Spring in Canmore can be sunny or snowy, but you can count on spectacular views and fantastic dining no matter the weather. Here are 15 fun things to do in Canmore this spring.
Canmore is wonderful in all seasons, but there’s something special about visiting in spring, as ski season winds downs, and lakes begin to melt. The streets are less busy, and the trails are too… though avalanche danger persists at elevation until late spring on many trails (so check the trail report and avalanche report before heading out). Hike to frozen waterfalls in early spring and gushing waterfalls when the snow melts; climb; paddle (when the lake ice has melted); or explore the museum and discover Canmore’s history and geology. Here’s how to spend a fun spring weekend in Canmore.
Disclosure: Basecamp Resorts Canmore, Elevation Place, and Canmore Museum & Geoscience Centre kindly hosted us for review purposes, but all words and opinions are my own.
Table of Contents
1. Chase waterfalls
Have you ever taken the time to visit the waterfalls along Grassi Lakes Trail? They’re pretty photogenic, especially in late spring when there’s lots of water. Take the “More Difficult” / Interpretive trail (check the Alberta Parks trail report to make sure it’s open) to the stairs. The falls are to your left. If you choose to visit them, use caution as the rocks are slippery! Rain jacket recommended; umbrella optional. 😉 Return to the main trail to visit two turquoise ponds, and check out the pictographs past the second pond before heading back on the “easy” trail. 3.2 kilometres round trip. For more details, read our story: Hiking Grassi Lakes Trail, Canmore.
Another easy, but beautiful waterfall hike in Canmore is Three Sisters Creek. Hike to two small waterfalls in two kilometres! While this trail has less elevation gain, you may get your feet wet going to the second waterfall (a shallow creek crossing is required).
2. Visit a Cold War Bunker
According to urban legend, the The Heart Creek Bunker aka Bow Valley Bunker or Diefenbunker was built to house politicians during the height of the Cold War, but it was actually constructed house sensitive documents. While the “bunker” was never used (due to moisture and budget), large 80′ x 25′ caverns remain in the side of Mount McGillivray, near Heart Creek. For directions, please read my story: The Bow Valley Bunker. Bring a headlamp or flashlight so you can explore inside!
Warning: The cavern entrance is on an avalanche slope, so you should NOT do this hike when there is snow on the mountain.
3. Explore Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park
Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park is an awesome year-round playground. Cross country ski, fatbike, skate, and toboggan until April, weather permitting. Canada’s National Cross Country Ski and Biathlon Teams train here, so you can count on impeccable grooming. Cross country ski trail fees are in effect; read Cross Country Skiing at Canmore Nordic Centre for more information.
After the trails dry out, return to CNC for orienteering, disc golf, and mountain biking. There’s a fun bike skills park too!
4. Play inside at Elevation Place
Elevation Place is a beautiful fitness facility in the heart of Canmore with an aquatic park, gym, and climbing gym. Kids of all ages will love the large aquatic park with its pools, lazy river, waterslide, steam room, and hot tub. After a swim, challenge yourself in the climbing gym with routes of varying difficulty. Climbing lessons are available if you’d like to up your skills in a safe environment.
5. Complete the Triple Crown of Canmore
Complete the Triple Crown of Canmore by hiking Ha Ling Peak, Mount Lady MacDonald (to the teahouse platform), and East End of Rundle (EEOR) to earn a commemorative beer mug from the Georgetown Inn. These scrambles are best done in late spring when the trails are dry as the trails are dangerous when icy. See details below.
- Lady MacDonald (CURRENTLY CLOSED): 8.7 km return, 1015 m elevation gain to the teahouse platform. This trail’s southern aspect makes for good early season conditions. Note the teahouse was never completed, so you must bring your own food and beverages!
- Ha Ling Peak: 6 km return, 732 m elevation gain. Don’t be fooled by the short distance. It’s ALL UP, so expect a workout!
- East End of Rundle (EEOR): 5.8 km round trip, 870 m elevation gain. EEOR has significant avalanche danger and is prone to large cornices, so do NOT do this trail in winter conditions.
APRIL 2024 UPDATE: Lady MacDonald remains closed until further notice due to blasting in the area. Alternate easy scrambles include: Heart Mountain, Grotto Mountain, and Wind Tower.
