Kananaskis Valley
Kananaskis Valley
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
89 reviews
Excellent
63
Very good
21
Average
2
Poor
3
Terrible
0
Ben B
Calgary, Canada14,150 contributions
Jun 2020
Still stunningly beautiful on the whole, but the poplar trails and beauty spots are a bit overrun and parking is hard to find, with so many locals with time on their hands due to COVID. We're seeing more litter like discarded Kleenex, orange peels, and dog-poop bags tossed into the bushes. Day use areas are open. Be prepared with your own hand sanitizer and toilet paper - on our recent trips, 50% of the pit toilets are kept closed at any one time. Campgrounds are open at 50% capacity, this includes reserveable and first come, first served campgrounds. Second RV units will not be permitted on campsites, and only one household or cohort family permitted per site. Shared facilities, showers, picnic shelters and playgrounds are still currently closed due to COVID. All the visitor centres are closed, so those new to the area and needing some guidance are out of luck. Although the closing of the visitor centres is ostensibly due to COVID, the government has announced already for cost savings that many services will never reopen in the parks, and are actually in the process of shedding parks and public lands throughout Alberta. Not a sign that visitors are wanted or welcome...
Written June 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ben B
Calgary, Canada14,150 contributions
Feb 2021
We've been through this valley several times in 2021 already, and many times during the COVID period. Our experience has been that on weekends, even in the winter, popular places can be overrun, so perhaps not a good place for those who are squeamish about crowded places. The lesser known trails and trailheads might be a solution, as would trying to visit during the week. Within the Kananaskis Valley you'll find two provincial parks (Peter Lougheed and Spray Valley) which have the best developed year-round trail options for hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. We use the Valley for day trips from Calgary, and don't know much about the camping. Kananaskis Village has hotel accommodation, along with restaurants and shops, a golf course, a good campground that might be running all year (we don't know), and of course Nakiska Ski area. If you're just in for scenics, a drive in and out should net some great pictures and nice experiences. If you're active, do your research and you should be able to find an activity that suites your ability and skill level. For those squeamish about pit toilets may want to stay away. With all the info centres closed, the only flush toilets are in the village or at the Fortress Mountain gas station. On our last visit, they had done a decent job keeping the road clear of ice and snow, but still, always be cautious driving in the mountains in the winter. Due to the info centres STILL being closed, we bumped the rating down.
Written February 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Silviu C
1 contribution
Jul 2023 • Family
Be aware of the new rules for parking fines - it is double the amount of the pass ($180 violation ticket handled by province of Alberta). If your pass expires that month, you have to buy a new pass the day it expires. You are not covered until the end of the month, like the national parks passes do.
On top of that, you cannot compare Kananaskis provincial park with any of the BC provincial parks. Alberta government likes to spend your money on easy stuff not on important things needed to be done for your safety on the trail. They are more than willing to pave the little trails between benches in the barbecue areas by highway 40. However, when it is about putting a small sign deep in the mountains so you don't get lost, they scratch their thick skulls for a few years , then decide that is better to leave the "trail" unmarked ( because it is a conservation area, right?) forcing hikers to stomp all over the vegetation in search for the right direction. Hikers build their own cairns, or use small plastic ribbons in the trees ending up with a bunch of them indicating different directions ....
If you are from Europe, forget anything remotely similar with trail marking over there ... your safety is not a concern for Alberta government ...
On top of that, you cannot compare Kananaskis provincial park with any of the BC provincial parks. Alberta government likes to spend your money on easy stuff not on important things needed to be done for your safety on the trail. They are more than willing to pave the little trails between benches in the barbecue areas by highway 40. However, when it is about putting a small sign deep in the mountains so you don't get lost, they scratch their thick skulls for a few years , then decide that is better to leave the "trail" unmarked ( because it is a conservation area, right?) forcing hikers to stomp all over the vegetation in search for the right direction. Hikers build their own cairns, or use small plastic ribbons in the trees ending up with a bunch of them indicating different directions ....
If you are from Europe, forget anything remotely similar with trail marking over there ... your safety is not a concern for Alberta government ...
Written September 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Starseed Magicians
Edmonton, Canada111 contributions
Oct 2021 • Solo
Beautiful views, roads, drive, no gps and pass does not extend to Banff. Felt its a waste of money.
