Kananaskis Country is not known for its famous lakes or glaciated peaks, but you will find real beauty in this sprawling 1640-square-mile area. There are two very distinct ecosystems within Kananaskis Country, the mountains to the west and the rolling foothills to the east, while being separated by Kananaskis Valley. While still being in its almost "natural state," Kananaskis Country is home to an abundance of wildlife, such as moose, elk, black bears, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. Kananaskis Country encompasses seven provincial parks: Bow Valley, Spray Valley, Peter Lougheed, Kananaskis Valley, Sibbald, Elbow-Sheep Wildland, and Highwoods, with one of the gateways to Kananaskis Country beginning in Canmore.
We began our Kananaskis Country driving tour on Spray Lakes Drive (Highway 742). Known as the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail, it is the only road through the Spray Valley Provincial Park and is an extra-wide (and usually dusty) 37-mile gravel road.
We traveled alongside the reservoir waters of the Lower and Upper Ridge and stopped to revel in the beauty of the perfectly calm lake across the road from the Canmore Nordic Center. The ridge here serves as a dam and releases water through discharging devices to the Grassi Lakes power plant in the valley below.
We stopped for a view of The Three Sisters and an awesome view of the Bow Valley and town of Canmore.
A lone big-horned sheep standing along the roadside totally ignored us as we slowly drove past. The next stop was at Goat Pond. Here was another great photo opportunity of the magnificent Goat Mountain Range reflecting in the still water. I could have stayed here all day.
Our next highlight was Robert driving past the black bear standing on the roadside while I quietly yelled, "There… there… there on the side of the road." We quickly turned around and went back to get bear photos.
After stops at Spray Lake and Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes, we took Highway 40 back to the Trans-Canada highway.
Kananaskis Country offers many things to do. With over 800 miles of hiking trails, there are easy and short interpretive trails, as well as extremely difficult. One of the most popular trails is the Goat Creek Trail, which is 11.8 miles one-way, but an easy to moderate downhill trail if you have someone drop you off. Imagine beginning a trail in Kananaskis Country and ending up at the famous Banff Springs Hotel! Kananaskis Village offers rental bikes, canoes, and fishing rods, as well as two spectacular 18-hole golf courses. There are five information centers at each of the main entrances, 31 campgrounds, and several modern-day lodges, as well as many picnic tables located throughout the provincial parks. Gas is available at Fortress and Highwood Junctions.
You can also enter Kananaskis Country from the Trans-Canada Highway. Turn onto Highway 40, which is the turn off to Kananaskis. This turn-off is about halfway between Calgary and Canmore.
Allow a minimum of 4 to 6 hours to leisurely drive, stop, and enjoy the sights along the Kananaskis Loop. Regardless of how you get into Kananaskis Country, be sure to drive the entire 93-mile loop for some of the most untouched gorgeous mountain landscape scenery and, hopefully, some wildlife sightings.