6. Bike the beautiful Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail
Bike the beautiful Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail from Canmore to Banff (26.8 km one way). This paved trail doesn’t have many big hills and has several access points, so you can ride as long or little as you like. One-way distances from these starting points to Banff High School follow: Canmore Hwy 1 Travel Alberta Visitor Information Centre (26.8 km), Valleyview Picnic Area (12.4 km), and Cascade Ponds (4.8 km). On the return trip, let the prevailing winds push you back to Canmore or ride ROAM Transit (Route 3); they are equipped with bike racks (first come first served space for bikes) for your convenience. The Legacy Trail is best biked from mid-April to mid-October.
7. Go back in time at Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre
Discover Canmore’s history and geography at the Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre. We were amazed at how many hands-on exhibits, artifacts, videos, and displays relating to Canmore’s history, geology, and geography were inside this little museum. Our kids loved completing the scavenger hunt to win a prize too. To learn more about the museum, check out our story: Exploring Canmore Museum & Geoscience Centre. Don’t miss the nearby NWMP Barracks, “the oldest NWMP site in Western Canada to still stand on its original location.”
8. Go on a cave tour!
Explore Grotto Mountain’s Rat’s Nest Cave with Canmore Cave Tours. Walk along narrow ledges to caverns adorned with stalactites and stalagmites, rappel into the depths, and squeeze through the Laundry Chute. There are several tours to choose from depending on how long you’d like to stay in the cave and how adventurous you are. Recommended for ages 10 & up.
Read about our amazing experience in Go Underground with Canmore Cave Tours.
9. Learn to stand-up paddleboard
Learn to stand up paddleboard (SUP) at Canmore Reservoir aka Rundle Forebay. The water is usually pretty calm and the views are amazing. Update: As of 2020, you need to park at the Canmore Nordic Centre and walk over to the reservoir.
Another scenic but smaller option for stand-up paddleboarding is Quarry Lake, below The Three Sisters. Note that paid parking is in effect.
Read Where to Stand Up Paddleboard Near Calgary for more paddling spots and where to rent stand up paddleboards.
10. Hike West Wind Pass
Hike West Wind Pass, one of the best short hikes in Kananaskis, to a spectacular viewpoint of the Spray Valley. There’s avalanche danger here, so wait until the snow has melted (late May/early June is usually ok). 4.2 km return, 380 m elevation gain. For details, see West Wind Pass Trail, Kananaskis.
Note that there is a seasonal closure PAST West Wind Pass from December 1-June 15 each year, so go back the way you came (save West Wind Valley and West Wind Ridge for summer). The closure is in effect to preserve critical grazing areas for wildlife. See Alberta Parks’ map of the affected area here.
11. Go on a self-guided Clue Solvers Adventure
Clue Solvers Adventures are super fun, self-guided tours that are “Part scavenger hunt. Part escape room. Part amazing race.” After purchasing the tour/adventure of your choice, download the free Mystery Towns app, and follow instructions to solve the first clue. Enter the answer to get the next clue. If you get stumped, there are hints, but using them will add to your completion time. Entering incorrect answers will also add to your time, so read the rules carefully, work as a team, and watch your spelling.
Smuggler’s Blues (Canmore) is good for families; the route goes around downtown and along the Bow River. The clues were challenging enough to keep us thinking, but not too hard that my kids got frustrated (my kids are 10 & 11.5 years old). We only needed one hint to solve the clues and we discovered some new-to-us areas of Canmore! Around the World (Canmore) was more challenging, but also a lot of fun.
The Clue Solvers Adventures are entirely outdoors (but there are indoor adventures if the weather is poor), so dress for the weather! Expect to walk 2-4 kilometres for about 90 minutes. Race the clock and see where you end up on the leaderboard, or compete against other teams; perfect if you’re in town with friends (each team must purchase its own adventure)! Designed for adults but suitable for kids 10 & up with some adult assistance. *Also available in Banff, Calgary, Cochrane, Crowsnest Pass, and Kananaskis.
