Canmore Alberta

At the beginning of the pandemic last year in March 2020 I made the decision to leave my home town in Edmonton, AB because I am severely immune compromised. I decided to spend the next several months in Canmore Alberta and the photos attached will show just why this is my favorite place in the world to go.

Canmore is a small town just outside of Banff in the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada. Despite it's small size this town has everything a large city would have for shopping except a Wal Mart.

No matter what time of year you travel to Canmore it is absolutely beautiful.

This is City Hall

The Canmore Hotel first opened in 1890. It is now a hostel for back packers from around the world.

The following photos are of the main street in Canmore. There are several restaurants, gift shops, art galleries, toy shops, a candy shop, thrift store, grocery store, O Canada Soapworks which has all natural products in a variety of wonderful scents like Nanimo Bar. and a many other specialty shops. Unfortunately for the majority of the time I was there the shops were closed due to the pandemic and all I could do was shop through the windows. Some shops did deliver or offered curb side pickup but the jewelry stores and other specialty shops remained closed.

The Settler's Cabin has vintage and second hand goods for sale and is defiantly worth checking out if your hobby is thrifting.

The Candy Shop has many hard to find and vintage selections and just about any possible candy you desire.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Barracks museum, built in 1893 it served as home for stationed officers, a jail, and police detachment in Canmore until 1929. It is the 3rd oldest remaining building in Canmore and was declared a historical site by the province of Alberta in 1990. I donated a RCMP pin while I was there for the museum.

The Big Head is the town's mascot. He is often used in town celebrations. The town itself was named after Malcom III of Scotland in 1884 which also means Canmore and in Gaelic it translates to Big Head.

Wildlife does make its way into the town and residents here know all too well the dangers that can come from leaving scrap food or containers

The following photos are of the 3 sisters mountain which is a major landmark in Canmore

This is Abraham Lake where trapped methane gas from dying vegetation below the water's surface causes bubbles to appear below the ice surface. Abraham lake was named in 1972 after a resident named Silas Abraham that resided in the North Saskatchewan River Valley where this lake was made during the construction of the Bighorn Water Dam which destroyed the livelihoods and homes of the Indigenous residents by flooding them out. This was the result of poor planning on Trans Alta's part

Now outside the Canmore town center is where all of the beauty lies. The following photos were taken in Canmore, Abraham Lake, Grassi Lakes, Spray Lakes, Grotto Mountain. Banff Boundry. Ghost Lake, Morriane Lake, Lake Louise and Banff.

The following images were taken at Grassi Lakes at Canmore's Nordic Center Provincial Park where lies two beautiful emerald colored bodies of water overlooking the town of Canmore. The water comes from the Spray Lakes Reservoir and the Spray River

These photos were taken at Lac De Arcs in Exshaw just outside of Canmore

Back in Canmore - This is the Policeman's Creek Boardwalk it is part of many trails in Canmore. I would say this one is easiest of all as it is only 1 km from one end to the other. You can access this path just past the old RCMP barracks off main street. A large portion of this is built from wooden planks above the water.

This is the end of the Policemen's Creek Boardwalk. It goes up into the residential neighborhood and there is a straight path you can take along the bow river back downtown.

Castle Mountain Named in 1858 by James Hector for its castle like appearance. After the second world war it was named Dwight D Eisenhower until 1979 when it was changed back to its original name.

View from the entrance to Canmore from the west

Exit off the Trans Canada Highway to Canmore

Lake Minnewanka in Banff. One of the biggest tourist attractions in Alberta because of the beautiful view. Some of these photos have been submitted also to travel Alberta for tourism information previously.

Moriane Lake and the valley of the 10 peaks located 5 minutes from Canmore in Banff National Park

The infamous Lake Louise known for its natural beauty all year round,

Old Mine shaft. Canmore was a coal mining town since its conception however the government of Alberta seized all operations and closed or destroyed all mine shafts in the region.

View of Canmore from the mountain top of Our Lady MacDonald at night

In conclusion my favorite place to get lost in the world is Canmore. It really is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. The water tastes better here. You don't need a vehicle because everything is within a walks distance and the walk itself was breath taking. The people in this lovely town are kind and friendly and stuck together during the pandemic to get through it together. One day I will be a resident of this beautiful town. I sure enjoyed each and every day that I got to spend here. And I am certain you would love it too.

Good bye Canmore view from the highway near Cochrane