The lakes and yellow leaves were great. It was very windy and chilly.
I wanted to visit the Suspension bridge but Google did not guide me to right place.
Grotto Canyon said 1.2 km hike and people on the way said, 6.6 km hike so did not go further...dont kbow whars true
The lakes and yellow leaves were great. It was very windy and chilly.
I wanted to visit the Suspension bridge but Google did not guide me to right place.
Grotto Canyon said 1.2 km hike and people on the way said, 6.6 km hike so did not go further...dont kbow whars true
Written October 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Danger M
7 contributions
Sept 2022 • Family
Overpriced. Fairmont prices for a run down hotel. My room has a fridge that didn't work properly. The drain in the tub was a half inch of the bottom of the tub, meaning water was going into the floor somewhere. The pool was run down. Tile missing. Kids splash area cracked and broken in many places. Sauna out of order. Rust everywhere. None of the lockers in the men's room worked. Many were screwed shut. Any that opened were rusty. Several soap dispensers were missing in the shower. The water cup dispenser in the gym has a sharp screw pointing out of it. The toilet in my suite stopped working. That's just on the first day. And they have the never to charge 600$ a night?
The playlist throughout the hotel was great though... Excellent taste in music. One star just for that. But seriously run down. I would much rather stay at the Fairmont in Jasper for those prices.
The playlist throughout the hotel was great though... Excellent taste in music. One star just for that. But seriously run down. I would much rather stay at the Fairmont in Jasper for those prices.
Written October 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joshua Berkovitz
West Bloomfield, MI947 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
An amazing time with family members. Beautiful view from different places.
We encountered wild life. Deer, goats, bears….
Great trails with beautiful wild flowers .
Lots of picnic areas.
Great signage everywhere.
You can rent bicycles and enjoy the beautiful ride on the trails.
A real great way to enjoy nature.
We encountered wild life. Deer, goats, bears….
Great trails with beautiful wild flowers .
Lots of picnic areas.
Great signage everywhere.
You can rent bicycles and enjoy the beautiful ride on the trails.
A real great way to enjoy nature.
Written July 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
niteowljune
Huntersville, NC3,399 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
Leaving Calgary Airport, it is less than an hour before you turn onto Alberta 40S towards Kananaskis Country. Within 10 minutes we saw our first ever grizzly bear very close to the road. We drove farther and saw many big horned sheep. We stopped at Kananaskis Country Golf Course and ate lunch overlooking spectacular scenery. It was a bit cool or we would have eaten on their beautiful patio. It was less than an hour back to our destination for the evening in downtown Banff. We liked the drive so much we returned their on our way back to the airport 10 days later.
Written July 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FarehamJim
Fareham69 contributions
Sept 2015
We started the day with a walk to Grassi Lakes. As others have said , get there early or later, even then it will be busy, but worth seeing. We then continued on the loop road around Kananaskis country. This is much quieter, with many worthwhile places to stop along the unpaved road. I found this quite hard going by the end, the constant dust seemingly never ending, but the beautiful sights make up for it. At the southern end of the loop the road is paved again and it is a short drive to the Upper and Lower lakes - worth seeing, but busy. We saw mountain goats and fawns on the drive, but underestimated how far the loop is - fortunately there is a gas station on the main highway. We called in at Kananaskis village which is a modern resort with nothing of real interest if you are just passing through. Still, the ice cream was good!
Written September 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
davGrimshaw
Alberta, Canada487 contributions
Aug 2019
We like to travel from Hwy. 1 to Longview every few years or so. The views are spectacular and there are many, many place to pull over and get out to enjoy a hike or the view.
Makes me proud to live in Alberta!
Makes me proud to live in Alberta!
Written August 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan M
Calgary, Canada708 contributions
Jun 2018 • Family
Most people visit Banff and Lake Louise. Try Kananaskis Country for quieter experience in the Canadian Rocky mountains. Highway 40 will take you through the whole park. Lots of beautiful views, picnic areas, camping, hikes, lakes. Leave the commercial stuff behind and enjoy nature. Limited accommodations and restaurants so plan ahead. Plan a full day as a minimum.
Written July 3, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is there a drive starting at Canmore and looping back?
Written September 5, 2019
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