12. Look for wildflowers
In May and June, you can find tons of wildflowers in Bow Valley Provincial Park. The park boasts several family-friendly interpretive trails with lots of wildflowers including lady’s slipper orchids and tiger lilies, and is a short drive east of Canmore. Please leave the flowers for others to enjoy! For more information on hiking trails and other activities in the park, please read our Bow Valley Provincial Park Camping & Recreation Guide.
13. Enjoy good eats and local brews
Canmore has tons of amazing dining options. We love pizza at Rocky Mountain Flatbread, dinner at Blake (they have design-your-own bento boxes on the kids menu), the patio at Iron Goat Pub & Grill, and diverse and delicious menu at Crazyweed Kitchen.
There are also several breweries and distilleries in Canmore from Wild Life Distillery to Grizzly Paw Brewing Company.
14. Attend Bear Day, The Women’s Soap Run, a play, or musical performance
Bear Day is a great event put on by Alberta Parks where you can learn how to recreate safely in bear country, and even learn how to use bear spray properly. This FREE event is on April 20, 2024 from 9 am to 3:30 pm at the Canmore Nordic Centre.
Support Fast and Female, a Canadian charity “empowering girls aged 8 to 18” and score $50 of Rocky Mountain Soap products when you sign up for The Women’s Soap Run! This fun event takes place May 24-26, 2024.
For more upcoming events in Canmore, visit Explore Canmore Kananaskis | Event Calendar. See upcoming musical and theatre performances at CanmoreAlberta.com.
15. Shop and nosh at Canmore Mountain Market
Canmore Mountain Market is where you can pick up local treats or handcrafted items. Open Thursdays from May 23 to October 3, 2024, 10 am to 6 pm at Elevation Place (700 Railway Ave).
Where to Stay
Basecamp Resorts Canmore (Expedia affiliate link) offers modern, spacious suites accommodating 2-16 people. Bright and spacious studio, 1, 2, 3, and 5-6 bedroom suites are available. Conveniently located on Bow Valley Trail, a short walk from downtown Canmore, Basecamp has everything you need to feel at home from a full kitchen and high speed internet to blackout blinds and wonderful Rocky Mountain soap products (love the lemongrass soap!). Virtual check-in is easy; simply punch in the keycode that is emailed/texted on your arrival date. The same code gets you in to the hot tub area.
Whether you decide to make your own meals or dine out, everything you need is close by. Over the long weekend, we cooked most meals at our suite (Safeway is less than 1 km away so getting extra groceries was a breeze), but we enjoyed breakfast from Rocky Mountain Bagel Company (next door), a latte from Eclipse Coffee Roasters (at the end of the block) on our way back from Elevation Place, and lunch at Blake (kitty corner from Basecamp). Blake is my kids’ favorite because they can build their own bento boxes there!
In the evening, watch the sunset from Basecamp’s amazing rooftop hot tub, then relax in your home away from home and plan tomorrow’s mountain adventures.
What to Bring
Disclosure: This section includes affiliate links through which I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our small family business!
Base layers, insulated winter boots, a down jacket and windproof/waterproof shell (or insulated ski jacket/parka), gloves or mittens, and toque are must-haves. See our fall/winter hiking gear guide for product recommendations. You should also carry The Ten Essentials including: water, extra food, extra clothes, a headlamp, a GPS/satellite communicator (or compass) and map of the area, sunscreen (this one is safe for babies), and bear spray. Carry bear spray in a Frontiersman Bear Spray Holster (attaches to your backpack or belt) or Scat Belt.
In snowy/icy conditions, we recommend traction devices such as Kahtoola Microspikes (Available from Amazon, MEC, and Valhalla Pure Outfitters), or Hillsound Trail Crampons (Available at Valhalla Pure Outfitters and Sport Chek) and trekking poles with snow baskets. For snowshoeing, see our Snowshoeing Gear List.
A Garmin inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator is highly recommended for contacting Search & Rescue and emergency contacts in the event of an emergency, or communicating with friends and family when you are out of cell phone range. You can send text messages and your GPS coordinates via satellite (but a monthly plan is required)!
Related Posts
- The Best Spring Hikes in Kananaskis
- Spring Road Biking in Banff and Kananaskis
- Relax and Recharge at a Bear and Bison Inn, Canmore
- How to spend a fun weekend in Banff this spring
