destinations.
Accordingly, there are over 30 campsites
in the area and even a hostel accommodation for the budget traveller.
Most campsites have vacancies all-year round, but a reservation ahead
of time will guarantee a place to pitch a tent or park the RV or camper
which can fill up quickly as they are all close to Calgary. Most are accessible
from Highway 40.
The
Mount Kidd RV Park is 28 km (17.4 mi) south of the Trans-Canada
Highway along Highway 40. This enormous property offers 229 sites. The
facilities on site allow for guests to play tennis and volleyball or sit
for a soak in the indoor whirlpool and wading pool. This campsite is open
all year long. If
one is looking to camp, but wants to break away from the ordinary, an
opportunity to camp in authentic tipis is also provided along Highway
40 at the Sundance
Lodges (Tipis) and RV Park. Each tipi is complete with wooden
flooring, frame beds, mattresses, a heater and a lantern for 19th-century-style-interior
illumination. There are also 30 unserviced sites with tent pads and firepits.
They sell basic groceries on-site too.
Those seeking outdoor
adventure and backcountry escapades in the Kananaskis countryside usually
stay at the HI
Kananaskis Wilderness Hostel. This hostel is located just off
Highway 40 by Kananaskis Village and the Nakiska
ski resort and is meant for budget travellers, students and experienced
outdoorspeople. It has enough room to accommodate 44 individuals in dorm-style
settings. They have a full kitchen, laundry facilities, a campfire area,
and a hostel lounge. The hostel is surrounded by woods and the outer ranges
of the Rocky Mountains, providing infinite opportunities for outdoor exploration.
Kananaskis offers
plenty of other campsite accommodations in and around the immediate area.
Interlakes
Campground, Mount
Sarrail Campground, Indian
Graves Campground, Canyon
Campground, Eau
Claire Campground and other sites await visitors year-round.
ATTRACTIONS AND
ACTIVITES
Sights and Specialty
Attractions
Just south of the Trans-Canada Highway on Highway 40 sits the Barrier
Lake Visitor Centre. The staff at the visitor's centre handle
all inquiries concerning Kananaskis including backcountry camping requests
and other questions concerning the park regions.
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| On
The Edge of the Mighty Rockies4 |
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Thanks to its position
on the outskirts of the Canadian Rockies, Kananaskis Country offers a
unique and wild landscape with dozens of natural attractions. Hiking and
scrambling in the regions mountain ranges has always drawn folks to the
area. Mountains
in K-Country include Mount
Evan-Thomas, Mount
Allan, Mount
Howard and Ha
Ling Peak.
The Kananaskis
River feeds the Bow
River and brings canoe and kayak enthusiasts into Kananaskis from
their launching points in either Banff
or Canmore. Elbow
Falls is an excellent spot to stop and watch the cascading waters
of the Elbow
River from its many vantage points. There is also Barrier
Lake, which is the most notable body of water in the area. Mainly,
this man-made lake acts as a local source of hydroelectric energy. Boats
with gasoline engines are allowed on Barrier Lake and occasionally waterskiiers
and wakeboarders brave the icy waters for the opportunity to run a quick
set. For this, a dry-suit is highly recommended.
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The
Kananaskis River5 |
Summer Activites
The naturally rich Kananaskis region offers some of Canada's most famous
golf
courses, which are located moments outside of Kananaskis Village.
And for the enthusiastic outdoorsman, no other place in the province can
complete with the wide range of terrain available for navigation.
The area is teeming
with provincial parks. Kananaskis is home to the Elbow River Valley, the
Highwood/Cataract
Areas, the Peter
Lougheed Provincial Park, the Sheep
River Provincial Park, the Spray
Valley Provincial Park, and a slew of other parks.
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| Elk
Reign in K-Country6 |
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Each park presents
its own unique terrain and wildlife. Common animals seen in the region
include elk, moose, deer, bears and cougars. Visitors to the area, enjoy
hiking, scambling, fishing, kayaking, canoing, golfing, mountaineering
and over-night expeditions in the vast countryside of K-Country. A wide
range of guided
tours are also provided in the area.
There is a complex
network of pathways and trails all over the area too, including trails
and cutaways for full-sized four-wheel drive vehicles. The McLean
Creek area off Highway 66 is open year-round for off-road adventures
and provides a variety of terrain to test those new tires or that new
suspension system.
All-terrain vehicles
such as quads, trikes and dirt bikes are allowed only in designated areas
within Kananaskis Country. These areas change frequently. Current information
concerning the use of motorized, all-terrain vehicles in K-Country can
be obtained by calling one of the park information centres. The Highwood
Park/Cataract Area just off Highway 940 is the most popular destination
for all-terrain expeditions and can offer a challenging journey.
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Deep
Snow Boarding in K-Country7 |
Winter Activities
Nakiska
was home to the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Today, it is still an extremely
popular ski resort due to its close proximity to Calgary. Terrain here
ranges from beginner to expert. For flatlanders, there are dozens of cross-country
ski and snowshoe trails in the area as well, which lead travellers past
evergreen glades, rushing rivers and the towering Rocky Mountains. During
the winter, many people come here simply for the love of brisk alpine
air. Dog sledding has even been known to occur in Kananaskis. Often, teams
drive down to the area to partake in daytime cross-country trips or for
longer exploratory-style overnight trips in the snow-ladden backcountry.
Snowmobiling is another
popular pastime in the foothills at the base of the Rockies. For designated
snowmobiling areas and trail information, call the visitor's centre.
STEPS AWAY FROM
K-COUNTRY
Waiparous/Ghost
Lake Area
Waiparous
is just north of K-Country along Highway 1A. Similar to regional Kananaskis
Country, it offers plenty of camping and other outdoor exploits. All-terrain
vehicles flock here during the summer months to take on the area's wide
range of different trails, mud tracks and varying grades. Ghost
Lake was man-made by damming the Bow River and has been used since
by anglers seeking whitefish and cutthroat, lake and brown trout. An intense
wind that constantly whips through the valley makes Ghost Lake a popular
destination for windsurfers. Waterskiing and wakeboarding occur frequently
on the lake during the summer months.
Canmore
The City of Canmore is 37 km (23 mi) from the information centre at Barrier
Lake. Canmore offers visitors to the area a further range of accommodation
options, plenty of additional sights and attractions.
PHOTO COURTESY
- Black Bears are Plentiful in Kananaskis Country
- c/o Wikipedia Commons; The Cascade Known as Elbow Falls; Kananaskis
Country, AB, Canada
- c/o Executive Resort At Kananaskis; A Typical Suite in the Resort;
Kananaskis Village, AB, Canada
- Kananaskis Sits on the Edge of the Rocky Mountains.
- The Kananaskis River.
- Elk Reign in K-Country.
- Mike Williamson; Deep Snow Boarding in K-Country; Kananaskis Country,
AB, Canada